Commonwealth v. Cameron
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Commonwealth v. Cameron, 229 Pa. 592 (Pa. 1911)
79 A. 169; 1911 Pa. LEXIS 538
Brown, Elkin, Fell, Mestrezat, Moschzisker, Potter, Stewart
Commonwealth v. Cameron
Opinion of the Court
We concur in the conclusion reached by the Superior Court, that sec. 32, art. Ill, of the constitution is restrictive only of the use of the testimony actually given by a witness under compulsion and that it does not confer immunity from prosecution for an offense in relation to which a witness has been compelled to testify. We affirm the judgment on the opinion of the learned president judge of that court.
Reference
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- 12 cases
- Status
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- Syllabus
- Criminal law — Constitutional law — Evidence—Compulsory self incrimination — Constitution of Pennsylvania, art. Ill, sec. 32. 1. Exemption from compulsory self incrimination is not a natural right, nor is it a right secured by the federal constitution which a state constitution can neither take away nor abridge. 2. The words of sec. 32 of art. Ill of the constitution: “Such testimony shall not afterwards be used against him in any judicial proceeding,” do not confer on the witness an immunity from prosecution for an offense relative to which he has been compelled to testify.