Innocence

The absence of guilt (g. v.).

The absence of guilt See Presumption. An act authorizing one alleging that he had been unjustly convicted -of crime to present a claim for damages to the state board of claims was passed in New York In 1905. See Roberts v. State, 160 N. Y. 217, 64 N. E. 678. Provisions for the compensation of innocent persons who have been imprisoned exist in many European states. Including Germany, Hungary, Austria, France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Portugal and Spain and in Mexico, See 3 Journ. Cr. L. & Criminology 684.

Freedom from guilt

The absence of guilt. The law presumes in favor of innocence.

Being free from the guilt of crime, fraud, or negligence. Innocent. Not chargeable with fault, fraud, or wrong: as; an innocent purchaser or holder. 1. Where one of two innocent parties must suffer through the fraud or wrong -of a third party, the loss falls upon him who gave the credit; as, where one signs his name to blank paper which is afterward fraudulently made a promissory note.* If one of two innocent parties must suffer for a deceit, it is more consonant to reason that he who " puts the trust and confidence in the deceiver (agent, cashier, etc.) should be the loser, rather than the stranger."", The loss should fall on him who by reasonable diligence could have protected himself.^ He who gave the power to do the wrong must bear the burden of the consequences.^ In the negotiation of commercial paper, a holder is not innocent where there is any circumstance to excite the suspicion of a man of ordinary caution as to a defect or irregularity in the paper, or a want of power in any party thereto.^ See Faith, Good; Enowl-

the absence of ilt. ‘The law always presumes in ee of innocence, even against another presumption of law: for example, when a woman marries a second husband within the space twelve months after her husband had left the country, the presumption of) innocence preponderates over the presumption of the continuance of) life. 2B. & A. 386; 3 Stark. Ev. 1249.