22.
accused wvão a
a pirate and was
going
a
piratical expedition.
The
question is what weight.
credit is to be attached to their cvidecoce ?
Now the evidence of the
uplices -
uncorroborated hav little weight in Courts of laws.
degree of creotis which might
to be given to the testicciory of an accomplice is exolswively in the proviice of the fury and it has been sometimes said that the Jury ought not to believe or him unless his evidence is corroborated. No
· positivo rule of law exists on
this
subject
not the Judges in their discretion
advise a Jury volts convict
generally
the prisoner cfton
the
textiriony of
CAL
accomplice alone, and considering the
respect
which is always poeid by the Jury.
to
100
to such advice from
the bouch it way,
be
regarded
rded as a
settled rule of practice not
to convict a prie oner except we
oner except under special
circudauces
upon
the
M
testimony of an accomplice.
orroborated
*
The doctrine has been well explained
by the late Lord Abinger :-
"His a
is a pratice", said his Lordship,
tu a case/
of night preaching, "which
"deserves all the
reverence
of the law, that " judges have miformly told juries that "they ought not to pay any respect "the testimony of
ar
accomplice,
to
unters
"the accomplice is corroborated in sonce "material circumstance. Now, in my
that corroboration ought to opinion,
#
"Concist in some circumestance that
"affects the identity of the party accused.
" A man who has been guilty of
crive