DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70301#0063
RICHARD PATCH.
47
their judges is to secure to those who stand accused before
him a fair and impartial trial.
G GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY,
“ I could not enter upon my defence without expressing
my acknowledgments to his Lordship, for causing you to be
summoned to this place, to decide upon my guilt or inno-
cence, instead of suffering me to be tried by the gentlemen
impannelled during the assizes at Kingston for that purpose;
for however unprejudiced twelve gentlemen on a jury may
endeavour to keep their minds, every man is taught by his ex-
perience, as well as his feelings, how extremely difficult it is
to separate the account of the transaction laid before him in
evidence, from that which he has heaid from common report.
Gentlemen, I trust, therefore,- that you will not be, in the
smallest degree influenced by any thing you may have heard
out of this place. I ought, indeed, to implore your forgive-
ness, for suggesting even a hint of the possibility of the
minds of a Jury being drawn from attending to the evidence
adduced; but the truth is, the man who has been so often
pointed out to the fury of the public, apprehends hostility
from every quarter, and naturally expects that every person
who comes into court is prepared to take part against him.
We are taught by our feelings, and our painful experience,
how reluctant the human mind is to relieve itself from errors
to which it has submitted; but certainly, in a case of such
importance to the public and myself, I have no doubt you
will divest yourselves of every thing you may have heard else-
where, and attend to the evidence alone.
Gentlemen, the laws of England have, no doubt, placed
every man accused of felony, under considerable difficulties,
and in a situation of peculiar embarrassment, unknown to
any other country. The law permits the prosecutor to avail
himself of the assistance of his counsel, to lay his case be-
fore you, in the order most advantageous for the success of
47
their judges is to secure to those who stand accused before
him a fair and impartial trial.
G GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY,
“ I could not enter upon my defence without expressing
my acknowledgments to his Lordship, for causing you to be
summoned to this place, to decide upon my guilt or inno-
cence, instead of suffering me to be tried by the gentlemen
impannelled during the assizes at Kingston for that purpose;
for however unprejudiced twelve gentlemen on a jury may
endeavour to keep their minds, every man is taught by his ex-
perience, as well as his feelings, how extremely difficult it is
to separate the account of the transaction laid before him in
evidence, from that which he has heaid from common report.
Gentlemen, I trust, therefore,- that you will not be, in the
smallest degree influenced by any thing you may have heard
out of this place. I ought, indeed, to implore your forgive-
ness, for suggesting even a hint of the possibility of the
minds of a Jury being drawn from attending to the evidence
adduced; but the truth is, the man who has been so often
pointed out to the fury of the public, apprehends hostility
from every quarter, and naturally expects that every person
who comes into court is prepared to take part against him.
We are taught by our feelings, and our painful experience,
how reluctant the human mind is to relieve itself from errors
to which it has submitted; but certainly, in a case of such
importance to the public and myself, I have no doubt you
will divest yourselves of every thing you may have heard else-
where, and attend to the evidence alone.
Gentlemen, the laws of England have, no doubt, placed
every man accused of felony, under considerable difficulties,
and in a situation of peculiar embarrassment, unknown to
any other country. The law permits the prosecutor to avail
himself of the assistance of his counsel, to lay his case be-
fore you, in the order most advantageous for the success of