Johns v. State

Appellant was charged by indictment with the crime of murder in the first degree pursuant to the terms of Acts 1941, ch. 148, §1, p. 447, § 10-3401 Burns’ 1956 Replacement.

Appellant entered a plea of not guilty to the charge embraced in the indictment. Trial was had by jury, which returned a verdict finding appellant guilty of murder in the second degree. Appellant was thereafter on such verdict sentenced to the Indiana State Prison for life.

The case at bar presents a number of unpleasant aspects of criminal procedure, practice and law, some of which have been called to our attention by…