Richard Muir
Encyclopedia
Sir Richard David Muir was a prosecutor
for the British Crown, widely regarded as the greatest of his time; he played a prominent role in many of the most sensational trials of the early part of the 20th century, most notably that of Hawley Harvey Crippen
.
Muir was born in Scotland
, the son of Richard Muir, a shipping broker from Greenock
. Although his father hoped him to be part of the family business, he travelled south to London, with thoughts of going on the stage. Instead, a brother persuaded him to become a barrister, which he funded himself by working as a Parliament
ary reporter for The Times
. After entering chambers he starting working for the Crown as a prosecutor. While he never "took silk
" (that is, appointed as a King's Counsel) he represented the Crown in every trial of note in the Old Bailey
from 1901 until his death.
Muir was known to be hard working with little need for conviviality. He usually spent half the night preparing for his cases, making notations on small cards with coloured pencils — one colour for examination in chief, one colour for cross examination, and so on. So ubiquitous were those cards that came to be known as Muir's "playing cards". He was rightfully feared by his clerks and officers from Scotland Yard
who gathered his evidence from him, for he asked the same thoroughness from them as from himself. He depended a lot from physical evidence, while giving eyewitness testimony little credence, except if it would bolster existing, more concrete evidence.
Such was his reputation for thoroughness and diligence that when Dr. Crippen learned that his prosecutor was Richard Muir, he remarked, "I wish it had been anybody else...I fear the worst." Muir's cross examination of Dr.Crippen became standard reading material for Bar students in England and Wales and was used to illustrate advocacy skills in general.
Because he was never appointed as King's Counsel, Muir was not eligible to become a judge of the King's Bench Division. He was, however, eligible to become a Recorder
. Although he was passed over the position of Recorder of London
, he was appointed as Recorder of Colchester
by the then Home Secretary
, Winston Churchill
, in particular because of his work in the Edward Mylius libel case. He was a Master of the Bench of the Middle Temple
and was conferred his knighthood in 1918.
Sir Richard married Mary Beatrice Leycester and they had a son who also became a barrister
, but who died on 4 November 1918 of influenza
while on active service in the Army. His son's death left him heartbroken. Muir himself died suddenly in January 1924 in his house in Camden House Court, Kensington
and he was interred in West Norwood Cemetery
after a service at St Mary Abbots
, Kensington.
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
for the British Crown, widely regarded as the greatest of his time; he played a prominent role in many of the most sensational trials of the early part of the 20th century, most notably that of Hawley Harvey Crippen
Hawley Harvey Crippen
Hawley Harvey Crippen , usually known as Dr. Crippen, was an American homeopathic physician hanged in Pentonville Prison, London, on November 23, 1910, for the murder of his wife, Cora Henrietta Crippen...
.
Muir was born in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the son of Richard Muir, a shipping broker from Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
. Although his father hoped him to be part of the family business, he travelled south to London, with thoughts of going on the stage. Instead, a brother persuaded him to become a barrister, which he funded himself by working as a Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
ary reporter for The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. After entering chambers he starting working for the Crown as a prosecutor. While he never "took silk
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
" (that is, appointed as a King's Counsel) he represented the Crown in every trial of note in the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
from 1901 until his death.
Muir was known to be hard working with little need for conviviality. He usually spent half the night preparing for his cases, making notations on small cards with coloured pencils — one colour for examination in chief, one colour for cross examination, and so on. So ubiquitous were those cards that came to be known as Muir's "playing cards". He was rightfully feared by his clerks and officers from Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
who gathered his evidence from him, for he asked the same thoroughness from them as from himself. He depended a lot from physical evidence, while giving eyewitness testimony little credence, except if it would bolster existing, more concrete evidence.
Such was his reputation for thoroughness and diligence that when Dr. Crippen learned that his prosecutor was Richard Muir, he remarked, "I wish it had been anybody else...I fear the worst." Muir's cross examination of Dr.Crippen became standard reading material for Bar students in England and Wales and was used to illustrate advocacy skills in general.
Because he was never appointed as King's Counsel, Muir was not eligible to become a judge of the King's Bench Division. He was, however, eligible to become a Recorder
Recorder (judge)
A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales. It now refers to two quite different appointments. The ancient Recorderships of England and Wales now form part of a system of Honorary Recorderships which are filled by the most senior full-time circuit judges...
. Although he was passed over the position of Recorder of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he was appointed as Recorder of Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
by the then Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, in particular because of his work in the Edward Mylius libel case. He was a Master of the Bench of the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
and was conferred his knighthood in 1918.
Sir Richard married Mary Beatrice Leycester and they had a son who also became a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, but who died on 4 November 1918 of influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
while on active service in the Army. His son's death left him heartbroken. Muir himself died suddenly in January 1924 in his house in Camden House Court, Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
and he was interred in West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery is a cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery.One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries of London, and is a site of major historical, architectural and...
after a service at St Mary Abbots
St Mary Abbots
St Mary Abbots is an historic church located on Kensington High Street , London at a prominent intersection with Kensington Church Street. The present church was built in 1872 by the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott in neo-Gothic Early English style. It was the latest in a succession of churches...
, Kensington.
Further reading
- Felstead, Sidney Theodore. Famous Criminals and their Trials: Intimate Revelations compiled from the papers of Sir Richard Muir. New York: George H. Doran Company, 1926.
- Obituary, Death Of Sir R. Muir, The Times, 15 January 1924
External links
- Sir Richard David Muir (1857-1924), Barrister at the National Portrait Gallery