Opinion ID: 1934982
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Mrs Champagne's claim of the privilege against self-incrimination

Text: Mrs. Champagne was called to the stand by the defense and, after giving her name and address and acknowledging that she had testified before the grand jury and that she knew Richard Ross, she was asked: And, if you know, where he [Ross] was living at that time [prior to the day of the killing]? The witness declined to answer on the ground that the answer may tend to incriminate or degrade her. [1] The Justice excused the jury, interrogated the witness, discussed with counsel the applicable legal principles and then ruled that the witness could properly decline to answer the question. The jury was then returned and Mrs. Champagne refused to answer eleven more questions. The Justice ordered her to answer one of them [2] and he upheld her refusal as to these ten: Q Directing you attention back to the week of March 19, 1972, that Sunday, did you have occasion to see Richard Ross at that time? . . . . . . Q Did you have a discussion with Richard Ross at that time? . . . . . . Q Did you have occasion to see and talk with Richard Ross on Monday, March 20th, Tuesday, March 21st, and Wednesday, March 23rd, of 1972? . . . . . . Q When you first saw him [Ross] on that week, what was his condition? . . . . . . Q Did you see him [Ross] on the Tuesday of that week? . . . . . . Q Did you see him [Ross] on the following Saturday? . . . . . . Q Did you have any telephone communications from Mr. Ross during that week? . . . . . . Q During this week, and more specifically, Sunday the 19th of March, and Monday, the 20th of March, of this year, did Richard Ross show you any objects? . . . . . . Q Did he [Ross] mention any physical objectsI can't give you an illustrationdid he mention any physical objects that he had recently come into contact with, that had handled them or had used them? . . . . . . Q Did you give a statement to the police sometime later that week, either Thursday or Friday? . . . . . .