Gaither v. Meacham

This is a civil suit in damages for having carnal knowledge of a girl over 12 and under 16 years of age. The controlling question is whether 'consent of a girl 15 years of age to enter into sexual intercourse with a man is, under our law, a defense to such action.

“Any person who has carnal knowledge of any girl over twelve and under sixteen years of age, or abuses such girl in the attempt to have carnal knowledge of her, must, on conviction, be punished at the discretion of the jury, by imprisonment in the penitentiary for not less than two nor more than ten years. This-section, however,…