Court Opinion

ID: 9868235
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-26 18:25:28.990849+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:45:48.474269
License: Public Domain

Mr. Justice Fraser:
I dissent. I think the illustration as to the similarity of the duties of a regiment of soldiers and a jury was unfortunate and misleading. The more courteous the Judge, the greater the harm. Unquestionably, the soldiers who say “We can’t take a position we are ordered to take,” are worthy of severe criticism and even punishment. It is their duty to die trying. It may be the dut}*- of a jury to disagree. The verdict of a jury must be unanimous. Even this Court has been known to file *19opinions which were not unanimous. Even where opinions are four to one, and a failure of a unanimous opinion causes thirteen Circuit Judges to leave their Courts all over the State and come to Columbia, at great expense and delay to the judicial business of the State, still it is the duty of a single Justice to adhere to his honest opinion, and let the consequences be what they may.
The jurors, who are the judges of the facts, have equally as solemn a duty to stand by his convictions. This jury, after an all night session, said they could not agree. They are then told by a polite and learned Judge that it is their duty to agree. How shall they agree? Manifestly some one must give up his convictions. If there was testimony enough to carry the case to the jury, then there was testimony about which honest and intelligent men might disagree, and if there is an honest disagreement, then a mistrial may be had without any shirking of duty by the jury.
For these reasons I dissent.