State v. Silva

John Silva, III was born on October 26, 1954, unwanted and unloved, the child of an unwed mother. On February 1, 1955 he was legally adopted by John and Frances Silva and given the name which he was to bear for the few months of his troubled life. On February 28, 1956, this sixteen months old baby died as a result of injuries incurred under most peculiar circumstances. Autopsy and investigation were followed by indictment charging the respondent, Frances Silva, with manslaughter. A jury heard the evidence and returned a verdict of guilty. Appeal from the denial of a motion for new trial and…