Court Opinion

ID: 9682320
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 08:09:27.286618+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:38.749773
License: Public Domain

CLINTON, Judge,
dissenting.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY:
By your verdict returned in this case you have found the defendant guilty of the offense charged in the indictment, to wit, aggravated kidnapping. It is necessary now that the jury assess and fix punishment for this offense, and in the exercise of its discretion the court gives you the following informational instructions that may be helpful to you in arriving at a just punishment:
No citizen of this State shall be deprived of life, liberty, privileges or immunities except by the due course of law. Due course of law includes procedural safeguards, among the objectives of which are to insure a fair and impartial trial. To that end the law imposes certain duties of officers in the criminal justice system.
It is the duty of the trial court, the attorney representing the defendant, the attorney representing the State and all peace officers to so conduct themselves as to insure a fair trial for both the State and the defendant, and at the same time afford the public the benefits of a free press.
A judge should be faithful to the law and maintain professional competence in it. He should be unswayed by partisan interests, public clamor, or fear of criticism, and so should a jury in assessing punishment.
It is the primary duty of all prosecuting attorneys not to convict but to see that justice is done. They shall not suppress facts or secrete witnesses. They shall make timely disclosure to attorney for defendant of any evidence that tends to reduce the punishment.
It is the duty of attorney for the defendant and to the criminal justice system to represent his client zealously within the bounds of the law, but he should not by subterfuge put before a jury matters which it cannot properly consider on the matter of punishment. He should present any admissible evidence his client desires unless he knows, or from facts within his knowledge should know, that such testimony or evidence is false, fraudulent or perjured.
During your deliberations on punishment is the time as well to talk of many things:
Of shoes — and ships — and sealing wax—
Of cabbages — and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
And whether pigs have wings.*
ONION, P.J., joins.

 Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass. Ch. 4, quoting the Walrus.