peine forte et dure

peine forte et dure, in English law, punishment that was inflicted upon those who were accused of a felony and stood silent, refusing to plead either guilty or not guilty, or upon those who challenged more than 20 prospective jurors. For example, English law permitted defendants the right to challenge jurors who might be prejudiced, but the courts did not want to give defendants the right to abuse this rule by allowing them to hand-pick...