Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-05-10
ASHFORD OBJECTS
TO EASIEST Way
INPCLICE Court.
Circuit Judge Says Reduction
of Charges Bringing Law
Into DiSrepute

Probe Of the police and police court
handling of criminal cases may be
forthcoming as soon as the territorial
grand jury is summoned into session.
II was reported from an authorize.
tive source today that the grand jury
will be asked by the city attorneys
office to make an investigation OF the
cases OF soldiers who have been ar
rested by the police on criminal
charges and then turned over to the
military authorities for such action
as the latter may see fit.
The Investigation, however, will be
for the purpose &C securing indict
ments OF those soldiers who have had
their cases transferred" One cir.
cult court official said that the police
are making II a practise of washing
their hands" Of these matters by
passing the buck to the military
authorities. their argument being that
1t saves expense for the territory"
1t is understood that the matter Of
grand jury investigation Of this prac-
tise on the part of the police has al.
ready been placed before City At.
t0rney Arthur NJ. Brown, and that II
may be placed before the inquisitors
at their next meeting. Just when the
grand jury will next meet is indefi.
mite, although IL is not expected that
a session viii be called until after
July 1.
Commenting on the situation today,
Judge Clarence w. Ashford OF the
criminal division Of circuit court gave
the Star-Bulletin the following state.
menf:
Although the judges determined
quite recently to let matters lie for
the present, and attempt no jury work
yet with the multiplicity of serious
crimes in the community, the wisdom
OF further following a 'do-nothing'
course, especially in the criminal law
division, is becoming more and more
open to a serious question.
For months past serious felonies
have been disposed of in the district
court by reducing the charges involv-
ed to misdemeanor charges, accepting
pleas Of guilty and imposing Jail sen.
fences.
1T appears to me absurd that Sc.
rious felonies should be permitted to
be passed over so lightly. A jail SEN
tence, with no hard labor imposed, to
9 large percentage of the inhabitants
Of that hosiery. is no more than a
picnic. more or less extended.
A serious felony having (as charg.
ed In the press) been committed by
. group Of soldiers en- route from the
philippines to the mainland a few
evenings since, by their theft and de.
struction of an automobile belonging
TO one Of our citizens, / have urged
the city attorney TO prosecute that
case IN the civil courts and not follow
the practise which has become too
common, perhaps. for the welfare of
the community, OF passing the soldiers
over to the military authorities for
treatment.
This particular class of crime Is
extending to an alarming degree on
this island, and although many of the
Offenders are soldiers, II is time that
such offenders should be dealt with
according to the civil law and, II
proven guilty, put behind the bars.
Any other course. long persisted
N, has q very direct tendency TO
bring the criminal law into contempt
among the less intelligent and the un.
thinking elements OF the population.
merely mention these specific in.
stances as additional reasons of urg-
ency for the resumption OF the ordin.
airy functions Of the criminal courts.
1T must be manifest to any think.
Ing person that the civil courts can.
not be expected to abdicate their Grim.
NAL jurisdiction ever the soldiers in
our midst"
On various occasions, speaking from
the bench in open court, Judge Ash.
ford has condemned the police court
procedure Of reducing felony charges
% misdemeanor charges, and the pro-
cedure OF continuing some cases for
rs many as 40 times.