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Story
October 3, 1929
The Daily Worker
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
What is this article about?
In Charlotte, NC, on Oct. 2, heavy rains delayed summons for 150 rural veniremen in the Gastonia trial. Judge M. V. Barnhill excluded Charlotte township jurors to speed selection, despite defense protests against potential bias favoring business men and landlords.
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JURORS FROM THE RURAL DISTRICTS
Defense Protests: Has Stopped Trial 1 Day
CHARLOTTE, N. C., Oct. 2. —Heavy rains all night is the reason given for deputies not completing the service of summons for the panel of 150 veniremen drawn last night for jury duty in the Gastonia case, and Judge M. V. Barnhill has announced there will be no session of court today.
In drawing the panel all names from Charlotte township were dropped, so that the veniremen would all come from the rural districts.
Tried It Before.
The judge proposed when the trial opened yesterday that no jurors be selected from Charlotte township. This is the only industrial section of Mecklenburg County, from which workers could get on the jury, and the defense fought vigorously against such a scheme, evidently intended to help packing the jury with business men and landlords.
The judge then proposed an alternative plan, for the sheriff to pick whoever he pleased, which was also strenuously objected to. It was thought that the judge had yielded on both these plans, but when the time came to summon the second venire, he suddenly reverted to the first scheme, and ordered all the names drawn from outside Charlotte. The ostensible reason given by the court was that this would "speed the selection of a jury." It has already proved to have just the opposite result, but there is no indication of another change of policy.
Defense Protests: Has Stopped Trial 1 Day
CHARLOTTE, N. C., Oct. 2. —Heavy rains all night is the reason given for deputies not completing the service of summons for the panel of 150 veniremen drawn last night for jury duty in the Gastonia case, and Judge M. V. Barnhill has announced there will be no session of court today.
In drawing the panel all names from Charlotte township were dropped, so that the veniremen would all come from the rural districts.
Tried It Before.
The judge proposed when the trial opened yesterday that no jurors be selected from Charlotte township. This is the only industrial section of Mecklenburg County, from which workers could get on the jury, and the defense fought vigorously against such a scheme, evidently intended to help packing the jury with business men and landlords.
The judge then proposed an alternative plan, for the sheriff to pick whoever he pleased, which was also strenuously objected to. It was thought that the judge had yielded on both these plans, but when the time came to summon the second venire, he suddenly reverted to the first scheme, and ordered all the names drawn from outside Charlotte. The ostensible reason given by the court was that this would "speed the selection of a jury." It has already proved to have just the opposite result, but there is no indication of another change of policy.
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime Story
What themes does it cover?
Justice
Crime Punishment
What keywords are associated?
Jury Selection
Gastonia Trial
Defense Protest
Rural Jurors
Charlotte Township
What entities or persons were involved?
Judge M. V. Barnhill
Where did it happen?
Charlotte, N. C.
Story Details
Key Persons
Judge M. V. Barnhill
Location
Charlotte, N. C.
Event Date
Oct. 2
Story Details
Heavy rains delayed jury summons in the Gastonia case. Judge Barnhill ordered selection of rural jurors excluding Charlotte township despite defense protests over potential bias toward business interests, halting the trial for a day.