Commentary

1. the Old Bailey: the Central Criminal Court in London

2. jury: a body of persons, in the USA and Britain, 12 in number, who have to decide the truth of a case tried before a judge

3. the jury-box is a small enclosure, usually at the side of the court, in which the jurors sit.

4. ...it is your charge to say...: "...it is your task (duty) to say..."

5. shut out from your minds: keep away from your minds

6. The facts in the case are... not in dispute. Дело ясное; вызывают сомнение не сами факты.

7. to solicit an opinion from the witness: to ask the witness an opinion

8. things were strewn about: things were scattered about

9. subsequently: later on, afterwards

10. surmise: to guess with the help of a certain amount of evidence

11. I submit, my Lord...: "I suggest, my Lord..."

12. household accident: an accident that occurred at home

13. blood donor: one who gives blood for medical purposes

Words and word combinations

trial - судебный процесс

stand trial - быть под судом Syn be on trial (for smth)

try smb. for smth. - судить, предавать суду кого-л. за что-л.

be in session - проводить заседание

prisoner - подсудимый

the prisoner's box - скамья подсудимых

indictment - обвинительный акт; обвинение

indict - предъявлять обвинение

guilty -виновный

be guilty of smth., doing smth. - быть виновным в чем-л.

plead (not) guilty (to smth.) - признавать себя (не)виновным в ч-л

find smb. (not) guilty of smth doing smth - признавать кого-л. (не)виновным в чем-л.

blunt - тупой

housekeeper - экономка

draw up (a will, plan, etc.) - составлять (завещание, план и т. д.)

I withdraw my question. - Я снимаю свой вопрос.

object to smth,doing smth - возражать против чего-л., против того, чтобы сделать что-л.

assailant - подзащитный

search – обыск

fingerprint - снять отпечатки пальцев

fingerprints - отпечатки пальцев

robbery - кража, грабеж

commit a robbery - совершать грабеж

be consistent with - совпадать с, соответствовать

burglar(ess) - грабитель(ница), вор-взломщик

break in - вламываться, залезать в квартиру, дом (о грабителях)

offer smth. as evidence - предъявлять что-л. в качестве доказательства

exhibit - вещественное доказательство

cross-examination - перекрестный допрос

cross-examine - подвергать перекрестному допросу

confine oneself to - строго придерживаться, ограничиваться

Exercises

1. Study the text carefully and answer these questions.

1. What was the indictment?

2. What did the judge mean by saying that the jurors must try the case on the evidence alone?

3. Who appeared for the Prosecution?

4. Who were the Counsels for the Defence?

5. Who were witnesses for the Prosecution?

6. Who was the first to give evidence?

7. Why did Sir Wilfred object to Mr Myers' question as to whether the murderer had taken Mrs French by surprise?

8. Was the objection accepted or overruled?

9. Whose fingerprints did the police discover in Mrs French's drawing-room? Would they be justified in saying those fingerprints provided any clues?

10. Why did the police think there was something suspicious about the state the drawing-room was in?

11. Whose jacket did Chief Inspector Hearne produce in evidence?

12. For what purpose was the jacket handed to the laboratory?

13. What supposition did Sir Wilfred come out with?

14. Why did Sir Wilfred ask the Chief Inspector and the judge to examine the knife he produced in evidence?

15. How did Leonard Vole account for the stains on the jacket cuffs?

16. What type of blood did Vole have?

17. How did the public react to Sir Wilfred's statement? Could you say that the sympathies of the public were with Vole?

2. Prove that

a). there was a flaw (a weak spot) in the evidence of the police;

b). the police evidence wasn’t sufficient to prove that it was Vole who had murdered Mrs French;

c). Sir Wilfred managed to break down the police evidence.

3. Make up conversations

a). between two people who were at the hearing of the case;

b). between Sir Wilfred and Brogan-Moore; they exchange impressions of the first day of the trial.

4. Find equivalents in the text for these word combinations and sentences.

1. Идет заседание суда. 2. Леонард Стефан Воул, вам предъявляется обвинение в том, что... 3. И ваша задача решить, после того как выслушаете свидетельские показа­ния, виновен он или не виновен. 4. присяжный поверенный, который составил ее последнее завещание; 5. застал г-жу Френч врасплох; 6. Это вещественное доказательство. 7. Давайте ограничимся фактами. 8. Леонард Стефан Воул является донором и у него группа крови «О».

5. Form the corresponding nouns from the following verbs and compose word-combinations with each noun.

a) indict –	c) fingerprint –	e) cross-examine –
b) try –	d) rob –	f) suspect –

6. Complete the sentences with the following words from the box:

innocent to cross-examine prisoner’s box to stand trial courtroom Counsel for the Defence assailant to plead guilty to break into jury court clerk defendant to be charged on indictment to hear the case guards Counsel for the Prosecution to murder jury-box judge

………………: Ladies and Gentlemen!

Today we are going………….of Sir Belmoore, who…………for murder of Helen Smith. (The…………is overcrowded. The………...is presiding. The…………., consisting of 6 men and 6 women, are in the …………..The …………is sitting in the …………..between two ………… The ……………is frowning in his seat. The ……………is quite aware of the fact, that his rival is going to……………his…………..).

Sir Alfred Belmoore! You………………that on the 14^th of December you…………..the house owned by Helen Smith and ……………the woman. Do you……………?

Sir Belmoore: No, I am…………….

7. Complete the following sentences with the words used in the text:

a). Anyone who has killed a person with intention is called ………..

b). …………is a person who stands trial.

c). A defendant is ……………..by the Counsel for the Defence.

d). If a criminal breaks into a house in order to steal things he commits ………….

e). 12 members of the public who find a defendant either guilty or innocent are called …………..

f). When the Counsel for the Defence doesn’t agree a Counsel for the Prosecution’s question to be asked, he ………….to it.

g). In order to find some exhibits, police makes ……………..at a suspect’s place.

h). In a courtroom a defendant sits in ……………….

i). Things which prove defendant’s guilt are……………..

j). When a defendant makes a statement that he/she has committed a crime he……………

8. Group the words from the box into a few logical groups:

jury-box to try (sb. for smth.) judge prisoner’s box to make a search corroborative evidence robbery jury jail to find (sb.) guilty crime medical testimony witness-box Counsel for the Defence to fingerprint exhibits Counsel for the Prosecution burglary witness courtroom fingerprints to charge (sb.) on indictment defendant circumstantial evidence Chief Inspector to cross-examine solicitor murder laboratory experts

Groups:

1	2	3	4	5

9. Write down the questions for the following answers:

a).……………………………...?	Not guilty.
b)………………………………?	A search was made. Photographs were taken and the premises were fingerprinted.
c)……………………………....?	I must object. My learned friend is putting words in the witness’s mouth.
d)………………………………?	According to the housekeeper nothing was missing.
e)……………………………....?	Yes. Though an attempt was made to wash them out.
f)……………………………….?	Yes, Sir. It’s type O.
g)………………………………?	Let us not surmise, but confine ourselves to facts.