Bring out your dead

Posted by Lewisthelawyer on September 02, 2004

In Reply to: We waive reading of charges posted by Bruce Kahl on September 01, 2004

: : Is anyone familiar with the term "reading" from such sentence-We waive reading of ridicious charges.

: : Thank you from my heart.

: It is quite literal.
: When someone is arrested they are put in a holding pen until the next day when they are officially charged with the crime.
: Appearing before a judge, the defendant can request that the details of the crime NOT be read aloud in the courtroom before nosy onlookers and newspaper people.

That comment can only be applied to some jurisdictions - usually it is part of 'habeas corpus' that the name and charges are stated out loud. Restrictions of the publication of such details are a different matter however.

BTW 'habeas corpus' (to have the body) does not mean 'bring out your dead' or anything even more unsavoury - it is the right of the citizenry to only be subject to lawful detention and not be spirited away by the executive.

• Bring out your dead David FG 02/September/04