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April 2, 2009
Retired judge dies <!--10 min-->
Ex-High Court judge was known for being tough but fair; he delivered over 100 judgments <!-- headline one : start --> <!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> <!-- show image if available --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold">By Khushwant Singh </td></tr> <tr valign="bottom"> <td width="330">
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Justice Singh started out as a law clerk before becoming a district judge in 1960 and a Supreme Court justice three years later. -- ST FILE PHOTO
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THE judge reputed to be this country's toughest was a self-made man, said many who knew retired Justice Choor Singh, who died on Tuesday at the age of 98. The man who started out as a law clerk went on to put 47 years in public service, the last 17 on the bench of the Supreme Court. Between 1963 and 1980, Justice Singh presided over civil and criminal cases in the High Court and the Court of Appeal, and delivered more than 100 judgments.
He also earned a reputation for handing down capital sentences, which earned him the 'Hanging Judge' label.
He was the first judge here to send a woman to the gallows. She was Mimi Wong, the cabaret queen who killed her Japanese lover's wife in 1970.
After Justice Singh retired, he spent his time playing golf and writing on the history of the Sikhs here. His son, Dr Daljeet Singh Sidhu, 67, told The Straits Times that his father, who had found walking difficult for two years, died in his bed at 4.30pm. Justice Singh's wife had died in 2004.
In an interview with The Straits Times in 1996, the gruff, no-nonsense man brushed off the 'Hanging Judge' sobriquet, saying his conscience was clear.
'I'm satisfied that I've made no mistake and that I've done my duty according to the law,' he said.
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
[email protected]
April 2, 2009
Retired judge dies <!--10 min-->
Ex-High Court judge was known for being tough but fair; he delivered over 100 judgments <!-- headline one : start --> <!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> <!-- show image if available --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold">By Khushwant Singh </td></tr> <tr valign="bottom"> <td width="330">
</td> <td width="10">
Justice Singh started out as a law clerk before becoming a district judge in 1960 and a Supreme Court justice three years later. -- ST FILE PHOTO
</td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->
THE judge reputed to be this country's toughest was a self-made man, said many who knew retired Justice Choor Singh, who died on Tuesday at the age of 98. The man who started out as a law clerk went on to put 47 years in public service, the last 17 on the bench of the Supreme Court. Between 1963 and 1980, Justice Singh presided over civil and criminal cases in the High Court and the Court of Appeal, and delivered more than 100 judgments.
He also earned a reputation for handing down capital sentences, which earned him the 'Hanging Judge' label.
He was the first judge here to send a woman to the gallows. She was Mimi Wong, the cabaret queen who killed her Japanese lover's wife in 1970.
After Justice Singh retired, he spent his time playing golf and writing on the history of the Sikhs here. His son, Dr Daljeet Singh Sidhu, 67, told The Straits Times that his father, who had found walking difficult for two years, died in his bed at 4.30pm. Justice Singh's wife had died in 2004.
In an interview with The Straits Times in 1996, the gruff, no-nonsense man brushed off the 'Hanging Judge' sobriquet, saying his conscience was clear.
'I'm satisfied that I've made no mistake and that I've done my duty according to the law,' he said.
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
[email protected]
