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60 Ky. 477

Commonwealth v. Moore

Court of Appeals of Kentucky

Decided December 3, 1861

Court of Appeals of Kentucky · decided 1861-12-03

<p>An examining court has no right, during the progress of the examination, to- admit to hail, or release from custody, a party charged with felonyj and a hail hond taken for his appearance during the examination is unauthorized and void. (Crimi* nal Code, see. 49.) The party should ho committed to jail or to the custody of a peace officer during the periods of adjournment pending the examination.</p>

Decided 1861-12-03

CHIEF JUSTICE STITES

¶1delivered the opinion op the court r

¶2Assuming that the mayor of Covington had the power to hear and commit upon a charge of felony, it is evident that he had not, as a court of inquiry, any power to recognize or admit to bail the accused during the progress of the examination, as in cases of misdemeanor. /

¶3The Criminal Code (section 49,) is conclusive upon this point. It provides as follows: “During ¿he periods of adjournment the-*478defendant shall be committed to jail or to the custody of a peace officer; but where the offense is a misdemeanor, the defendant may give bail, or the magistrate may fix a sum equivalent to bail, upon which being deposited with the peace officer in attendance, unless he be a policeman, as security for the defendant’s appearance at the time or times appointed, he may be released from custody during the periods of adjournment of the examination.”

¶4Here the party in custody was charged, not with a misdemeanor but with a felony, and it was the duty of the mayor, acting as an examining court, as required by the section, supra, either to commit him to jail or to the custody of a peace officer. He had no right to admit him to bail, or to release him from custody, during the progress of the examination; and the bail bond taken for his appearance, during the examination, was unauthorized and void, and properly so held by the circuit court.

¶5Judgment affirmed.

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