No respondent in a criminal prosecution, offering himself or herself as a witness, shall be excluded from testifying because he or she is a respondent; and neglect or refusal so to testify shall create no presumption nor be used in argument against him or her.

History of Section.
C.P.A. 1905, § 396; G.L. 1909, ch. 292, § 44; G.L. 1923, ch. 342, § 44; G.L. 1938, ch. 538, § 11; G.L. 1956, § 12-17-9.