INDICTMENT OF PRISONERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 112, 4 February 1908, Page 8

INDICTMENT OF PRISONERS.

U.SE Of. A LIASES y OBJECTED TO.. •.•■"I do 'not think t!iat a prisoner should' b'e indicted under more than onfe name,'-' observed ; 3lr. s T. . IT.' Wilford at tlie"conimen<icmcrit of a case at'the Supreme Court yesterday. 1 Continuing,' counsel remarked that' the Court might perhaps make a pronouncement on tho subject.. . Mr. 'Justice .Chapinau:. I, don't think that .counsel should rate the Crown, before me. Counsel: it.is not m'y intention' .to rate the Crown. . ■ _ .. . . His Honour: .1 don't want to hear any general observations on 1 the .subject. .' .' ; Counsel : Does not Your Honour think that a' prisoner ought to be charged and .tried' nilder . one v name ; . only? ■ .When an alias 'is added it tends td prejudice "the prisoner iii the eyes of the jury. . '.- ; Ilis Honour: The .practice that is followed has been in vogue ; for. centuries., A prisoner, is tried -in. the names wider which. ho has gone by. ; Formerly (as now) great care; was tiiiien to ascertain; if possible, the prisoner's proper-name. If only one aiame were given, there would hfc thVrisk of indicting a prisoner by a wrong Oniric,.' • ' ■ ••'. • '■ • CounselTimes-.have.now changed.. T submit again that, if- n prisoner is .indicted '-ih more than "one name, it must tend to prejudice -aim. .j.hri' fact, that the practice has .been in voguo. is-no. 1 reason- why : -wo should Allow : it to contmuo.i,. - ' ... . His,, Honour:'; I dbn't'in tend to say anything further, on'the subject. . ■ 0