People v. Smith

Earl Sanders Smith, plaintiff in error, hereafter referred to as defendant, was indicted by the grand jury of Cook County, along with Edward G. Smith and Zeno Bickman. The indictment charged them with the murder of one John Sondaj. Zeno Bickman was granted a severance, and Edward G. Smith entered a plea of guilty. Zeno Bickman was tried before the court on waiver of a jury, and was found not guilty. Edward G. Smith entered a plea of guilty, and after trial was adjudged guilty and sentenced to the penitentiary for fourteen years at hard labor. On trial before a jury, presided over by the same…