Case Name: Cohen v. The People
Court: Colorado Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Colorado
Decision Date: 1920-01
Citations: 68 Colo. 10
Docket Number: No. 9395
Parties: Cohen v. The People.
Judges: 
Reporter: Colorado Reports
Volume: 68
Pages: 10–17

Head Matter:
No. 9395.
Cohen v. The People.
1. Jury — Drawing. The clerk having called the sheriff to assist him in drawing a jury, the sheriff, instead of playing the part of an inspector, himself assumed the principal role in- the ceremony, thrust his hand into the box, drawing the names therefrom and handing them to the clerk.
The drawing was an open and fair one, and the names of the jurors were drawn by chance. Held that the purpose of the statute was substantially accomplished; and counsel for the accused having witnessed the proceeding, and made no objection until the jury were empaneled, his motion to quash the panel was properly denied.
2. Criminal Law — Assistant to District Attorney. The District Court has inherent power to appoint an assistant to the District Attorney.
To constitute error in such appointment an abuse of discretion must affirmatively appear.
That the assistant is not appointed until after the jury were empaneled was made a ground of complaint by the accused, suggesting that by the late appointment he was prevented from interrogating the jury as to their acquaintance with and relationship to the assistant, that he might the more intelligently exercise his right of peremptory' challenge. There being no attempt to show that the accused was in fact prejudiced, or even that he had exhausted his right of peremptory challenge, or exercised it in a single instance, the objection to the appointment was overruled.
8. Practice in Error — Exception—When Necessary. An exception to the appointment of an assistant to the District Attorney should be taken when such appointment is announced. To defer it until the record is made up waives the objection. Judgment affirmed on the authority of Mulligan against The People No-9401.
Error to Adams District Court, Hon. H. S. Class, Judge.
Mr. O. N. Hilton, Mr. Edgar McComb, Mr. Caesar A. Roberts, and Mr. Leslie M. Roberts, for plaintiff in error.
Hon. Leslie E. Hubbard, Attorney General, Mr. Ralph E. C. Kerwin, assistant, Hon. Victor E. Keyes, Attorney General, and Mr. Wm. R. Ramsey, assistant, for The People.

Opinion:
Mr. Justice Scott
delivered the opinion of the court.
The plaintiff in error was convicted of the robbery of Irene Nolan. He was both charged and convicted as a principal. It was the same transaction involved in the case of People v. Mulligan, determined at this term of court.
The indictment was returned by the same grand jury that returned the indictment in that case. The same objections as to irregularity and the same contentions made, that the record did not sufficiently show that the grand jury was sworn.
We have carefully studied the record in this case and find no errors of law occurring upon the trial. The statements of fact in that case are substantially identical with the facts in this case, and the testimony is not materially different, so that a restatement of either would be simply unnecessary repetition.
The judgment is affirmed.
Garrigues, C. J. and Denison, J. concur.