Unit 4.

Ex. 42. Look through the text.

Coroners

Coroners, who must be qualified lawyers or doctors, have a duty to hold public inquests into any violent, unnatural or suspicious death, or in the case of a person dying suddenly without any obvious cause, or in prison or in police custody. Coroners' inquests are not trials, but witnesses are called, and there is often a jury who decide on the manner of death - suicide, unlawful killing, misadventure or accident - or (where they are not sure) return an open verdict.

The post of Coroner is ancient, dating from the 11th Century, and coroners still sit today to determine the cause of death in situations where people have died in potentially suspicious circumstances, abroad, or in the care of central authority. Coroners no longer sit in judgment of Treasure Trove cases, following the passing of the Treasure Act 1996.

Coroner - an officer of the Crown whose principal function is to investigate deaths either by ordering a postmortem examination or conducting an inquest. Coroners are appointed by the crown from among barristers, solicitors, and qualified medical practitioners of not less than five years standing.

Ex. 43. Translate the expressions.

- public inquest

- suspicious death

- obvious cause

- police custody

- trial

- witness

- suicide

- return a verdict

- misadventure

- ancient post

- cause of death

- suspicious circumstances

- central authority

- judgment

- Treasure Trove

- postmortem examination

- conducting an inquest

- to be appointed

Ex. 44. Use the proper prepositions.

Coroners have a duty to hold public inquests ……… any violent, unnatural or suspicious death, or ……… the case ……… a person dying suddenly ……… any obvious cause, or ……… prison or ……… police custody. For these inquests witnesses are called, and there is often a jury who decide ……… the manner of death - suicide, killing, misadventure or accident - or return an open verdict.

The post ……… Coroner is ancient, dating ……… the 11th Century, and coroners still sit today to determine the cause ……… death ……… situations where people have died ……… potentially suspicious circumstances, or ……… the care ……… central authority. Coroners no longer sit ……… judgment ……… Treasure Trove cases, following the passing ……… the Treasure Act 1996.

Coroner - an officer ……… the Crown whose principal function is to investigate deaths either ……… ordering a postmortem examination or conducting an inquest. Coroners are appointed ……… the crown ……… ……… barristers, solicitors, and qualified medical practitioners of not less than five years standing.

Ex. 45. Create the sentences according to the sample. Pay attention to the translation of the sentences.

Coroners still sit today to determine the cause of death.

1. Jury (decide on the manner of death).

2. Coroner (find out if it had been a misadventure).

3. He (to qualify a lawyer).

4. Witnesses (to take part in the coroners' inquest).

5. She (to commit a suicide).

6. The police (to examine his documents).

7. This barrister (to be appointed a coroner).

8. She (to be written about in the local newspaper).

arrived, decided, entered the University, sit in the court, stopped this suspicious man, wanted to be a witness, was examined, were called

Ex. 46. Read.

T

Just for fun!

☺

he law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.

Anatole France

Ex. 47. Fill in the C-crossword. All words begin with the letter “C”.

C

a question that will be dealt with by a law court

C

event or thing that makes something happen

C

to do something wrong or illegal - ………. crime

C

someone who lives in a particular city or country

C

an office where barristers work

C

someone who is being considered for a job or elections

C

a general idea about what something is like

C

an official paper stating that you have completed a course of study

C

the conditions that affect a situation, action, event

Ex. 48. Find equivalents to the following.

in (under) suspicious circumstances in police custody medical practitioner misadventure obvious cause open verdict public inquest to determine the cause of death Treasure Trove

вердикт, которым устанавливается причина смерти, но не указывается, является ли она естественной, случайной, самоубийством или убийством; видимая причина; клад, найденные драгоценности, переходящие в собственность государства, если не обнаружен владелец; несчастный случай; определить причину смерти; официальное расследование; практикующий врач; при подозрительных обстоятельствах; содержание под стражей в полиции.

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Ex. 49. Translate the sentences.

А. 1. The cause of the accident is still unknown, but human error seems the most likely explanation. 2. An inquest was held to discover the cause of death. 3. As a result of police investigation two men were arrested. 4. You will be kept in custody until your trial on May 3^rd. 5. They became suspicious of his behaviour and contacted the police. 6. The jury returned a verdict of guilty. 7. The police have appealed for witnesses to the accident to come forward. 8. Members of the jury were invited to examine several photographs being used as evidence. 9. Many prisons are now seriously overcrowded. 10. He had never recovered from the death of his best friend in a shooting accident. 11. The experts set out to determine just what had caused the explosion. 12. After the riot, 32 people were taken into police custody. 13. The inquest recorded a verdict of suicide. 14. A committee was appointed to investigate these complaints.

