The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1958-03-13

conducted the program. At the
YOU believe have been accused
unjustly, or against whom the evil
dence is so slight that it does not
justify a trial.
1t is not your duty to determine
finally guilt or innocence. That is
| the function of the Petit Jury or
of the Court. 1t is your duty to
present and indict persons against
whom evidence is given which if
unexplained or uncontradicted
would warrant their conviction:
and it is equally your duty to see
that no person is subjected to
prosecution merely because of
public clamor or private malice.
Under the law of Maryland each
Grand Jury as body is required
to visit and inspect the County
Jail, to inquire into its condition.
! the manner in which it is kept,
the treatment being given the
| prisoners; and to report its find
ings to the Court.
The Court House should be in
Spected by the Grand Jury, which
! should also, as a whole or by its
! committees, inspect and report on
! the various county institutions Its
findings as to their condition are
J. included in the final report of the
Grand Jury, together with any
necessary recommendations.
There is imposed on Grand
Jurors part of the responsibility
for the condition of the county
whether it will be law abiding, or
whether it will be the reverse. Ma
turally the primary responsibility
rests on the permanent law en-
forcement officials, such as the
Court, the States Attorney. the
Magistrates, the Sheriff. and to a
/ lesser extent on the various
municipal officials in their own
towns. But Grand Jurors, coming
as they do from various parts of
the county and representing Vari-
GUS businesses and occupations,
and various religions. may have
information of conditions which
should be corrected, and about
which others are not informed
And if they have such knowledge
and do nothing, then they are at
least partly responsible for the
continuance of such conditions
Grand Jurors have a good oppor-
tunity to improve the moral tone
of the community.
Every Grand Jury should read
carefully the report of the last
preceding Grand Jury, and pos
sibly other Grand Jury reports if
thought advisable This should be
done as soon as possible after the
Grand Jury has retired to the
Grand Jury Room and organized.
| 1t enables each Grand Juror to
/ have a better idea what has been
done before. Also, the current
! Grand Jury can from time to time
see whether the recommendations
of the preceding Grand Juries
have been carried out If recon-
mendations with which you agree
have not been carried out. the
! Grand Jury may wish to find out
the reason why
At the close of the usual active
service each Grand Jury makes a
report to the Court of what it has
done. and its findings and recon-
mendations. The States Attorney
may assist but the report is that
of the Grand Jury.
Term of Service
In Garrett County. Grand Juries
usually complete their work in not
more than three days. But each
Grand Jury can be called back at
any time until the next Grand
Jury is chosen and reports for
duty. Such emergencies have hap
pencd but rarely in the past.
Jury service is one of the high
est duties of citizenship. for by it
the citizen participates in the adj
ministration of justice between
man and man and between govern
mcnt and the individual"
Upon completion of the me-
mortal service and other remarks
the jurors retired to the grand
jury room to begin their invcstiga-
tions.