State v. Ragan

The first assignment of error is based upon the ruling of the court which denied counsel for the defendant leave to read from the statute books the penalty provided for the crime with which defendant was charged. Counsel’s opening statement is subject to the discretion of the trial judge. The latter’s duties are not solely judicial; they are also administrative. In the latter capacity he finds himself as the superintendent of a staff composed of attorneys, witnesses, jurors, clerks, court reporters and others comprising the personnel of the court. The expeditious transaction of judicial…