В. КОРОНЕР - судебное должностное лицо в Англии. Должность коронера существует с конца XII в. Хотя обязанности коронера носят судебный характер, им может быть и не юрист. Обязанности коронера сводятся к производству расследования по каждому смертному случаю, в котором есть основание предполагать неестественную причину или насилие, а также по всем смертным случаям в тюрьмах. Расследование производится при участии двенадцати присяжных. После осмотра тела, производится, в случае надобности, медицинской экспертизы и вскрытие тела, и допрос свидетелей, коронер резюмирует все полученные данные и приглашает присяжных постановить решение о причине и обстоятельствах смерти. Если присяжные высказывают решение о предполагаемой виновности кого-либо, то коронер может отдать приказ о немедленном задержании этого лица. Решение присяжных при расследовании коронера de jure равносильно обвинительному акту (indictment), и дело может быть передано суду малого жюри без дальнейшего производства следствия перед большим жюри. (Maitlaud, "Justice aud Police"; Chalmers, "Local Government")

Ex. 50. Link the definitions.

misadventure inquest custody verdict open verdict witness Treasure Trove practitioner jury determine

a person who works in a profession, esp. a doctor or lawyer a decision that is made by a jury in court, stating if somebody considered guilty of a crime or not a group of usually 12 people chosen to hear all the details of a case in a court and give their decision on it a person who gives evidence in court; a person who sees a crime or an accident and is able to describe what happened an official decision in a British court stating that the exact cause of a person’s death is not known an official investigation to find out the cause of sb’s death, especially when it has not happened naturally death caused by an accident, rather than as a result of a crime money, gold, jewels, or other valuable objects found hidden usually in the ground, and claimed by no one the state of being in prison, especially while waiting for trial to find out the exact details or facts about something

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Ex. 51. Use the proper prepositions.

- inquest ……… a death

- death ……… obvious cause

- death ……… police custody

- to decide ……… the manner of death

- to return ……… an open verdict

- post ……… Coroner

- the cause ……… death

- to die ……… suspicious circumstances

- to investigate death ……… a postmortem examination

- to be appointed ……… the crown

- to conduct ……… an inquest

Ex. 52. Translate the sentences.

А. 1. Смерть этого человека оказалась случайной, хотя его родственники настаивали на том, что его убили. 2. Во время суда свидетели рассказывали о несчастном случае, который произошел на дороге. 3. Официальное расследование подтвердило факт смерти этого человека, хотя некоторые утверждали, что он просто инсценировал аварию. 4. Несмотря на то, что его официально назначили на эту должность, большинство предпочитало обращаться к его предшественнику. 5. Доктор Мортимер осмотрел тело мистера Баскервиля и решил, что тот умер при подозрительных обстоятельствах. 6. «Я стал работать здесь шесть лет назад,» - сказал Зигфрид. – «Прежний практикующий врач придерживался старой доктрины, но мне удалось немного изменить это положение». 7. Мистер Хитон позвонил и попросил приехать к нему, чтобы вскрыть сдохшую овцу и установить причину смерти. 8. Казалось, этот человек испытывал ко мне неприязнь без всякой видимой причины. 9. После того, как присяжные вынесли решение по делу о найденных в стене замка драгоценностях, владелец замка получил десятую часть стоимости этого клада.

В. 1. В обязанности коронера входит проведение официальной проверки фактов в случае наступления не противоправной, но и не естественной смерти человека. 2. В частности, такая проверка обязательно должна проводиться и случае самоубийств задержанных и арестованных. 3. Коронер, расследуя такого рода случаи, обязан установить причину и обстоятельства смерти. 4. Для этого он имеет право назначать патолого-анатомическую экспертизу трупа, расследовать обстоятельства и факт смерти, проводить эксгумацию трупа, если захоронение находится в пределах обслуживаемой им территории. 5. Кроме того, коронер проводит специальное расследование в случае поступления заявления об обнаружении клада. 6. Кладом считаются спрятанные серебряные или золотые монеты или посуда, а также золото и серебро в слитках, владелец которых неизвестен. 7. Если указанные предметы не содержат определенного количества серебра или золота, то они кладом не являются. 8. Номинально в соответствии с правом Англии все клады, обнаруженные в пределах ее территории, принадлежат Короне. 9. Задача Коронерского суда состоит в том, чтобы определить, является данная находка кладом или нет.

Ex. 53. Translate the sentences.

