PERPLEXING DILEMMA

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 115, 13 February 1928, Page 9

PERPLEXING DILEMMA

AT DUBLIN COURT PRISONERS REFUSE TO PLEAD (Rec. February 12, 5.5 p.m.) London, February 11. A perplexing dilemma occurred at Dublin Criminal Court, when two youths, Russell and Price, charged with membership of an illegal military force, refused to plead. The Judge ordered the jury to decide the customary formula if the prisoners were mute of malice or by the visitation of God. The police gave evidence that the prisoners were able to speak, but the foreman of the jury announced that there was no chance of agreement. The Judge asked why. The foreman kept silent, and the Judge ordered the jury to reconsider the verdict. The foreman again reported a disagreement. The. Judge replied: “It is a long <vv, gentlemen. Try again.” He then heard other cases, but the jury persisted in their verdict. The Judge discharged them, saying the verdict was perverse. Meanwhile James Donnelly, charged with escaping from prison, similarly refused to plead, and the jury similarly reported that it failed to agree if he were dumb or maliciously mute. Donnelly interrupted, "To save trouble I plead guilty.” A juryman offered to explain. The Judge demanded silence and added, “The prisoner has now spoken. He says he is guilty. I direct a plea of guilty to be recorded, according to law ” —A.P.A. and “Sun.”