Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-03-10
ARCHAIC JURY
UP
IN COUNCIL
AMENDMENTS ADD NEW
EVIL FEATURES TO BILL
Proposed Measure Leaves
Prospective Jurors Exposed
for Months 10 Corrupt IN
fIuenceS Before Court Opens

Tho feature of the council this af-
ternoon was report presented by
Mr. Catron of the judiciary commit
tee on house bill NO. AZ. which, as
passed by the house restored the old
jury law, which was in force up to
the time the present law was enacted.
The house bill has been very severely
CRITICIZED throughout New Mexico and
from expression heard in Santa Fe
tonight the amendments with which
the bill came into the council are
likely TO meet with much more seri-
Gus disapproval As amended, the
bin provides that the jury commits
sion. which shall have full power to
select the grand and petit jurors, inn
mediately after each term of court,
for the next term of court, shall con-
sist Of the chairman of the board or
county commissioners, the probate
Judge of the county and one other
citizen who shall be appointed by the
Judge OF the district court. Mr.. Ca
tron moved To suspend the rules to
pass the bill as amended. Mr.. Han
ley. however, objected to suspension
of the rules and insisted that the bill
be held over for further considera-
ton Mr. Catron did not insist on his
motion and the bin went to the steer
ing committee, where II was under
consideration after the adjournment
Of the council.
1t is argued on behalf of this bill
that the present system of selecting
Jurors allows absolutely no discretion
by anyone as to qualifications as to
jury service. and that as a result ju-
ries are often secured members OF
which are not qualified to pass upon
questions involving the liberty and
a., ,.f.. .l.tas rs l,A a lg4h
that, although, under the system pro-
posed, the jurors are more exposed to
outside influence; on the other hand,
the Jury commissioners may be eX-
pected to select jurors who cannot he
approached. The argument against
the original bill was that the jurors
named for "A term of court must be
known to parties Interested in litiga-
tion or in criminal actions weeks ana
possibly months before the opening of
the court, and that the law virtually
throws down the bars and opens tho
way for jury fixing
The amended bill as proposed to
the council is being even more seri-
ously criticized than the original un-
on the ground that IL exposes jurors
to political influence. II Is argued
that corrupt county commissioner
and a corrupt probate judge could
easily. under this law, select a set Of
Jurors who would find or refuse to
find indictments at the pleasure Of
the men appointing them or at the
dictation of other political influences
and that the petit jury would be eN-
posed to the same influence We're the
two Officers referred TO disposed to
be dishonest or to use their power 20
create a fixed jury. II is understood
that a number of changes are now
proposed the the bill. and II Is prob
able that it will come up again in
amended form within the next two
or three days.
A number Of bills we're reported
from committee in the council this
afternoon and We're referred to the
steering committee. The following
bills were passed,
Council bin No 133 by Mr. Ca
tron: 10 permit certain persons to
bring suit against the territory or
New Mexico for the settlement Of
claims against the territory. Mr.. Ca
tron said in explaining the bill that
he had called 20 his attention through
number of legal actions. that the
fsn,,s.....t n. puva .. Ealuutu =