А. 1. Most serious accidents in the home involve electrical equipment or hot liquids. 2. After the investigation the jury took a verdict of death by misadventure. 3. The date of the court case was yet to be determined. 4. An inquest heard yesterday that the man plunged to his death from a 10^th storey window. 5. A man has been arrested in connection with the murder and is being held in police custody. 6. She died in suspicious circumstances. 7. The doctor was called for a skiing accident but it was too late. 8. The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death. 9. One witness claimed to have seen the gun. 10. Putting people in prison is a costly business, that doesn’t always help reduce crime. 11. The survey of traffic accidents determined that seat belts reduced serious injuries by up to ninety per cent.

В. Медицинский центр Калифорнийского университета. Утром 25 июня 2009 года Майкл потерял сознание и упал, находясь в доме, который он снимал в Холмби-Хиллз, на западе Лос-Анджелеса. Личный врач пытался привести его в сознание, но это ему не удалось. Приехавшие медики обнаружили уже не дышащего Джексона с остановившимся сердцем и сразу начали сердечно-лёгочную реанимацию. Попытки вернуть Джексона к жизни продолжались по дороге и в течение часа после приезда в Медицинский центр Калифорнийского университета в 13:14. Эффекта добиться не удалось. Смерть была констатирована в 14:26 по местному времени, а в 16:36 подтверждена коронером.

Расследованием причин смерти занялись коронеры. Тело Майкла было вертолётом перевезено в Бойл-Хейтс, где располагается служба коронеров Лос-Анджелеса. Вскрытие было проведено 26 июня вечером, после чего тело было отдано семье. Однако причина смерти не была установлена. Для её выяснения требуются дополнительные токсикологические тесты, проведение которых может занять от 6 до 8 недель. В то же время коронер отметил, что следов насилия и признаков «нечестной игры» во время вскрытия обнаружено не было. Позже семья Джексонов запросила коронеров о проведении повторного вскрытия.

ADDITIONAL READING

CROWNER: Origins of the Office of Coroner

The office of Coroner is a uniquely English institution, though perhaps 'Norman' might be more accurate in the sense in which we know it today. Scotland, of course, never had coroners. They remained independent of England for a long time and their system of law is more akin to that found on the Continent. Wales inherited the English Coroners after the Edwardian Conquest of 1282. Before this, the Welsh had their own system of law dating from about the 9th century. Ireland also acquired them, since Norman administration had been imposed there from 1170. In later times, England exported her Coroner system all over the World: to almost everywhere coloured red in the Victorian atlas. Where Coroners still survive, they indicate a legacy of British rule, whether it be Kenya, Hong Kong, Australia or parts of the United States.

Unlike the Continent, where medico-legal autopsies were held in Bologna as early as the 13th Century, the English Coroner had no help from doctors until relatively recent times. It was not until 1836 that he was allowed to pay a medical witness a fee. Before this, the Coroner had to do the best he could by himself: looking at the body to detect any sign of violence and to determine the number and type of wounds present. Once the Coroner had viewed the body, he then held the inquest, just as he does today in certain classes of death. In medieval times, this may have been done on the spot, with the body present before him, or it may have been adjourned for a few days. Originally the inquest was a massive affair, as the jury had to consist of all the males over twelve years from the four nearest townships, together with additional men from the Hundred. It would, no doubt, have caused a bit of a problem in the Fulham Road (London) or other highly populous areas! The inquest must have disrupted life for a whole day over a wide area, as all the working men and tradespeople had to down tools and come put in an appearance. Originally the law insisted that the whole male population attend, but the Provisions of Westminister of 1259 decreed that only "sufficient" people need be present. This was contradicted by the Statute of Marlborough, eight years later, which again required that all males over twelve must attend. At a later date, towns were allowed to send representatives only: usually twelve or twenty-four men.

The medieval jury was, of course, quite different from that which we know today. Nowadays it is essential that the jurors have no previous knowledge of the case. By contrast, in medieval times, they were potential witnesses as well as a jury. This was why the total population of the surrounding four towns were enrolled, as well as some of the country folk: so there was a good chance that someone had useful information. The men of the different townships often returned different verdicts, and the Hundred men also had a free say. The Coroner does not seem to have been too bothered about conflicting verdicts - his main concern was to write it all down for "presentment" at the next Eyre.

Due to the difficulties of gathering everyone together, inquests were soon abandoned at the locus of death and were instead held at a pre-arranged venue, usually the village square, the marketplace or the courthouse. The body still had to be presented before the assembly, unless arrangements had been made for all the jurors to inspect it beforehand. In an inquest held in 1961 in South Wales the skeleton of a woman murdered forty years earlier was still laid on a table in the well of the court, so the practice by no means died out in the Middle Ages - at least, not in Wales.