THE MERRETT TRIAL.
VERDICT OF NOT PROVEN, GUILTY ON FORGERY CHARGE* A. and N.Z. LONDON. Fab. 8. Tho jury returned a verdict of nol proven, in the trial of John Douglas Merrett on a charge of murdering hil mother at Edinburgh last March.
Tho accused was found guilty on thfl charge of forging cheques, and was ntst* tenced to ono year's imprisonment.
In his summing-up to tho jury, th< Judge, Lord Alness, remarked that thd dying depositions of tho dead worn.ui had not been taken, and that tho precision desirable in the case of a charge oi murder was entirely lacking,
Tho verdict of "not proven" is peon liar to Scotch law, which in this as is many other ways, differs from English law. It operates as an acquittal; th 4 accused cannot be charged again for thi same offence; it is as if the verdict had been not guilty. It is sometimes error* eotisly stated that a verdict of not proven casts some suspicion on the accusod.
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New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19558, 10 February 1927, Page 9
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168THE MERRETT TRIAL. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19558, 10 February 1927, Page 9
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