swordplay online - Brain Gerrish - Roger Ascham - Lewis Carroll - Alexander Pope - Baltimore Sun - Midnight Express 1978 - Kojak: The Marcus-Nelson Murders 1973 - 12 Angry Men 1957 - Beyond a Reasonable Doubt 1956 - The Case of Charles Peace 1949 - Walter Burien - Oliver Wendell Holmes - Murdering the Mother in Law: Countdown to Murder TV - The Pure Hell of St Trinian's 1960 - Franz Kafka - The Highest Court in the Land: Justice Makers TV - Rab C Nesbitt TV - After Innocence 2005 - Monty Python's Flying Circus TV - Inside the Old Bailey TV - The Insider 1999 - The Rainmaker 1998 - A Time to Kill 2009 - Runaway Jury 2003 - The Verdict 1982 - Inside the Court of Appeal TV - Roman J Israel Esq 2017 - The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution 2015 - Inside the Old Bailey TV - Misha Glenny -
84,352. Three jurors in the 1993 trial of Stephen Young for two counts of murder were unable to make up their minds over the defendant’s guilt or innocence. They sought help by using a Ouija Board to commune with one of Mr Young’s victims. The spirit of Henry Fuller duly appeared. Fuller had been killed with his wife Nicola, and in his ghostly reincarnation Henry confirmed that Young was the pair’s killer. ‘Vote guilty tomorrow,’ was his instruction, via the Ouija board. Young was convicted – and re-convicted at the retrial for the inevitable ‘material irregularity’ in the first proceedings. (Ouija & Trial & Jury & Court) Swordplay online, Top Ten Mad Jury Moments #1
77,999. An Australian drugs trial lasting more than three months and costing taxpayers over A$1 million was abandoned after a number of the jurors were found to have spent much of their time engaged in Sudoku puzzles. The judge had a feeling that all was not as it should be when he noticed that some jurors were writing notes vertically rather than horizontally, but one juror insisted that devotion to Sudoku was actually beneficial to justice: ‘Some of the evidence is rather drawn out and I find it difficult to maintain my attention the whole time’, she was reported to have told Australian Associated Press. (Jury & Trial & Court) ibid. #2
78,000. A woman witness was giving evidence [in an indecency case] and was asked what the man in the dock had said to her. She was too embarrassed to repeat it in open court, so the judge asked her to write it down. She did, and what she wrote was ‘Would you care for a screw?’ This document was passed around the jury until it reached juror number 12, an elderly gentleman who was fast asleep. Sitting next to him was a fairly personable young lady. She read the note, nudged her neighbour and, when he was awake, handed it to him. He woke with a start, read it and, with apparent satisfaction, folded it and put it away carefully in his wallet. When the judge said, ‘Let that be handed up to me,’ the juryman shook his head and replied, ‘It’s a purely private matter, my Lord.’ (Jury & Trial & Court) ibid. #10, cited Professor Gary Slapper, How the Law Works
8,920. Sir Mark Potter, Britain’s most senior family judge and President of the High Court Family Division, told The Times that the judiciary had been split about whether to open up the family courts and that there was not a clear single view. (Children & Courts & Family) Brian Gerrish, lecture British Constitution Group 2009, The State of the Nation
23,276. To laugh, to life, to flatter, to face
Four ways in court to win men grace. Roger Ascham 1515-1568
23,277. ‘I’ll be judge, I’ll be jury,’ said the old cunning Fury;
‘I’ll try the whole cause, and condemn you to death.’ Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
23,278, No! No! Sentence first – verdict afterwards. ibid.
23,279. The hungry judges soon the sentence sign,
And wretches hang that jury-men may dine. Alexander Pope, The Rape of the Lock
14,230. Chmurny’s decision to swallow the pill Wednesday unnerved Howard Circuit Court officials and stunned his lawyer, Dino Flores.
Flores said he had no inkling that the 57-year-old scientist, a man he described as ‘very intelligent’ was contemplating suicide.
‘I had no idea anything like this was possible,’ a shaken Flores said yesterday. ‘Certainly, sitting right next to him as he does this, it’s very surreal to me.’
Chmurny faced a maximum penalty of more than 30 years in prison for the crimes. Sentencing had been scheduled for November 15.
