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69 Ohio Law. Abs. 481

State v. Selby

Court of Common Pleas of Ohio, Franklin County, Civil Division · decided 1955-02-09

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently January 1971

1 state decisions

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

“Where an indictment of the Grand Jury is regular upon its face, there is a conclusive presumption that there was sufficient evidence to warrant the indictment; * * * and, consequently even the Court itself cannot inquire whether there was sufficient evidence before the Grand Jury to warrant its return of the indictments in question.”

quoted by 1 later decision, including Hammond v. Brown

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1955-02-09

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¶1OPINION

By BARTLETT, J.

¶2Plea in abatement to each count of the indictment in the above cases, on the ground that no competent evidence was before the Grand Jury as shown by the list of witnesses before it on which to base the indictments returned by the Grand Jury, is hereby overruled.

¶3Such plea in abatement does not set up a defect in the record by facts extrinsic thereto, for the following reasons:

¶4*4821. It is not necessary that the record show the names of all witnesses before the Grand Jury.

¶52. There is no means of determining the knowledge on the part of the grand jurors which would warrant the return of such indictments'.

¶63. The accused is not entitled to know the evidence before the Grand Jury on the presentation of his case It is the policy of the law, in furtherancce of justice that the preliminary inquiry before a Grand Jury should be conducted in secret.

¶74. Where an indictment of the Grand Jury is regular upon its face, there is a conclusive presumption that there was sufficient evidence to warrant the indictment; therefore, no evidence will be received, for the purpose of vitiating such indictment, either from the Grand Jurors, or the witnesses before them, or from any other person required by law to be present, as to the evidence given on such inquiry of the Grand Jury; and, consequently even the Court itself cannot inquire whether there was sufficient evidence before the Grand Jury to warrant its return of the indictments in question.

¶8See the well reasoned opinion of Gorman, J„ in the case of State v. Schroder, et al., 16 N. P. (N. S.), 265; State v. Rhoades, 81 Oh St 397; State v. Woolard et al., 12 N. P. (N. S.), 395; Turk v. State, 7 Ohio, Part II, p. 240.

¶9Plea in abatement overruled.

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