How did the Magna Carta protect the rights of people accused of a crime?

By agreeing that “no free man” could be punished in any way “except by the lawful judgment of his equals …” the King conceded that that instead of his officials – including those he appointed as judges – deciding the guilt or innocence of an accused person, that decision would now be made by the peers of the accused

He met with his barons at Runnymede on the Thams River. On June 14, 1215 King John affixed his seal on the new document called the Magna Carta. ... The barons were mostly protecting themselves from unjst taxes and to safeguard their rights and privileges.