Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1923-06-29

The Bertha Beck murder trial came
to a close last Thursday afternoon
with a verdict of aequittal. The YER
dict was anticipated, though a few
were found who expected the jury to
disagree, owing to the fact that the
girls confession to the sheriff's force
and to two newspaper reporters, was
admitted by Judge Boggs as evidence.
1t was thought by those who ex-
pected a disagreement that the con-
fession would be weighed as evidence
by the jurors. 1t appears, however,
that the girls retraction in denying
that she made such confession of her
own free will was strong point in
her defense, as was the fact that the
child's condition was one of malnu-
triton when it was returned to her.
Physicians appeared to agree that the
baby would have died within a few
days, if the alleged blow had not been
struck.
There is a growing dislike for the
police inquisition. 1t appears that an
mate sense of justice demands faii
treatment of criminals under ques-
tion-at least as fair as that accord
ed them in trials where they are al.
lowed the advice of attorneys.
In the opinion of officers to do away
with the inquisition would prevent
much crime from coming to light
That some fern of rigid police ques.
tioning of suspects is permissible
and right is the universal opinion OF
those who have spent their lives deal.
ing with criminal classes.
But, on the contrary, it is becom'
ing evident that such confessions
serve only one purpose-that of af-
fording ground upon which to Jail
suspects and hold them for grand
jury action. The fact that few juries
appear to accept such confessions as
evidence is an indication of a growing
tendency to exclude them from testi-
mony where a suspect is on trial.
In the Bertha Beck case Judge
Boggs admitted the confession as
evidence. In this act he was in full
accord with the law, and is to be
commended for his attitude. But, In
the opinion of many intelligent people
who are seeking to reform the conduct
of trials, the law should be changed
so as to exclude such confessions from
the evidence.
The fundamental reason for 8
change in the law lies in the secrecy
of the inquisition, and the absence Of
a council of defense for the suspect
The public cannot know under wha'
duress such confession is gained
nor what promises are made to the
suspect in order to get him or hel
to come across" II is a notorious
fact that promises of leniency ar,
made, and threats of punishment thai
are calculated either to induce oil
brighten a suspect into making ad
missions. In this case only the wore
of the inquisitor stands against tn,
word of the suspect when the case :.
brought to trial and there is a balance
of testimony resulting which renders
the confession void of weight.
lnquisitions there should be. Blu
confessions CLEANED by a secret sys
tenn should not be admitted as evi
dence. The law should be change,
so as to forbid such procedure. 1
is enough that authorities are able t.
secure admissions of sufficient weigh
to enable them to hold suspect FOL
trial. The inQuisition should be /;
miniature grand jury, but evidenc,
gained in an inquisition should be dseC
only as a ground for holding a sus
peet until the grand jury can brinf
forth an indictment, and should in n,
case be admitted as evidence in tn,
trial for reasons already cited.