INTOXICATED JUROR

Shannon News, 10 December 1926, Page 2

INTOXICATED JUROR

■ ——. ■' ♦ ..;;; - • OREVIINAIj case held up. INCIDENT IN COURT OF GENERAL SESSIONS. v < On a recent morning a'; juror empanelled on a case in the Melbourne Court of General Sessions faithfully carried out his charge that lie would well and truly weigh the evidence before, him and his brethren, ,but in the luncheon adjournment be fell from grace (states the "Age")., After his absence had. delayed .the business of the court for .ten minutes he arrived in an obviously instoxicatr.d condition. He was fined £5, or seven days, for contempt, and was placed in the cold storage cells of the Criminal Court. ','■■■'■,'. * The s court resumed sitting at 2 p.m., but there was only 11 jurors in the box. Judge Macindoe waited patiently while the stentorian tones) of police officers on duty echoed through the court ' corridors calling the name of the missing man. Ten minutes having gone by the worshipper at the shrine of Bacchus was heard, at the main door of the court seeking to be directed to the box in' which his brother -jurors w:ve assembled. A stalwart policeman and the sergeant in charge rescued him after he had made several gyi-ations, and between them he was helped into the court ,and stared gravely at all concerned. , 'Have you been drinking?" asked Judge Macindoe. "I jus',had one or two," replied the delinquent thickly. . "Have you. anything to say why you should not be dealt with.for con/tempt of court?" asked his Honour. r "Guilty, your Honour," replied the juror, good naturedly. . i ■ \ "Well, you are fined £5, or seven days for contempt," said Judge Macindoe. Then he was taken to the cells below the Criminal Court, and was given to understand that if the fine were not promptly paid, he would have to spend the night in gaol. *'' Power is given to,a judge to allow a trial to proceed with 11 jurors if during the progress ,a juryman is taken' • ill or ■ becomes incapacitated through some cause. After the offender was removed the case was gone on with 11 jurors.- . When the court adjourned the fine had not been paid, and the juror was removed in the prison van to Pentridge. ,