Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-05-13
THE JURY LAW.
OPINIONS or THE COUNTY ATTOR-
NEYs OF TIE STATE OF TEXAS.
Discussion o. tho Needed Changes In the
Jury Law by Men who Know Its
Defects.

THE G2EETTE now presents lis readers
with the first installment Of the discus
sion Of the jury law by The prosecuting
attorneys Of Texas. This discussion will
be continued In Thursdays paper OF each
week until completed. The attorneys Of
the state are performing public service
In calling attention to the defects OF the
Law, and future legislators should con-
sider the changes suggested. --Eo Ga
zEITE.
ANGELINA COUNTY.
LuYmN, Tx, May e.-Edltor Ga
zgrTE: received your request some
time since OF my ews on the present
Jury system, asking me TO suggest such
changes a. thought best. DO not zee
that we could improve the present grand
Jury law II men arc selected for Jury
commissioners, who want the commission
Of crime investigated andpreeented 70 the
courts Of the country, they will select the
right men In the county for that purpose.
Again, there is no better method Of dis
closing 10 the courts the violations Of the
penal law throughout the county than by
u sworn representative from each COM
munlty In the county 70 act as grand
jurors. The present petit jury law Of
Texas can never be made a success, be-
cause there is always selected more qnau-
tlty than quality That is, out Of thirty
petit Jurors for the first, second
or third week, as the case may be,
there will be not more than ten
possessed Of the necessary lrmness,
Judgment and intelligence 70 understand
aud properly construe the charge OF the
court aud thereby correctly apply II to
the evidence, while probably goodly
number OF those thirty have never before
been In the courtroom as actors In any
cause OF litigation and often with little Of
the advantages of education. Conse-
qucntly they are called upon 10 settle,
with unit aimed, blunt minds, the most
important and difficult questions that can
arise between man and man and the law.
Out Of twelve impaneled Jurors there are
often only one or two that are OF the right
material, and this one or these two con-
troll the remaining eleven or ten and rem.
der the verdict. Hence the rights, liberty |
or life of the lltigant Is placed in the
hands Of one or two men. The legisla- |
ture could amend the petit jury law of |
our state In the following manner, and |
which / think would greatly pro-
mote the ends OF Justice with |
less expense TO the state and the different |
countless that the district judges through |
out the state be authorized, after taking |
the oath OF Office, TO select and appoint |
ten men on account of Integrity, subriety
and general Intelligence, from the differ
ont counties In his district, taking into
consideration tho population OF each
county as 10 how many II should have,
provided that one petit Juror be selected
from each county In mis- district when
there IL not more than ten counties In the
district, these jurors TO hold their office
during good behavior, removable AZ any
time by the presiding Judge upon good
cause shown Of misbehayior or NAL.
feasanco in oillcci that these Jurors
accompany the Judge and attend each
court he,d Ia tine district, aud try all
causes that are to he submitted to a
jury that i've OF these men be the
lawful number to try and render
in all causes submitted 10 them, subject
to such disqualification as the presiding
Judge, These Jurors TO be allowed So
per day from each county for as many
days as the county by law is allowed to
mold court, each county commissioners
court to levy tax for that purpose. These
men could in short while readily digest
and understand the charge OF the court
and correctly apply IL TO the facts as dc,
tailedgby witnesses. They would also
soon learn to better Judge the sincerity
and yerocity OF She witnesses from their
manner Of testllying, etc, thereby OK.
pedlte business and render more cor.
rect and intelligent verdict. As the law
now Is the different counties pay from
500 to $40 petit jury fees per day, with
considerable clerk and sheriff fees for
Issuing and serving process TO bring
these jurors to court, as wellas the time
ana money lost TO each county by the
citizens from their various avocatlons.
j. F. DAVIS,
County Attorney Angelina county.