SUPREME COURT.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 277, 25 November 1919, Page 4

SUPREME COURT.

FOUR-MONTHLY SESSIONS.

(Beore* His Honor Mr Justice Hoskings.) The four-monthly sessions of th© Supreme Court were opened this; morning.

His Honor took his seat at 10.30' o'clock.

The following Grand Jury • was empanelled:—

frank Adams (foreman), John. Bary, George Boyce, Frank Bull, Frederick Broadhurst, E. O. Grier, James Hay, J. M. Lightfoot, Thorn. Pike, C. C. Pitkeathly, Edward Mead, E. W. Rose, G. C, Coleman, Christopher Smith, W. E. Gascoigne,. F. B. Bythell, V..N. Copp, John Fawcett, junr., W. T. Mansfield*. Robert Pigcm, R. F. Priddle. Addressing the Grand Jury, hi& Honor said that this judicial district was to be congratulated on maintaining its good reputation in respect to the lightness of the criminal calendars. Only one case would require the jury's attention, this being a case in which the charge was one of manslaxighter. Having; reviewed the leading circumstances of the case, his. Honor said that there* was no suggestion that the accused intended to kill the deceased—otherwise he would have been indicted with a more serious charge. Manslaughter was punished according to the degree of the crime, by imprisonment, or fine, or by both; but this was not a question of the jury. He did not think the jury would haveany difficulty in finding that a primafacie case existed. His Honor remarked that the law did not allow a man to hit another simply because the latter had insulted him. One' was always justified in repelling actual force by force; but a mere insult as words and nothing more— something not accompanied by a. menace or a • threat to make an attack—did not justify the repelling of force by force. The Grand Jury returns'da fetv minul»es after 11 o'clock with a true bill in the ease of Rex v. C A* Sasse.

CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER;

Charles Albert Sasse was charged! with that he did at Wairau; Valley on October 11th unlawfully kill George Q'Leary, thereby committing the crime of manslaughter; The prisoner pbaded not guilty. Mr T. F. Rolling appeared for the* defence. '

The following jury was empannelled:—John O'Dwyer (foreman), William Gill, C. E. Rabbits, . Lindsay Patehett, ■ Lawrence O'Sullivan, Balls nee Patchett, Alfred Normans,' George'Mitchell^ F. H. Merrie, Alexander Williams, li. E. Watson, John! Bright. Mr C. H. Mills, Crown Prosecutor,, opened by pointing out that what vas commonly called malice was not an essential ingredient of a charge o$ K.anslaughter. He briefly described the incident that- occurred in the> Wairau. Valley Accommodation House (of which the accused is the licensee) on the night of Saturday, October; 11th. George O'Leary re't'ereed for a* football match at Wairau Valley on that day, and in the evening he attended a. meeting of players held in.1 the. hotel. After the meeting drinks were served to a crowd in the taproom, and there the accused took exception to the action of Michael Q Leary <;the deceased's brother) in throwing dregs from-his glass' into the fireplace. ; Words passed., arid Sasse struck George O'Leary, who> collapsed on the floor and"'did nob, rove or speak again." ' Michael O'Leary and several other witnesses had Keen heard when the; Irncheon; adjournment was taken.