It is the duty of the judge, in all jurisdictions, when requested, and in some when not requested, to explain the presumption of innocence to the jury in his charge. The usual formula in which this doctrine is expressed is that every man is presumed to be innocent until his guilt is proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
F. A. Coffin and Percival B. Coffin, plaintiffs in error, and A. S. Reed had been charged with aiding and abetting the former president of the Indianapolis National Bank, Theodore P. Haughey, in misdemeanorbank fraud between January 1, 1891, and July 26, 1893.
It is a complex case with a 50-count indictment. But the most interesting aspect is commentary by the Court regarding presumption of innocence:
The principle that there is a presumption of innocence in favor of the accused is the undoubted law, axiomatic and elementary, and its enforcement lies at the foundation of the administration of our criminal law ... Concluding, then, that the presumption of innocence is evidence in favor of the accused, introduced by the law in his behalf, let us consider what is 'reasonable doubt.' It is, of necessity, the condition of mind produced by the proof resulting from the evidence in the cause. It is the result of the proof, not the proof itself, whereas the presumption of innocence is one of the instruments of proof, going to bring about the proof from which reasonable doubt arises; thus one is a cause, the other an effect. To say that the one is the equivalent of the other is therefore to say that legal evidence can be excluded from the jury, and that such exclusion may be cured by instructing them correctly in regard to the method by which they are required to reach their conclusion upon the proof actually before them; in other words, that the exclusion of an important element of proof can be justified by correctly instructing as to the proof admitted. The evolution of the principle of the presumption of innocence, and its resultant, the doctrine of reasonable doubt, make more apparent the correctness of these views, and indicate the necessity of enforcing the one in order that the other may continue to exist.
In the decision, the Court then goes on to detail the complete legal history of presumed innocence.
Helgeson, Vicki S.; Shaver, Kelly G. (1990). "Presumption of Innocence: Congruence Bias Induced and Overcome". Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 20 (4): 276–302. doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1990.tb00412.x.
Volokh, Alexander (1997). . University of Pennsylvania Law Review. 146 (1). The University of Pennsylvania Law Review: 173–216. doi:10.2307/3312707. JSTOR 3312707. Archived from the original on February 7, 2004.
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Text of Coffin v. United States, 156U.S. 432 (1895) is available from:JustiaLibrary of Congress
April 14, 2024
coffin, united, states, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, june, 2013, learn, w. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations June 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message Coffin v United States 156 U S 432 1895 was an appellate case before the United States Supreme Court in 1895 which established the presumption of innocence of persons accused of crimes Coffin v United StatesSupreme Court of the United StatesArgued December 6 December 7 1894Decided March 4 1895Full case nameCoffin et al v United StatesCitations156 U S 432 more 15 S Ct 394 39 L Ed 481HoldingIt is the duty of the judge in all jurisdictions when requested and in some when not requested to explain the presumption of innocence to the jury in his charge The usual formula in which this doctrine is expressed is that every man is presumed to be innocent until his guilt is proved beyond a reasonable doubt Court membershipChief Justice Melville Fuller Associate Justices Stephen J Field John M HarlanHorace Gray David J BrewerHenry B Brown George Shiras Jr Howell E Jackson Edward D WhiteCase opinionMajorityWhite joined by unanimousF A Coffin and Percival B Coffin plaintiffs in error and A S Reed had been charged with aiding and abetting the former president of the Indianapolis National Bank Theodore P Haughey in misdemeanor bank fraud between January 1 1891 and July 26 1893 It is a complex case with a 50 count indictment But the most interesting aspect is commentary by the Court regarding presumption of innocence The principle that there is a presumption of innocence in favor of the accused is the undoubted law axiomatic and elementary and its enforcement lies at the foundation of the administration of our criminal law Concluding then that the presumption of innocence is evidence in favor of the accused introduced by the law in his behalf let us consider what is reasonable doubt It is of necessity the condition of mind produced by the proof resulting from the evidence in the cause It is the result of the proof not the proof itself whereas the presumption of innocence is one of the instruments of proof going to bring about the proof from which reasonable doubt arises thus one is a cause the other an effect To say that the one is the equivalent of the other is therefore to say that legal evidence can be excluded from the jury and that such exclusion may be cured by instructing them correctly in regard to the method by which they are required to reach their conclusion upon the proof actually before them in other words that the exclusion of an important element of proof can be justified by correctly instructing as to the proof admitted The evolution of the principle of the presumption of innocence and its resultant the doctrine of reasonable doubt make more apparent the correctness of these views and indicate the necessity of enforcing the one in order that the other may continue to exist In the decision the Court then goes on to detail the complete legal history of presumed innocence See also editReasonable doubt List of United States Supreme Court cases volume 156Further reading editHelgeson Vicki S Shaver Kelly G 1990 Presumption of Innocence Congruence Bias Induced and Overcome Journal of Applied Social Psychology 20 4 276 302 doi 10 1111 j 1559 1816 1990 tb00412 x Volokh Alexander 1997 n Guilty Men University of Pennsylvania Law Review 146 1 The University of Pennsylvania Law Review 173 216 doi 10 2307 3312707 JSTOR 3312707 Archived from the original on February 7 2004 External links edit nbsp Works related to Coffin v United States at Wikisource Text of Coffin v United States 156 U S 432 1895 is available from Justia Library of Congress Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Coffin v United States amp oldid 1175140456, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
