Evening star., 1934-04-01
INTEREST In the legal profession

II ~ ElltG<o1 tIlS ickdl
here Is centering about the in
vocation of the historic plea ol
benefit of clergy" by National Uni
versity Law School students In cast
they are preparing for presentation tc
the institutions moot court of appeals
The historic but now obsolete fea-
ture of old English law, which, as q
matter of fact. never was excisec
from the body Of the District Of Co
lumbia law, will be cited In an effort
to save q mythical defendant who was
convicted In the university's lower
court last term from severe sen.
tence. An appeal was taken in the
lower court before Prof. Glenn vii.
lett, presiding Judge" and the case
sent up to the university's highest
court. The case since has been pre-
pared by the attorneys for the de-
fense." senior class students, and II
will be one Of the first called before
the court Of appeals when that tribu-
nal sits.
Through his Attorneys" the de-
fendant. will plea on the ground OF
benefit of clergy" and he will be pre-
pared to prove his right to clergy by
reading the opening words Of the first
verse of Psalm Ii. Under the old
English law, clergymen held them
selves exempt from the jurisdiction OF
the temporal courts. This was resort
ed to when the crime committed by
the accused was punishable by death
and. II the benef1t of clergy plea was
allowed, . lesser punishment was in
flicted.
BY 1850 the use of this plea was ex-
tended to secular as well as religious
clerks. Finally the test Of being q
clerk was the ability to read the open
ing words Of the first verse Of the
fifty- first Psalm. which subsequently
became known as the meek Psalm"
In 1887 it was enacted that every
layman who used this plea should be
branded on the thumb. 1t was out OF
this law that the practice OF raising
the right hand to swear arose, for q
convicted man was required to show
his hand as evidence that he had not
previously used the benefit Of clergy
plea. Use Of this plea was allowed but
once and the brand was unmistakable
evidence Of its use.
The old benefit of clergy plea was
embraced In the American law system
In Maryland the old privilege under
the plea remained In full force at the
time OF the cession of the District OF
Columbia. From the earliest session
of the courts OF the District of Co.
lumbia the plea was interposed often
generally in cases of larceny and kin
dred offenses. 1t was recognized fol-
many years and finally was allowed to
fade out rather than be excised from
the District law, Notwithstanding the
notorious abuse which was made Of it
1t Is this ancient law which Ma
tional University's moot court defend
ant will cite in an effort to escape
severe sentence. Authorities on law
are anticipating the hearing of the
plea with deep professional interest
and mary are expecting to attend the
hearing when 1t comes before the moot
court Of appeals.
DR.. HAYDEN johnson. chancellor Oi
National University and president o.
the District Of Columbia Board o
Education. is chief Justice Of tn:
court. Others on the bench include
William w. MILAN and Richard Ford
G.. w. u. Elects Alumni Trustees.
DALLOTS in the 1884 election OF
h alumni trustees of George Wash
ington University have been Is
sued by the General Alumni Associa'
a. ~ ri,iversitC u
Alumni are represented on the boarc
by six trustees Of their own nomina
ton. two alumni trustees being electec
each year for three-year terms.
This year the following names ap-
pear on the ballot:
Charles Turk BaSsett, dental sur
geon. member District OF Columbii
Dental Examining Board. former pro-
fessor the George Washington Univer'
sity Dental School.
May Paul Bradshaw, assistant prin'
cipal Roosevelt High School, vict
president of the George Washington
General Alumni Association.
Bennett Champ Clark, Senator from
Missouri
Conway Peyton Coe. United States
commissioner of patents.
william Cammack Miller. president
W, C. e. A. N. Miller Development
Co.. president Washington Chambe,
Of Commerce, past president Nationa
Association OF Real Estate Boards.
Alfred Adams Wheat. chief justice
Supreme Court of the District Of Co
lumbia, past president OF the Geors'
Washington Law Association, alumni
trustee of the university since 1891.
A final ballot, carrying names Of
the four who receive the highest vott
on the nominating ballot, will be sen,
out May /. and the two who receive
the highest vote on this final ballo,
will be elected to serve on the board
Glasses in all schools of the uni
versity closed Friday for the Eastel
recess and will reopen on Thursday
April 5.
Or. Cloyd H. Marvin. president. vii
address the membership of Columbian
Women of the George Washington
University at their April meeting or
Tuesday afternoon. The meeting vii
be held at the home of DR.. and Mrs
Marvin. at 2439 Tracy place.
Miss Constance Conner Brown o.
the public speaking department, di-
rector of Cue and Curtain, student
drama group, will speak on the s',o'
ject, "A University Theater." tomor.
row night at 800 o'clock over Station
WMAL on the university radio pro-
gram.
The annual Panhellenic scholarship
luncheon will be held on Saturday
Anril 7 at 1.3O O'Clock at the Ad.