Chmurny’s actions at the defense table in Howard Circuit Court’s ceremonial courtroom were not unprecedented. At least once before in Maryland, a defendant committed suicide by taking cyanide in open court. (Murder & Suicide & Court) Baltimore Sun online article 14th September 2001, Lisa Goldberg ‘Chmurny succumbs to suicide’
20,327. It looks like you’re gonna have a new court ... Seems everyone wanted an example made. (GBH Film & Court & Prison) Midnight Express 1978 starring Brad Davis & Irene Miracle & Bo Hopkins & Paolo Bonacelli & Paul L Smith & Randy Quaid & John Hurt & Norbert Weisser et al, director Alan Parker, embassy bloke
21,761. The truth doesn’t count for much in a courtroom. (GBH Films & Truth & Court) Kojak: The Marcus-Nelson Murders 1973 [Kojak pilot episode] starring Telly Savalas & Ned Beatty & Marjoe Gortner & Jose Ferrer & Allen Garfield & Lorraine Gary & Roger Robinson Harrriet Karr et al, director Joseph Sargent, Jake
23,292. To continue, you’ve listened to a long and complex case – murder in the first degree ... Your verdict must be unanimous. 12 Angry Men 1957 starring Henry Fonda & Lee J Cobb & E G Marshall & Martin Balsam & Jack Warden & John Fiedler & Jack Klugman & Edward Binns & Joseph Sweeney & Ed Begley & George Voskovec & Robert Webber et al, director Sidney Lumet, Judge
23,293. We’re talking about somebody's life here. We can’t decide in five minutes. Supposing we’re wrong. ibid.
23,294. What’s the matter with you guys! You know he’s guilty! He’s got to burn! You’re letting him slip through our fingers! ibid. juror
23,295. A friendly little argument. (Court-Room Films & Argument) ibid. juror to Clerk of the Court
23,296. I just don’t thing the State should take a man’s life. (Courtroom Films & Film Noir & Death Sentence & Capital Punishment) Beyond a Reasonable Doubt 1956 starring Joan Fontaine & Dana Andrews & Sidney Blackmer & Shepperd Strudwick & Arthur Franz & Philip Bourneuf & Ed Binns & Robin Raymond, director Fritz Lang, Austin
23,297. Dancer Strangled Scene of Murder (Court-Room Films & Film Noir) ibid. Press Herald Monday May 14th 1956
23,298. They’re showing highlights of the trial every evening. (Court- Room Films & Film Noir) ibid. old bloke
23,299. We find the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree. (Courtroom Films & Film Noir) ibid. Jury
23,280. An Authentic Story based on the records of British Justice. The Case of Charles Peace 1949 Michael Martin Harvey & Chili Bouchier & Valentine Dyall & Bruce Belfrage & Ronald Adam & Peter Forbes-Robertson & Kathleen Rooney & Richard Shayne & Jean Shepeard & John Kelly et al, director Norman Lee, caption
23,281. Defend the Children of the Poor and Punish the Wrongdoer. This is the whole object of the Central Criminal Court Old Bailey. ibid. plummy commentary
23,282. I want to interest you in a criminal of the Victorian period: Charles Peace ... He was a very remarkable character. A veritable Jekyll & Hyde of crime ... In all the history of crime there’s been no character quite like him before or since ... I’m going to take you to Charles Peace’s second trial. ibid. Sir Clement Barnes KC, lecture
23,283. Master criminal. Great lover. A mixture of childlike simplicity and cunning evil. ibid. commentary
23,284. Not guilty, sir. ibid. Charles Peace in dock in chains
23,285. Call Katherine Dyson. ibid. Brief
23,286. If Dyson lays a hand on you I’ll do the killing. No, Kath. I’m mad about you. Husband or no husband we’ve got to make our life together. ibid. Charles Peace
23,287. Don’t do anything you might be sorry for, Dyson. ibid. Charles Peace
23,288. Keep away from my wife. ibid. Dyson to Peace
23,289. Charles Peace Wanted For Murder. ibid.
23,290. It was an accident though the coppers won’t think so. ibid. Charles to wife
23,291. Yes, Hannah, I’ve repented. ibid. Charles to wife