St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1916-08-05
JUDICIAL RECORDS AND THEIR
MORAL

MURAL
Both Judge Pavy and District
Attorney Garland, in announcing al
Bayou Chicot on July 4 their can
didacies for reelection, stated
positively that they would "stand
on their records"
Then, if the voters of this judi
cial district are to judge these two
candidates by their records and
cast their votes accordingly, moth
ing but absolute and Overwhelming
defeat stares them in the face at
the primary election on Septem-
Der ~.
Judge Paws record in reversals
by the supreme court and the court
of appeals is a laundering indict-
ment as at least fifty per cent of
his judgments have been reversed
in the higher courts. Such a rec
ord stands single and alone in the
judicial annals Of Louisiana and it
is extremely doubtful if it will
ever be equalled. The judge has
been on the bench six years and he
is asking of the voters another
term of four years. If they accord
him that honor and his record of
reyersals during the next four
years keeps pace with his record
for the past six years, there is no
telling where the awful tangle of
bungled litigation will end.
The supreme court is said to be
about two years behind in its dock
ct. Innumerable appeals from st.
Landry and Evangeline but add to
the burden the thii5ff toetHfftt has to
carry. When the high court re-
verses approximately fifty per
cent of Judge Paws decisions on
appeal, then there must be some
thing radically wrong with his
judgments. If there has been no
improvements in those judgments
in the matter Of affirmations by the
high court, during the six years the
judge has been on the bench, how
a the people of this district ex-
peet any improvement in the next
four years if he is again honored
by them with election?
We believe it is time to make a
change in the ~judgeship. We are of
the opinion that Judge Payy,
weighed in the balance, has been
found wanting. Failing to make
good after having served six
years as judge is an absolute as
surance that there would be no
Improvement if he were reelected.
Mr.. Garland's record of twenty
years as district attorney, while no
doubt of a little higher order of
ability, shows a total lack of eff
cheney, viewed in the light of hun
dreds OF untried cases which he has
allowed to accumulate on the
docket. We doubt if there ever
was a district attorney in the state
who earned such an unenviable
record" Mr.. Garland, at Chicot.
gave q very thinly yelled excuse
Tor his dereliction of duty. If Mr..
Garland desires to reform certain
young men Of good families by
holding over their heads various
and sundry indictments, then he is
approaching his duty as he sees
y IN an unheard of way. The law.
we believe, makes no provisions
for such reforms Mr.. Garland's
PLAIN duty is to present cases to the
grand jury and on indictment be-
ing found to prosecute in the court.
II, II his judgment, there is NOT
sufficient evidence on which to
convict and if he has a doubt him
sell OF the accused's guilt, it is his
duty to mol pros the Indictment and
clear 1t off the docket. What en-
e,ise or reason has Mr.. Garland
eNef offered for neither trying nor
mol pressing the long list of indict-
hlents which he has laid aside for
some untold purpose?
~ lYFsIN - -.#
With about two thousand sueb
untried indictments remaining ii the
archives of his office during his
long tenure, what guarantee have
The people that if he is re-elected
the number will not be further
added to in the next four years9
MI. Garland, you are arrafgned he
tore the bar of public opinion
WA have you to say in defense Of
your unheard of action in the mat
Ier Of untried criminal cases9
what excuse can you offer for not
dolng your duty? The people are
entitled to know.
~ 49, # 4