Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

have not been convicted-41 Cal. 29; Ex parfe Watkins, 7 Peters, 568; as where jury fail to agree, and are discharged-41 Cal. 220; 59 Mo. 598; nor does it apply to capital cases in which bail may be made a matter of discretion, or may be forbidden-19 Cal. 539; 19 Ala. 561; 28 id. 89; 34 id. 270; 9 Ark. 222; as where the evidence would not sustain a verdict of murder in the first degree-34 Ala. 270; 2 Ashm. 227; 19 Ohio, 139.

Bail after conviction. Pending appeal, admission to bail is in discretion of court-48 Cal. 3; id. 553; 41 id. 30; a discretion measured by legal rules, and by reference to analogies of the law-48 Cal. 5; 49 id. 680. Statutes, making bail a matter of discretion, are constitutional41 Car. 29. The discretion will be exercised whenever substantial justice may be promoted-44 Cal. 555.

Who may release on bail.-To procure release on bail, the prisoner must go before the magistrate who issued the warrant, or some magistrate in the same county-54 Cal. 102; and after conviction, the judge of the court in which the trial was had-48 Cal. 553; 49 id. 680; and then, only under extraordinary circumstances-49 Cal. 68; 54 id. 35. On an application by habeas corpus, the defendant must state facts to sustain the exercise of an intelligent discretion-41 Cal. 30. A release on bail is not imprisonment-41 Cal. 210.

Excessive bail, reduction of. - In fixing amount, the purpose should be to cause the appearance of accused-54 Cal. 75; and on the application for reduction, the guilt of accused will be presumed-54 Cal. 75; 44 id. 555. The court or judge is not authorized to interfere, unless the bail is excessive, and greatly disproportionate to the offense -44 Cal. 555; 54 Cal. 75. Fifteen thousand dollars not excessive for assault to murder-44 Cal. 555; nor one hundred and twelve thousand dollars for ten distinct felonies-53 Cal. 410.

Art. I, § 7. The right of trial by jury shall be secured to all, and remain inviolate. * * * A trial by jury may be waived in all criminal cases not amounting to felony, by consent of both parties, expressed in open court.

Trial by jury.-The right is secured by the Constitution, 7 Peters, 552; in all common-law actions-19 Cal. 140. It extends only to prosecutions by indictment, or information-26 Ala. 165; it does not apply to proceedings on presentment before a justice of the peace, 12 Conn. 454, nor to suminary remedies given by statute-7 Ga. 194; 26 Ala. 165; 42 Pa. St. 89; as the action of a police magistrate in committing a minor to the industrial school-51 Cal. 280. It is a right which cannot be waived by consent of defendant-18 N. Y. 129; 1 Pitts. 492. The Legislature may regulate the manner of trial-45 Iowa, 253; 43 Cal. 146. Aliens are not entitled to a jury composed of one-half aliens-51 Cal. 597.

Art. I, § 8. Offenses heretofore required to be prosecuted by indictment, shall be prosecuted by information, after examination and commitment by a magistrate, or by indictment, with or without such examination and commitment, as may be prescribed by law. A grand jury shall be drawn and summoned at least once a year in each county.

Prosecution by indictment of any crime, including misdemeanors, is not prohibited-53 Cal. 412.

Exceptions to grand jury.-The law may provide that exceptions be taken at a particular time-15 Cal. 426; and if he declines to do so, he waives his right to do so after indictment-49 Cal. 650. It is competent for the Legislature to restrict the grounds of challenge-46 Cal. 146. As, to want of concurrence-46 Cal. 146; 54 id. 37; Wallace C. J. dis.; failure to insert names of witnesses, failure to be presented-46 Cal. 147; or for irregularity in selecting, summoning, or impanneling -46 id. 146; but that it was summoned by the coroner is not a ground for challenge to the panel-46 id. 154; 32 id. 68. See Code, § 995. That it was summoned as a petit jury and impanneled as a grand jury is illegal-45 Cal. 29. If accused is indicted under a wrong name, he may still be tried under his real name-6 Cal. 210.

Art. I, § 9. * * * Indictments found, or information laid, for publications in newspapers, shall be tried in the county where such newspapers have their publication office, or in the county where the party alleged to be libeled resided at the time of the alleged publication, unless the place of trial shall be changed for good cause.

