The People v. Ford

Marlene Ford was found guilty of the murder of her husband, Robert Ford, by a jury in the circuit court of Cook County and was sentenced to the Women’s Reformatory at Dwight for a term of 14 to 17 years. A constitutional question gives us jurisdiction.

On May 25, 1962, the body of defendant’s husband was found lying on the floor of the bedroom in their apartment. A pathologist’s report revealed that the cause of death was excessive bleeding resulting from a stab wound in the chest. Investigating officers testified that defendant told them that while her husband was in bed she had stabbed him…