Word: bailiff
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Without a jury, Elam decided on dispositions and cases presented to him yesterday morning. Only three of the 15 or so cases involved whites--the rest were Black males or Chicanos. Shortly after 10 a.m., the bailiff called Ezera's case to insure that both sides were ready. Students continued to stream in. On the second call, confusion occurred. Heins, the scheduled prosecuting attorney and a third-year-law student, had been replaced by another attorney, Edward M. Burns--a member of the Massachusetts bar. He had only minutes before met the plaintiff...
...meantime, the bailiff had called a young Black man's case. The arresting officer, a plain-clothesman, had charged him with attempted larceny. The officer testified first, saying the man had deliberately bumped his left shoulder and attempted to pick his left pocket. The officer said the man and his friends had separated him and his partner before the incident occurred. He said he grabbed the man, identified himself, and accused the man of trying to fight, "and I told him don't do that or I'll charge you with attempted assault of an officer...
...have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that this man is guilty and you haven't done this," Elam told the prosecutor. The bailiff announced the verdict as "innocent" and amidst a burst of applause, mostly from the Ezera supporters, the defendant and his Black lawyer left the courtroom...
...third call, the bailiff announced Ezera's trial as set for the afternoon...
...become of Judge Elam. About half of the people who filled the courtroom that morning remained for the afternoon session. Emeka Ezera stood in the jury box to hear the charge. All of the people who were to testify on behalf of the defense and prosecution stood as the bailiff presented the oath. The judge ordered all witnesses sequestered, with the exception of Joan McGaw, the victim and plaintiff...