Art. 1, § 13. In criminal prosecution in any court whatever, the party accused shall have the right to a speedy and public trial; to have the process of the court to compel the attendance of witnesses in his behalf, and to appear and defend in person and with counsel. No person shall be twice put in jeopardy for the same offense; nor be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself; nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. The Legislature shall have power to provide for the taking, in the presence of the party ac cused and his counsel, of depositions of witnesses, in criminal cases, other than cases of homicide, where there is reason to believe that the witness, from inability or other cause, will not attend at the trial.

Right of accused.-Defendant has the right to confront and crossexamine witnesses-54 Cal. 527; but this right may be waived-33 Ala. 354.

Right to counsel.-In capital cases the court may allow more than two counsel to address the jury, on each side-48 Cal. 236. Order of argument-see 43 Cal. 154; id. 349; 44 id. 100; 46 id. 114; id. 302; 47 id. 105. By jail breaking and escaping, defendant waives his right to counsel55 Cal. 298; 97 Mass. 543.

Jeopardy.-A person indicted for murder, after discharge of jury, on indictment for manslaughter, is twice in jeopardy-48 Cal. 334. If, while jury is out deliberating, the judge adjourns the term, it is an ac

quittal-48 Cal. 329. It attaches when a party is once placed on trial before a competent court, on a valid indictment and a discharge of jury without legal consent-48 Cal. 326; 44 id. 35; 38 id. 479; 4 id. 376; 5 id. 278; 8 Blatchf. 526; 16 Conn. 54; 15 Ark. 261; 3 Brev. 421; 3 Cush. 212; 7 Ga. 422; 3 Hawks, 381; 2 Halst. 172; 17 Mass. 515; 8 Wend. 640; but it is otherwise where the jury is discharged from unavoidable necessity-9 Wheat. 579; 2 Sum. 19; Bald. 95; 1 McLean, 434; 6 Serg. & R. 577; as from their inability to agree-48 Cal. 326; 41 id. 212; or where the action has been dismissed-54 Cal. 412; 52 id. 463. The point of objection should be expressed on the record-48 Cal. 327; unless the verdict is so uncertain that judgment cannot be passed-53 id. 690.

Defendant as witness.-This provision applies only to criminal cases-1 Abb. U. S. 317; 1 Sawy. 605; 10 Int. Rev. Rec. 107. "Criminal case" means one involving punishment for crime-8 Ch. L. N. 57; 21 Int. Rev. Rec. 251; or charge for official misconduct-1 Wood, 499. Defendant need not be a witness on his own behalf-36 Cal. 522; and his refusal to be so does not tend to establish his guilt-53 id. 66; 36 id. 522. But a question put to him on cross-examination, whether he had been previously arrested, is not objectionable-45 Cal. 148. That he offers himself as a witness on his own behalf does not change the rules of practice, nor make him a witness for the State-41 Cal. 431.

Art. 1, § 16. No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligations of contracts, shall ever be passed.

Bill of attainder.-A bill of attainder is a legislative act which inflicts punishment without a judicial trial-4 Wall. 277.

Ex post facto.-These words relate exclusively to penal laws-3 Dall. 390; 8 Peters, 109; 17 How. 456; 4 Wall. 172; id. 390; but not to criminal procedure-46 Cal. 114; 3 Gratt. 632; 16 B. Mon. 15; 14 Tex. 402. A law allowing counsel for the State to open and close the argument is not ex post facto-46 Cal. 116; nor is a statute providing that a second conviction for petit larceny makes one guilty of felony-45 Cal. 432; 43 Mass. 413; 3 Gratt. 738.

Art. I, § 20. *

*

* No person shall be convicted of treason, unless on the evidence of two witnesses to the same overt act, or confession in open court.

Art. II. § 1. * * No person convicted of any infamous crime, and no person hereafter convicted of the embezzlement or misappropriation of public money, shall ever exercise the privilege of an elector in this State.

Infamous crimes.-Larceny-1 Root, 485. Receiving stolen goods7 Met. 500. Forgery-3 Ohio St. 229; 3 Hawks, 393. Perjury-3 Salk. 155; 4 East, 180; 11 id. 307. Subornation of perjury-3 Gale & D. 141; 6 Jur. 669.

Art. IV, § 17. The Assembly shall have the sole power of impeachment, and all impeachments shall be tried by the Senate. When sitting for that purpose, the

senators shall be on oath or affirmation, and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members elected.

