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Courts and Criminals by Arthur Cheney Train
page 13 of 266 (04%)
the grand jury. You might now, it would perhaps seem, have
some reason for suspecting that Robinson was not all that he
should be. But no! He is still presumed in the eyes of the
law, and theoretically in the eyes of his fellows, to be as
innocent as a babe unborn. And now the grand jury take up and
sift the evidence that has already been gone over by the
police judge. They, too, call witnesses and take additional
testimony. They likewise are convinced of Robinson's guilt
and straightway hand down an indictment accusing him of the
crime. A bench warrant issues. The defendant is run to earth
and ignominiously haled to court. But he is still presumed to
be innocent! Does not the law say so? And is not this a
"government of laws"? Finally, the district attorney, who is
not looking for any more work than is absolutely necessary,
investigates the case, decides that it must be tried and
begins to prepare it for trial. As the facts develop
themselves Robinson's guilt becomes more and more clear. The
unfortunate defendant is given any opportunity he may desire
to explain away the charge, but to no purpose.

The district attorney knows Robinson is guilty, and so does
everybody else, including Robinson. At last this presumably
innocent man is brought to the bar for trial. The jury scan
his hang-dog countenance upon which guilt is plainly written.
They contrast his appearance with that of the honest Jones.
They know he has been accused, held by a magistrate, indicted
by a grand jury, and that his case, after careful scrutiny,
has been pressed for trial by the public prosecutor. Do they
really presume him innocent? Of course not. They presume him
guilty. "So soon as I see him come through dot leetle door in
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