RETRIAL OF BARRETT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 201, 23 May 1944, Page 6

RETRIAL OF BARRETT

Additional Witness For Crown ALLEGED INTERFERENCE WITH JURY Evidence both for the prosecution and the defence was heard 'by -a jury in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday in the retrial of Jack Barrett, labourer, aged 04, on two charges of attempting to influence members of a jury panel to favour Florence 3Lay Badcliffe at her trial for unlawful use of an instrument at the February sessions. Addresses and summing up will be heard this, morning, and the trial is expected to finish today. The charges are two on which a jury failed to agree last week. Mr. Justice Johnston was on the bench. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr. W. H Cunningham, conducted the prosecution and Mr. G. I. Joseph appeared tor accused. Mr. Cunningham said, in opening the prosecution, that it was alleged that Barrett had approached J* rancis William Bl worthy on February 5 and Thomas Vincent Connell on February 6. Both were members of the panel summoned to serve during the week beginning Jiebruar'The evidence was along the lines of that relevant to the charges tendered at the trial last week. The Crown called an additional witness, Arthur Jefferson Wycherlev. locksmith, who said he took possession of the upper flat in the house of accused’s wife on February i. The occupants of the two flats shared the conveniences. On February 5 between lu a.m. and 6.30 p.m. he made several visits to the flat, taking belongings to it. die saw nobody in the Barretts flat and nobody answered his call, “Is there anybody at home?” To Mr. Joseph he said he would not swear that nobody was an the house, and it was possible for Barrett to have been in bed. Accused, said witness, was in bed ill after February <. Before opening the defence, Mr. Joseph submitted that, in regard to Biworthy, evidence of an offence had not been produced, in that it had not been suggested that accused had done anything more than ask Elworthy to be fair. He quoted from Elworthy’s evidence, “He did not ask me to do anything other than an honest citizen. He was quite friendly to me. His Honour declined to withdraw the charge from the jury, remarking that in his opinion much more had been suggested. .