SUPREME COURT INCIDENT.

Shannon News, 20 May 1924, Page 3

SUPREME COURT INCIDENT.

STUDENTS SERVE UN JURY. A rather ,unusual incident occurred at tlie Dunedin supreme Cuurt on Thursday last when a jury was being empanelled in connection with ,a case of malpractice. The usual panel oj *0 jurors had been subpoenaed for the.-criminal but (he twelve imil' who had served on a “ringing- . inf? case -had been discharged by his Honour irimifurther service during that session, ‘ and another twelve had retired a few aninutes previously to deliberate on an assault ease. This left an attenuated panel from which to. chouse a. jury. Counsel for aceussed had exhausted bis right further to challenge when he had asked .six to “stand aside,” and the Crown Prosed it or, who has unlimited right to “stand aside,” had still six seats to fill when alt names laid been drawn front the ballot box. The ' names* of those/ordered to stand aside by tbe Crown were then put back into tlie ballot box and two were .selected. This .still leli low vacant seats. His Honour, Mr Justice Reed, then, ordered the Court doors to be closed, and the Court, Usher* wa,s then instructed to take the first four men in the ft.out row of the spectators in the body of tlie court nmm dicing on Ills Honour’s rigid hand. The court was crowded, principally-with medical students, and the first man selected was a W’ellknown University footballer, and lie •was ’followed by three others, some of whom were carrying their lecture note hocks. The, students appeared surprised when called oh to serve their King a.ud i-niumtiy in the capacity of jurymen, and tlie daughter which greeted them as they filed into the jury box was reminiscent of a vaudeville performance, but, the - merriment was quickly suppressed by the stentorian call of ’‘silence” from the Court, Usher.