White v. People

Citations

• 90 Ill. 117

Syllabus

<p>1. Practice—limiting arguments of counsel lojury. On the trial of one for larceny, where four witnesses were examined in chief for the prosecution, three for the defendants and two for the prosecution in rebuttal, it was held error for the court to limit the argument of counsel to five minutes each. Such limitation was held unreasonable, and substantially a denial of the constitutional right of the accused to be heard by counsel.</p> <p>2. While the court must have and exercise a large discretion in limiting the arguments of counsel, it must always be a reasonable restriction, to be determined from the character and circumstances of the case on trial. In a criminal case it should not be such as to deprive the prisoner of the right to make his defense before the jury, and to be heard by his counsel on his whole case.</p>