HIST 3850 Chapter Notes - Chapter PDF: Bloody Code, Homicide, Gallows
30 Sep 2016
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Based on the 1,630 murder trials that took place in england and wales between 1835- 19th c england: 2 developments created 2 complementary extensive archives of information about the conduct of homicide trials: (1) invention of the steam press and (2) the capital case files at the home office. These files only became systematic and extensive at the end of the 1830s after 2 changes in the law: (1) the abolition in 1836 of the requirement that murderers be hanged within. 48 hours from their conviction (2) the removal of these same years of capital sanction from nearly all offences other than murder- helped reduce caseload and give more time to treat appeals. Presence of the jurors tended to weaken the position of the judge. Rise of defense counsel made judges more prosecution-minded; judges began to regularly sum up cases for jury (mostly against defense) These changes ensured the persistence of courtroom contentiousness (being careful and proper) in murder trials.
