RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, PORT CHALMERS.

Evening Star, Issue 4158, 24 June 1876, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, PORT CHALMERS.

Fbiday, June 23. (Before T. A. Mansford, Esq., R.M.)

CHABGB OF ASSAULT AGAINST THE POLlCE.—Edward Coffey and David Murphy, police constables, were charged with assaulting Joseph Renner on the 10th inst. The following witnesses were examined:—George Mackley, who stated he was sitting in Dench J s Hotel on the evening of the 10th, and heard a noise and scuffle in the cell, and also a voice, but could not hear what was Baid. After William Banks had given similar evidence the case for the prosecution was concluded.—Mr Chapman, on behalf of *the defendants, reviewed the evidence given by the prosecutor and the witness Funnage, pointing out that wheu the prosecutor was first charged with drunkenneßH he stated that Sergeant Morkane had tried to strangle him, aud did not mention anything against Constable Coffey. He would ptove that instead of tbe police ill-treatiug the prosecutor they had been very lenient with him, and it was only after he had twice kicked Constable Coffey in the abdomen that the constable struck him. He then called Constable Coffey, who deposed that on the night of the Htkinßt. Hennier was arrested and locked up. Witness was called* tl> assist in searching him. He resisted, and was afterwards forcibly searched. Sergeant Morkane directed Constable Murphy to remove the articles taken from the prosecutor, and requested witness to take off the man's bocts. Hennier refused to allow witness to take them off, and a scuffle ensued, in which he fell, when Rennicr kicked him Iwice in the abdomen aud also tried to bite him. Shortly < after ho again attempted to kick, and witnam in self-defence struck hint on the thigh with baton. In answer to the plaintiff's eounui witness informed him that a batdu was ertrusted to a constable for hie defence.

—Constable Murphy gave similiar evidence, and Sergeant Morkane testified that he had assisted iii locking up the prosecutor, whose conduct was that of a madman. "When chaged with drunkenness he accused witness of attempting to strangle him. In a'nswer to Mr Adams the Sergeant stated that he would not permit at any time a constable to illtreat a prisoner.—This concluded the evidence, and the Magistrate stated that in consequence of the accumulation of his notes m the case he would reserve judgment until Tuesday next.