ERRATIC JUSTICE.
The "Morning Herald"" thinks that it would be interesting to know, at least in some cases, on what grounds juries base their verdicts. At Wednesday's sitting of the Supreme Court a man was charged with having stolen a horse at Naseby. The loes of the animal was clearly proved, and four or five days afterwards the prisoner, who is an excellent horseman, was arrested in Princes street, Dunedin, riding the animal which was identified by the prosecutor. The prisoner's story was that he bought the horse some months ago from a man who was then leaving the country. He lost sight of the horse tor some time, and hearing it was at Naseby, he went np and took it away. The jury believed this uncorroborated statement, and after a long deliberation acquitted the prisoner, who is a wellknown horse thief. A singular thing in regard to him is this, that six months ago he was acquitted on a charge of stealing another horse, and at the same time he was undergoing a sentence imposed in an inferior Court for stealing the saddle and bridle which were on the horse for appropriating which the Dunedin jury acquitted him. Justice is evidently erratic sometimes.
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Bibliographic details
Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2147, 12 January 1881, Page 3
Word Count
204ERRATIC JUSTICE. Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2147, 12 January 1881, Page 3
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