Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
Same Men Are Named to
Groups in Many Instances,
Records Reveal.
CITIZENS WON'T ACT,
DR.. NEWT DECLARES
Movement to Reform System Is
Launched by Washington
Chamber of Commerce.

Service on a coroners jury in the
District is largely matter of personal
preference, and the lack of interest or
unwillingness on the part of Washing
tonians so to serve has forced Coroner
Nevitt on many occasions to impanel
volunteer 'repeaters" for Jury service in
order that the inquest may be held.
This situation, readily admitted by
DIR. hewitt. becomes apparent through
a study Of the records of the last %
juries impaneled for inquests In the last
two months.
In several instances the same jury Of
ficiated in more than one inquest, and
the names of men serving on more than
one jury during the period covered ap-
peared regularly throughout the period
covered.
"Repeaters" Are Substitutes.
DR.. Nevitt explained yesterday that the
'repeaters" in many cases are men he
calls to substitute for regularly sum-
moned jurors who fail to appear at the
time set for the inquest. No penalty is
attached for failure to appear.
The first jury among those examined
sat In two cases on March ID. On this
Jury were two ''repeaters," one Of them
serving again on April and the other
on April Is. Three men who served at
other times during the two-month Pc
riod sat on jury which met March 81.
On April 13 jury was convened and
among the jurors was repeater" who
served in four cases with that particu-
lar jury and whose name also appeared
on the roll of jury which met April 4.
Custom NuIlifies Law.
On April 1s a jury was called to-
gether which sat in five cases before it
was discharged on April 20. There
we're three :repeaters" on this jury.
Although service on coroner's jury
is compulsory under strict mterpre-
tation Of the law. custom in Washington
has virtually nullified this effect. The
last three coroners have simply moved
on down the list OF prospective jurymen
to another name when one man says he
is unable to serve. The code provides
that the United States marshal shall
serve a process on citizen selected for
Jury service, and in his failure so to
act, the coroner shall serve the process.
The practice of having a marshal serve
process has long since fallen into
disuse, as has the formality which orig
inally attached to summoning citizens
for duty on the coroners jury.
DIR. Nevitt Gives Views.
DR.. Nevitt does not feel that the
present method of selecting jurymen to
sit in his inquests is entirely above
reproach.
There are two explanations for the
so-called repeaters on the juries," he
said. Sometimes I feel it is desirable
to hold an entire jury for two and some
times more cases. I believe I am jus
tified in this.
Suppose. for instance, that a man
is killed on the street by an automobile.
His body is taken to the morgue. where
it is detained until the inquest re-
quired by law can be held. If there
happens to be jury already together
for another case, / can swear them III
OH the new one, thereby saving consid-
cradle time.
1T is also true that men serve on
more than one jury in relatively short
period OF time This is made necessary
by the fact that many citizens are un-
willing to cooperate with the coroner
by serving on his juries.
Says Citizens Pledged Aid.
"Some time ago group of men rep
resentng citizens associations called
on me for an explanation of the ap-
pearance of these repeaters.' I told
them of the difficulty I experience in
getting the men want to serve. They
promised to draw up list from among
their own members Of men who would
willingly help in this respect. That was
the last I heard from them, the list
failing to materialize.
When / have set time for an in
quest it is necessary that it be held at
that time II one or more of the jurors
Is not present it means simply that l
must go out and get somebody to sub
stitute for them. Naturally, 1 go to
some one whom I know is willing to
serve and can do so on short notice
1t means repeaters, but it is the best
can do
During the 30 years I have served
as coroner / have tried faithfully to
perform the duties of my Office III an
efficient manner and believe I have
been reasonably successful. However. II
there Is any way in which the method of
assembling and handling corOner's juries
can be improved / am open to sugges-
tionS"
&. Of c. Backed Reform Move.
A movement for reform in the present
system of obtaining jurors was initiated
by the Washington Chamber of Com
merce some time ago. following criti-
cism of verdicts rendered in several
cases.
The support of United States At
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