Commonwealth v. Windish
Commonwealth v. Windish
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
There are four assignments of error upon this record. The first is to the refusal of the court below to quash the indictment. The reasons on which the motion to quash rested related to defects in the form of the writ of venire. If this motion had been promptly made, the defects- pointed out in the writ might have led to the quashing of the array of grand jurors ; but it was not so made. It was not made until the second term, and not until the defendant had obtained a continuance of his case upon application. The defects complained of were in the form
It was not alleged that these were not the persons drawn and summoned as grand jurors, nor that other persons bearing the same names and following the occupations named in the venire were to be found in the districts from which these jurors were drawn. The objection in both cases rested on the mistake in the occupation of the jurors as stated in the writ. We think it sufficiently appeared that the persons called were the persons whose names had been drawn from the wheel, and this was the important question on which the challenge depended. The last assignment is directed to the refusal of the court to withdraw a juror because the district attorney, as is alleged, had said in his opening address that he had “no doubt what the opinions of those jurors were who were challenged because of their opinion.” We have had occasion to say on several occasions within the last few years that there is no way provided for excepting to the remarks of counsel. The addresses to the jury like all else relating to a trial are under the supervision of the trial judge. If counsel indulge in a line of remark that is unfair toward the prisoner or that is calculated unduly, or in an improper manner, to excite the prejudice of the jury against him, it is the duty of the defendant or his counsel to call the attention of the court to it and ask the protection to which he is justly entitled.. The court will then in the exercise of a sound judicial discretion consider the subject and determine whether the line of remark shall continue, be modified, or discontinued altogether, and whether any explanation or correction of what has already been said shall be made. Under all ordinary circumstances, this is the course to pursue; and the judg
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Commonwealth v. George Windish
- Cited By
- 24 cases
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- Published
- Syllabus
- Practice, O. & T. — Motion to quash indictment — Laches. It is not error for the court to refuse to quash an indictment when the motion which related to defects in the form of the writ of venire was not made promptly, but was delayed until the second term, and until after defendant had obtained a continuance of his case upon application. . Criminal law — Challenge for cause — Practice, O. & T. It is not error for the court to overrule challenges for cause which rest on the fact that the jurors described in the venire were misdescribed as to occupation, it sufficiently appearing that the persons called were the persons whose names had been drawn from the wheel, which is the important question on which such challenges depend. Criminal laxo — Improper remarks by counsel — Practice, O. & T. Addresses to the jury in criminal cases are under the supervision of the trial judge. If counsel indulge in a line of remark that is unfair toward the prisoner or that is calculated unduly or in an improper manner to excite the jury against him, it is the duty of the defendant’s counsel to call the attention of the court to it at the time and to ask the protection to which defendant is entitled. It is only an abuse of discretion that can be made a subject of appeal; and when it does not appear that the attention of the court was called to the alleged objectionable remarks they will not be considered upon exceptions subsequently taken.