CHANGE IN RITUAL
“The Prisoner’ Abolished (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 26. Persons standing their trial in the Supreme Court will not in future be described as “the prisoner.” The judges have directed a change of the ritual at criminal trials to be effective from the criminal sessions opening next month and excluding the reference to “prisoner,” except after a person has been convicted. This follows the recent edict that the dock in the Supreme Court will not be occupied by an accused person during trial but he or she will be seated at a table in front of the dock, beside an escort. In neither instance do the new instructions obtain after conviction. A person appearing for sentence will occupy the dock and be described as “the prisoner.” The change means that the alleged offender will not be indicted to the jury as "the prisoner,” but as “the accused.” When a person has been called for trial in the past, and before the jury is empanelled, the instruction from the registrar has been: “Set so-and-so, prisoner, at the bar.” This will now give place to: “Set the accused, so-and-so, at the bar.”
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CV, Issue 31044, 27 April 1966, Page 3
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193CHANGE IN RITUAL Press, Volume CV, Issue 31044, 27 April 1966, Page 3
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