Wilkinson v. State
Mississippi Supreme Court
Ebom tbe circuit court of Lincoln county. HoN. RobeRt Powell, Judge. Lena Wilkinson was indicted for infanticide. She was tried, convicted and appealed to tibie supreme court. Tbe nature of tlie contentions is apparent from the opinion of the court. The testimony of Butler was admitted on the supposition that it was a confession that the appellant killed the children with a knife, and as evidencing that fact.
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Ebom tbe circuit court of Lincoln county. HoN. RobeRt Powell, Judge. Lena Wilkinson was indicted for infanticide. She was tried, convicted and appealed to tibie supreme court. Tbe nature of tlie contentions is apparent from the opinion of the court. The testimony of Butler was admitted on the supposition that it was a confession that the appellant killed the children with a knife, and as evidencing that fact. As a confession, this testimony was inadmissible, because, first, there is no proof of the corpus delicti, that the children were ever alive, or that they came to their death by…
1Opinion of the CourtOalhooN, J.
On the facts the verdict of the jury cannot be properly disturbed, and if found, under full instructions, that the evidence' established the corpus delicti and the guilt of appellant.
’ However,' the monstrous nature of the details of double infanticide, their causeless, useless, senseless, butcherous atrocity, with the certainty-of, and indifference to, detection, sufficiently suggest the possibility of the sudden access of, and sudden recovery from,. piierperal mania, to indicate, as we all concur in thinking, the propriety of, commutation of the life sentence to a-limited ñtímber of.years.…
2Cases cited16 opinions
- Garvin v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1876
- Roberts v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1877
- Rocco v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1872
- Belote v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1858
- Kline v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1870
11 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by10 opinions
- Medina v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1996
- Shelton v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1984
- Hitt v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1953
- Pringle v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1914
- State v. BatsonSupreme Court of Louisiana · 1902
5 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.