STATEMENTS BY PRISONERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 541, 23 June 1909, Page 2

STATEMENTS BY PRISONERS.

!'.;';:'-;'::-VllA]>E,TOTEtE.j?OLiaB* ,\' ';.';:; (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent) ; 1; • '.• ;'■■.■■'.,- ! :K. ; -■'■'.■ • ■■'"'■ Naplor, Juno 22,,; \. : / Mr. Justice Cbapmaji'gavoan opinion oa ~ ■ ■the question of uolico officers scouring an ad- , , . mission'from accused persons prior to;their.., trial α-t frho Supremo Court,hero this' mom- r" •■ • ing. .■■ ;...'■; '•■•• :■■..';'..'. v.;' ' .'-. ■;.; ■'.■,v. , ' '■' A'prisouer, Owen, Kelly, was, charged with.■.'■;-. ' counterfeiting.and uttering coins at Hastings. ,'■ Sir. Dolan, counsel fontho dc-fenoo, objeotcd J' to a portion of Detective Hill's cvideaioc, re-: ~ laiiug to sta-tomonts made by-the accused al ■■ ' tho Hastings polico station while in custody. ','•:: Counsolcontonded that theso statomoats.wero ' !■, made-by -accusod itt answer to. questions put •.,,' by Uio police offloors, «o preliminary caution ; . liaying been administered., .This", question, ; v '..• &\i.d "j;r. UoUn.'did not seem at any stage ,:; .. of the law of-ovidenco to'liavo been fully con- i :''; sidered by the Bench, tho only decisioit deal- ■'-..■•.'•■ ing particularly with the matter/itiNcw-Zea--, "Xr land being tlia-t of Potter, "New Zealand Law : ' ";■ lteports," pago 26. Counsel i proceeded to ■;! ■: quote. English authorities in : support of: His .'■ .';■'■ point. ; Ho contended that. a precedent : had '; ' :i ' to be cstablislied, and stated that in a Court;:';'. where the accused was bodged round, witii :' : ' ■ Judgo and coilrisol lie wasivamod beforo Iμ , ';'■.''■'.'"• made; a statement. \ This Was. evidently the : spirit of tho Legislature,.but-if an accused \ : ;'■ was to bo questioned by tho polioo ritiiouj; a : caution, although he (couuspl) did not.'sug« • ', •■:. gest aoy wrong on this occasion, %b was prao- ■■•■'■■■• tically found'guilty before ho loft tho police : station. • .;• .•-.■••• .■.-., •.•■!■: • .'.■■,•"•.,•■■;■'.•"• ' ■.;., ' :.'.:■■'"; His Honour admitted the evidence: and in f summing.up:.fo : '.the:jiiiy.--Bwd-jttiat:;li«i»iiad ■„"".' done, so for the. reason that, although somo v ■• .. of the accused's adintssions i were given in . answer to questions, it hid beeii admitted by : counsel, for the defenco ; tliat there had been-."' >! no. sort of threat.iio sort of promise,, and .nothing that could iho called entrapping the ''"•'.' \' man.. After referring, to the latest on:the.subject'; Ws Honour said:,'"lf ia' not essential tlint'a'caution should be given. ' - but detectives should bo very, careful in this',-- ,: matter.: In maldng a statement, they should '■'> be careful not..to' make a:slip which 'wonld ;''' Jnako tho man express, what .was not oxactly- ■' in Ins inmd. Here was a man \Ao,» ncoordiiw'.., ';- .to his own, counsel,'had,ltad hisown state...' , - ■mentfairly;.dealfc.with. It ,wne not a ' ■'■'. ing confession made by a whimpering wornan, ■ or :.°f one who.ttiougbt he would.get out of :'•■■'.' trouble by.making a confession., ; It was an • i : ordHiary by.'on-ordinary man': ■capable of looking after himself, and'tdlinisi ■■"'' |io truffi ; which made' the best class of MSwQcnco: which a jury Muld have.; -.A statement' - >''' mlh© liaturo.of an!admission is'of 'far- more '■"■'■) value than:an out:aJtd-on4:,confesskMi'.'mado :: in fear,.or, with;fhe'hope' ofeomethmg to'