The Grenada gazette., 1888-04-07
COURTS IN FRANCE.
dow French Judges Frequently Browbsat
and Anger Prisoners.

dow French Judges Frequently BrowbeAt
and Anger Prisoners.
A Judge presiding over one Of the
Paris sourts was recently removed
from his office for two very curious Of
fenses 1t appears that after examin-
ing witness for several hours in his
court, he invited that witness to dine
with him at a neighboring restaurant
Plying him there with wine, the judge
put number of questions to his guest
and, having drawn out of him certain
damaging facts, forthwith caused him
to be arrested.
His other offense was still more
fragrant. He talked through tele-
phone with witness, pretending that
he (the judge) was one of the persons
accused in court, and SO led the wit
ness to betray himself and his accused
friend. 1t is no wonder that, after
conduct so unbecoming Judge. he
was deemed unfit any longer to hold
the even scales Of justice
Although this judge was thus right
fully punished, his conduct suggests to
US the wide contrast which exists be-
tween the French courts Of justice and
method of legal procedure, and those
of the United States and England. The
whole system. indeed. is different in
the two cases.
Our judges have distinct and digni-
fed duty to perform, and, as rule,
they maintain, as do the English
judges. lofty and impartial attitude
in presiding over trials. They remain,
for the most part silent until they
have TO decide points of law, or until
one Of the counsel requires correction
Af,cr the arguments have closed, it is
their duty to address the jury, explain
the points at issue. call for the verdict,
and deliver the judgment or sentence
The French Judge, on the other hand,
takes constant and active part in the
trial itsolf He questions not only wit
nesseS, but the prisoner himself, and
often subjects the prisoner to a severe
and searching crusS-eXamination, try
in; to trap him into damaging confes
SONS. contradicting him, and even
sometimes cracking jokes at the pris-
oHers expense.
When witness has made a certain
statement. the French Judge will turn
to the prisoner, and tartly ask him
what he has to say to that? A prisoner
on trial in French court, in short, is
badgered and worried from the begin
ming to the end of the case, by both
judge and procureur. The procureur
is an official who acts in France as
public prosecutor, grand jury and ad-
wiser of judge in one.
The fact that in the French courts
the judge is one of the active partici-
pants in the trials, gives a dramatic
color TO the proceedings which is
usually absent from our own courts
The Dialogues between judge and pris-
oner are watched with keen interest.
and often with laughter or applause,
by the crowd of spectators; for some
LIiheS JuuSc anu pllHouei thSdSc III "
duel of wit and banter. But from the
American point of view, this method
Of seeking to find out the truth, and to
dispense Justice, seems far less cffectual
to say nothing of its surprising lack
of dignity-than that which prevails in
our own courts
The French judge often browbeats
or angers the prisoner into making
rash answers, which increase the
chance of his conviction, even though |
he may be really innocent With us,
'e prisoner is amply protected in
every right of defense. He is sup
posed 20 be innocent until he is fully |
proved by proper and legal evidence,
which he is unable to overthrow. to be |
guilty; whereas in France, the judgc !
often seems to set out with his qucs-
tioning of the prisoner as if the pris-
oner we're presumed to be guilty, and |
rs if the burden of proof were on him
to prove himself innocent. YOuMS |
Companion.