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93 Mass. 263

Commonwealth v. Barry

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Decided November 15, 1865

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · decided 1865-11-15

Indictment for keeping and maintaining a tenement in School Street in Boston, used for the illegal sale and illegal keeping for sale of intoxicating liquors. At the trial in the superior court, before Vose, J., instructions were given to the jury which were not excepted to. The judge did not reduce to writing the instructions so given to the jury before they retired to deliberate on their verdict, and did not file them in the case.

Decided 1865-11-15

Bigelow, C. J.

¶1It is not contended that the instructions given to the jury in this case are not correctly and fully stated in the exceptions, or that they are in any respect defective or erroneous. The mere omission of the court to reduce them to writing and file them with the clerk before the jury retired to deliberate on their verdict, as required by St. 1863, c. 180, § 1, has worked no harm or prejudice to the defendant. He is not, therefore, aggrieved by the failure of the judge to comply with the strict letter of the statute, and has no ground whatever for exceptions. It is not the province of the defendant to assert or maintain a rule of law where the omission to observe it has been the cause of no injustice towards him.

¶2Exceptions overruled.

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