Trial of impeachment.-To be effectual, articles must be presented to and be received by a quorum of the entire Senate-12 Fla. 653; and a member of the House voting thereon is qualified to sit on the trial, if subsequently elected to the Senate-Addison's Trial, 21-8; Porter's Trial, 53. All the functions of the governor are suspended during his trial-3 Neb. 464.

Art. IV, § 18. The governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, controller, treasurer, attorney-general, surveyor-general, chief justice and associate justices of the Supreme Court, and judges of the Superior Courts, shall be liable to impeachment for any misdemeanor in office, but judgment in such cases shall extend only to removal from office, and disqualification to hold any office of honor, trust, or profit under the State: but the party convicted or acquitted shall, nevertheless, be liable to indictment, trial, and punishment, according to law. All other civil officers shall be tried for misdemeanor in office in such manner as the legislature may provide.

Misdemeanor in office.-Trial of civil officers-45 Cal. 200. A presiding judge may be impeached for preventing an associate from delivering his opinion-Addison's Trial, 114; 4 Dall. 225; Porter's Trial, 61. A removal from office is part of the judgment-1 Leg. Gaz. 455; 43

Ala. 234.

Art. IV, § 21. No person convicted of the embezzlement or defalcation of the public funds of the United States, or of any State, or of any county or municipality therein, shall ever be eligible to any office of honor, trust, or profit under this State, and the Legislature shall provide, by law, for the punishment of embezzlement or defalcation as a felony.

Art. VI, § 1. The judicial power of the State shall be vested in the Senate, sitting as a court of impeachment, in a Supreme Court, Superior Courts, justices of the peace, and such inferior courts as the Legislature may establish in any incorporated city or town, or city and county.

Branches of judiciary-Each branch has its functions, and each is beyond the control of the other-5 Cal. 43; id. 239; and the Legislature cannot confer on one court the functions of another-5 id. 230; but see 30 id. 580. The only case is where the court cannot afford the relief sought-8 Cal. 26; id. 34; id. 520; 9 id. 607; but two or more courts may have concurrent jurisdiction over samé parties and subject-matter-30 id. 580. The judgment of court which first acquires jurisdiction cannot be interfered with-21 Cal. 438.

Inferior courts.-The Municipal Criminal Court of San Francisco is a constitutional court-39 Cal. 5Î7; 41 id. 129; 52 id. 220.

Justices of peace.-Their jurisdiction is exclusive as to misdemeanors, where no indictment is found-53 Cal. 412. They may punish for contempt-47 Cal. 131. They are inferior courts, in favor of whose jurisdiction nothing can be assumed-55 Cal. 217: 12 Cal. 283: 23 Cal. 401; 33 Cal. 318: 34 Cal. 321.

City Criminal Court of San Francisco.-Is a court of record-52 Cal. 222.

Police Court of San Francisco.-Intendments in favor of its judg ments in certain cases-43 Cal. 457. It possesses the same powers and jurisdiction as is or may be conferred by law upon justices of the peace-47 Cal. 127. It is an inferior court, and everything should ap pear in its proceedings to give it jurisdiction and justify its judgment -5 Cranch, 174; 55 Cal. 216; criticising-45 Cal. 455. Jurisdictional facts must be set forth on the records-34 Cal. 321.

Art. VI, § 4. The Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction * * * in all criminal cases prosecuted by indictment or information, in a court of record, on questions of law alone. * * * Each of the justices shall have power to issue writs of habeas corpus to any part of the State, upon petition by or on behalf of any person held in actual custody, and may make such writs returnable before himself, or the Supreme Court, or before any Superior Court in the State, or before any judge thereof.

Appellate jurisdiction.-The Supreme Court has no jurisdiction in criminal cases of a less degree than felony-5 Cal. 295; 7 id. 140; id. 166; 9 id. 85; 16 id. 187; 20 id. 117; 29 id. 459; 30 id. 98; 31 id. 565; 53 id. 427. It has no jurisdiction in a criminal case involving validity of a tax-30 Cal. 98. It has jurisdiction on appeal on questions of law alone-55 Cal. 185.

Habeas corpus.-52 Cal. 220.

*

* * *

Art. VI, § 5. The Superior Courts shall have original jurisdiction in all criminal cases amounting to felony, and cases of misdemeanor not otherwise provided for. They shall have appellate jurisdiction in such cases arising in justices' and other inferior courts, in their respective counties, as may be prescribed by law. Said courts, and their judges. shall have power to

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »