Thursday, 31 May 1928: The ‘committal proceedings’ at the magistrates’ court in Coleford open, presided over by five magistrates (four men and one woman).
Officially, the magistrates have to decide whether there was a prima facie case against Beatrice Pace, though this was in some sense redundant: because she was charged under a coroner’s ‘inquisition’ the case would continue to trial in any case.
However, importantly, the main evidence would be restated (under the ‘rules of evidence’ that governed trial procedure) and be written down to produce the ‘depositions’ that could be referred to at the main trial.
Showing posts with label magistrate's court. Show all posts
Showing posts with label magistrate's court. Show all posts
Friday, 31 May 2013
Monday, 4 June 2012
Today in the Pace case: 4 June
Monday, 4 June 1928: The ‘committal proceedings’ at Coleford end with the magistrates sending the case on to the next Gloucestershire assizes which open within a few days.
Because of the shortage of time to prepare, however, the actual trial will be delayed.
In another development, the Daily Mail receives a donation of £500 for Beatrice's defence fund from Barbu Jonescu, a close associate of the exiled Romanian leader, Prince Carol. In early May, the Prince had been ejected from Britain after accusations emerged that he had been engaged in intrigues to regain his throne. The Prince (and Jonescu) had relocated to Brussels, but were apparently still reading the English press.
‘As this unfortunate lady has been under a terrible ordeal for months past owing to the long-drawn-out proceedings of the inquest’, Jonescu wrote, ‘I am enclosing my cheque … in order that she will be represented worthily at the trial.’
Further details of this rather odd aspect of the case are dealt with in the book.
Because of the shortage of time to prepare, however, the actual trial will be delayed.
In another development, the Daily Mail receives a donation of £500 for Beatrice's defence fund from Barbu Jonescu, a close associate of the exiled Romanian leader, Prince Carol. In early May, the Prince had been ejected from Britain after accusations emerged that he had been engaged in intrigues to regain his throne. The Prince (and Jonescu) had relocated to Brussels, but were apparently still reading the English press.
‘As this unfortunate lady has been under a terrible ordeal for months past owing to the long-drawn-out proceedings of the inquest’, Jonescu wrote, ‘I am enclosing my cheque … in order that she will be represented worthily at the trial.’
Further details of this rather odd aspect of the case are dealt with in the book.
Thursday, 31 May 2012
Today in the Pace case: 31 May
Thursday, 31 May 1928: The ‘committal proceedings’ at the magistrates’ court in Coleford open, presided over by five magistrates (four men and one woman). Officially, the magistrates have to decide whether there was a prima facie case against Beatrice Pace, though this was in some sense redundant: because she was charged under a coroner’s ‘inquisition’ the case would continue to trial in any case. However, importantly, the main evidence would be restated (unlike the coroner's inquest, this would now occur under the ‘rules of evidence’ that governed trial procedure) and be written down to produce the ‘depositions’ that could be referred to at the main trial.
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