The PEOPLE v. Soldat

Defendant Earl Soldat, together with Raymond Soldat and Maurice Blewett, was indicted in Cook County, January, 1963, for robbery. Raymond Soldat entered a plea of guilty. Earl Soldat and Maurice Blewett went to trial before a jury in July, 1963. During the course of the trial, an assistant State’s Attorney displayed a file before the jurors which had written on it in large red ink letters “Defendants have bad records.” Because of this inexcusable conduct, a mistrial was declared as to Maurice Blewett, while the defendant Earl Soldat chose to continue with the trial. The jury found said…