Select the most appropriate one-word substitution for the given group of words. 

An act of officially charging someone with a crime.

Indictment

The most appropriate one-word substitution for an act of officially charging someone with a crime is indictment.

• Acquittal is a formal declaration that someone is not guilty of a crime.
• Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation.
• Accident is an unplanned and unexpected event that happens without intention or preparation.

The word indictment is derived from the Latin word indictare, meaning "to accuse". It is a formal accusation of a crime that is made by a grand jury. An indictment is a necessary step in the criminal justice process, and it allows the accused person to be tried in court.