SUPREME COURT

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14536, 7 December 1920, Page 5

SUPREME COURT

CRIMINAL SESSIONS OPEN. LIGHT CRIMINAL CALENDAR. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened at Hamilton this morning, before the Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout. The grand jury was as follows: — Harold Auty, Walter Boneham, George Cornfoot, Edwin J. Davey, Hugh R. Deck, William W. Dilllcar, Richard English, William R. Fox, Henry E. Gaze, John 11. Gittos, Maurice Going, Robert Johnston, Arthur Joll, Thomas Kingston,"Cecil Fair, Thomas Piatt, Stephen Price, Ernest Quick, David L. Smith, William Newell. In his charge to the grand jury, his Honor congratulated the district upon the light, criminal list. Unfortunately, he said, there was one charge—the most serious charge that could be brought against any person—that of wilful murder. Evidence had, however, been produced which showed that the man was suffering from delusional insanity when he committed the crime, that he was not normal at the time, and could not be said to have known anything about it.' So far as the grand jury was concerned, however, all they had to consider was whether there was sufficient evidence to send prisoner for trial. That he killed the man there could be no doubt. He had, in fact, admitted the crime, and had said 'that the death was caused during a struggle for the gun. Our law was, however, that if a person, in committing an unlawful act, killed some person he did not intend to kill, he or she was guilty of murder. The grand jury would, therefore, have no difficulty in returning, a true bill. The only other case for the grand jury to consider was a sexual one. Sexual cases were, unfortunately, very common in different parts of the Dominion, but did not seem to be so in this district. In this case also the jury would find little difficulty in coming to a decision.