"Not guilty," e.g. (4)

I believe the answer is:

plea

(Other definitions for plea that I've seen before include "Answer made by the accused to the charge" , "Urgent request" , "Appeal - with bargaining?" , "Humble request for help" , "Excuse; petition" .)

I've seen this clue in the Newsday, the King Feature Syndicate, the Universal, The Washington Post and the New York Times.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.