No prosecution of a half dead criminal (7)
I believe the answer is:
defence
'no prosecution' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'a half dead criminal' is the wordplay.
'a half' indicates taking half.
'criminal' becomes 'fence' (I've seen this in other clues).
'dead' with half the letters taken is 'de'.
'de'+'fence'='DEFENCE'
'of' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for defence that I've seen before include "Military's purpose" , "shelter" , "A means of protecting from attack" , "The D in MoD" , "Protection from harm" .)