peine forte et dure

the horrendous practice known as peine forte et dure by which recalcitrant defendants were tortured until death or until they 'consented' to a jury trial

Defined by the Supreme Court in - Singer v. United States, 380 U.S. 24 (1965).

A punishment of a felony defendant who refused to plead, by torture, often resulting in death. See 4 Bl. Coinm. 324.

In Fr.

In old English law. A special form of punishment for those who, being arraigned for felony, obstinately "stood mute;" that is, refused to plead or to put themselves upon trial. It is described as a combination of solitary confinement, slow starvation, and crushing the naked body with a great load of iron. This atrocious punishment was vulgarly called "pressing to death." See 4 Bl. Comm. 324-328; Britt, cc. 4, 22; 2 Reeve, Eng. Law, 134; Cowell.