Court Opinion

ID: 6410471
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-06-25 11:52:18.389948+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:51:21.389837
License: Public Domain

By the Court.
1. The statute of 1852, c. 312, § 60, is perfectly clear to the point that prisoners, under sentence for any crime, are competent witnesses. These witnesses were in court, and testified, and the statute is a sufficient answer to the objection to their competency.
2. The rule, excluding confessions made under undue influence, applies only to the confessions of a person on trial in a criminal case. The confessions of these witnesses were not offered in evidence against them; and it does not appear that they refused to answer for fear of criminating themselves.

Exceptions overruled.