The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1959-09-17
Judge Fraley Gives
Grand Jury Charge

The Grand Jurors for the Sep
TENDER Term of Court began their
deliberations Monday morning
after hearing the charge to jurors
delivered by Associate Judge Neil
G. Fraley in the court room.
Judge Fraley made note of the
fact that women were serving on
juries for the first time and also
called attention to the tragedy of
last week in which seven school
bus children were killed In the
balance of the charge he points
cut the specific duties and re-
sponsibilities of the members in
carrying out their work
The complete charge follows
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF
THE GRAND JURY:
By reason of the passage of an
Act of the legislature becoming
effective June list of this year, for
the first time in this County, wom-
en- have been selected to serve as
jurors. Such service by women
is optional and one not desiring to
serve may be excused by request
in writing. Since those on this
jury have refrained from a re-
quest to be excused, you have evil
denced your, willingness 10 perform
this important service. | am sure
that you will benefit from this eX-
perience and that you will be glad
you have done your duty in this
respect.
Before beginning your delibera-
ton, it is customary for the Court
to charge you with reference to
your duties and the procedures
you are to follow in your work.
The Grand Jury is of ancient
origin and comes down to us from
the early days in England. AL
though the institution has been
abolished in England and many of
the States in this Country here
in Maryland it stands as an i'm
portant part of the administration
OF criminal justice.
The Grand Jury has very broad
powers of inquiry and may initiate
investigation as to the alleged
violations of the criminal laws
of the State. Your action, that is
whether you find an indictment or
dismiss a charge, cannot be die
tated by anyone. The laws of many
foreign countries permit persons
suspected of the commission of a
crime to be put on trial at the will
of the Government or its prescott
ing officers. The laws of most
jurisdictions in the United States,
however, through the Grand Jury
system, require TINT no person
shall be tried on a felony charge
until Grand Jury shall have ex-
amined the evidence and found
that there is sufficient credible
evidence to warrant t:ial of the
charge.
The Grand Jury was designed
to be a body of discreet and think
ing persons called together, not
to act hastily and inadvisedly up
on an accusation against citizen
and place him upon trial, but to
protect the public interest upon
the high ground of indicating the
public law
A Grand Jurors actions should
be dictated only by sense of
Justice and a desire to reach the
guilty and protect the innocent,
You will, therefore. realize that
there is a responsibility resting
upon every Grand Juror to pre-
vent your body from being used
for revenge or personal gain. In
deed. the oath which you have
taken requires that you shall dill
gently inquire and true present
ment make of all such matters as
may come before you and you shall
present no person through envy,
hatred or malice nor leave anyone
unpresented through love, fear,
favor or affection, or for any hope
or promise of reward" The obli-
cation of the oath is the greater
in that THE Grand Juror himself
or herself is the sole Judge of his
or her good faith. You cannot be
questioned for anything that you
may say or any vote that you may
give relative to any matter legal
ly pending before the Grand Jury,
save only for perjury committed
in making an accusation or in
testifying as a witness before your
fellow jurors.
This cnmmIInitv indee d the ma