MN Advisory Comm Exhibits 1-18 - Minnesota Judicial Branch

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@ 9% the court pr?monnel begin
to, assemble. The crier opens court.
“AU rise. Oyez, oyez, ah p&sons
havigg business before the Court of
Cbqrnon Pleas Crimtnal Division
corn ‘forth and they shall be heard
God save this honorable court. ‘Be
mated and stop ali conversation. Good
: mom Your Honor.” The crier c&s
atit the names of the defendants. Most
of them aie represented by the public
defender.. He checks his files. One or
two names are not on his list; A quick
phone caU .k ,made to his office to
send,up the missing files.
Ch one particular day when I was
sitting in criminal motions court,
three Cases had private counsel. One
had been ‘retained by the defendant.
The ather two had been appointed by
tho awt to represent indigents
accused of homicide. Where are these
I iawyors?
As is customary,’ the court officer
ph+es ‘each of’them and reminds hk
secretary ,that he has a case listed and
he must appear. Several of the defend-
ants are not present. The prison is
called to locate the mi&ng parties.
Lots G. ~For& &‘a judge frl the Phklelphla
Court of Common Pleas This article is
edapted from her book, The Death of the
Zati, to be published in Mwch !y D&i
Mdhy. Copyttght 1975 by Lois C.’ Form .
IhaWa~ihlngtoaMonthlyJFehrulryl975
mdgc, if he wishes &get through
his list, must find the lawyers and
litigants and order .them to come to
court.
Frequently tho prosecutor cannot
find his files. When he does, he. dis-.
covcis that a necessary witness has not)
beeh subpoenaed. The case mustbe
continued to another d&y. The other .
witnesses, who are present and have
missed a day’s work, are sent home.
The defendant is returned to $t& to.
dywit another list& Often ,dases aria
wed five and six times before they ,’
can bo heard. *
On this day, there were three ,&&aditions.
Amos R $3 want#f in South.
Carolina. Seven years ago he had’
escaped from jail and fled north. SinCe
thenhehasbeenhv@ginPhiladelphia.
He married here and now lizis
two children. His wife and chiklren
arc in tho courtroom He is employed: ‘~
Amos has not been in 3roi.able Sinai’
leaving South Carolina, where ’ 1Q ‘,
years ago he was convicted of.stealirig
a car and sentenced ‘to nine to 20
years in prison. He ‘had’ no prior
record. In Pennsylvania, for the same,
crime, he wouid probably have been
placed on probation or at most xeceived
a maximum sentence- .of two
years.
Mow ht? testifies that he didn’t
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