William Howard Taft

“ Counsel, in making it, necessarily assumed, as they had a right to, that any communication from the jury would be made in open court, and that they must necessarily be offered an opportunity to withdraw the request already preferred or to vary it. It is hardly fair to say that a general request to hold the jury for a verdict can be properly applied to such a situation as subsequently developed by the communication of the jury showing their views as to the various defendants. ”

“ The joint request to the court of counsel for the defendant and the assistant district attorney to hold the jury in deliberation until they should agree upon a verdict, made in chambers without the presence of the defendant, cannot be extended beyond its exact terms. ”

“ Shields v. United States
The question here for review is the judgment of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals of February 14, 1927. A petition for certiorari was filed in this court February 28, 1927, and is this day granted. ”