Shelby County AlArchives News.....The Solicitor Asks for the Discharge of the Jury September 23, 1890
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Linda Blum-Barton http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00003.html#0000645 March 29, 2006, 6:33 pm

The Weekly Constitution, Atlanta, Ga. September 23, 1890
Birmingham, Ala., September 17 -- There was a sensation in the criminal court 
today, caused by the discharge of the entire venire of jurors empaneled for the 
week.  Yesterday, Charles Sample, colored, was tried for the murder of A. C. 
Walker.  Seven witnesses testified that Sample shot Walker five times while the 
latter was asleep, and the defense offered no testimony, except Sample's 
himself, who stated that Walker tried to draw a pistol on him.  On this 
evidence the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, greatly to the surprise of 
even the defendant himself.

When court met this morning, Solicitor Hawkins arose and stated that several 
important capital cases were set for trial this week, and after the verdict of 
yesterday he did not care to trust the present jurors, and asked that they be 
all discharged.

Judge Greene granted the motion, and discharged all the jurors.  The discharged 
jurors had a meeting and issued a card, stating that the state did not prove by 
a physician that the bullet wounds caused Walker's death.  They say they had a 
doubt of Sample's guilt, and gave him the benefit of it.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/shelby/newspapers/thesolic905gnw.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/

File size: 1.8 Kb