The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-05-20
SOMETHING ABOUT JURIEs.

We have been informed that "n good, old
times" juries were subject to be treated by
courts with considerable degree of rgor,
when they proved refractory and failed to
perform the duty assigned them by lew, viz,
the rendering of verdict in the particular
case in which they Glanced to be empan-
ncled. In latter days, however, particularly
in this county, a practice has arisen for ju-
res to ask to be discharged from the consid-
Grafton of case, after the lapse of n very
brief time indeed, upon their failure to agree.
The granting of such requests entails upon
the county very considerable amount of
extra expense in disposing OF her criminal
docket and the good reason for such n course
is not very apparent in that view, and also
In view Of the fact that another jury has
eventually to deal with the same case, and
make up verdict upon the same state of
facts. 1t is incontestably true, that none the
slightest unauthorized pressure should be
brought to bear to influence the mind of q
Juror, under oath to render verdict, the
consequence Of which may be most disastrous
the unprecedented minds Of his twelve peers !;
but when the failure to agree arises from u
desire to escape the responsibilities imposed
upon them by the law, ample time, say day
or two, at least, ought to be given the jury to
calmly consider whether they are justified in
dsagrceing. We are happp to be able to
state that during the present session of our
court every jury that has been empannelcd
has rendered verdict, and thus every case
and there were some of very considerable
magnitudc-has been disposed of without the
Inconvenience and expense of having to try
it twice. In one case, however, of larceny, it
seemed as if the practice that prevailed at our
last term to very considerable extent was
about to be revived, as sundry communica-
tions from the jury passed TO the Court, to
the effect that they were unable to arrive at
a unanimous conclusion, one way or the 9TH
or, in regard to the theft of certain flannel
shirts of one or two dollars value, which the
State of Maryland charged upon the prison
Ell on trial. Their Honors the Judges con-
cluded, however, to allow them ample time
for reflection, the result of which was that
after being kept together a day and night,
they came to the conclusion that the prisoner
was guilty of the matter whereof he stood
indicted, and on the ensuing morning so
rendered their verdict, with recommends
ton of leniency by the Court in imposing the
punishment for this violation of the law.
The Court in consideration of this recon-
mcndation, and also of INC fact that the pris-
Oner, a Fifteenth Amendment" had already
been imprisoned for considerable length Of
time, sentenced him to the county Jail for ten
days; so that were the time of the locking up
of each of the twelve jurors put together, as
we heard it facetiousy remarked, it would
amount to more imprisonment, in the aggre-
gate, than that imposed on the culprit. Some
persons surmised that the jury considered
that they had undergone in some sort kind
OF vicarious punishment for him, and that
that was the reason of the recommendation
of leniency. However it was, the fact that
they did agree saved to Hartford county some
eighty or hundred dollars probably, which,
considering the small value of the articles
stolen, was the best thing to be done, not.
withstanding the first impression that pre-
vailed among the members of the panel that
they could not agree. We trust the good ex-
ample of this jury will influence others in the
future, and thereby much extra trouble and
expense be saved to the county