State v. Dowd
Supreme Court of Connecticut
The prisoners, Solomon Dowd and Lucina Coleman, were charged, in the indictment, with the murder of Niles Coleman, the husband of Lucina Coleman, by means of poison. In the first count, it was averred, that they mixed a deadly poison, called corrosive mercury sublimate, in a solution of camphor, and gave him the mixture to drink, which caused his death.
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The prisoners, Solomon Dowd and Lucina Coleman, were charged, in the indictment, with the murder of Niles Coleman, the husband of Lucina Coleman, by means of poison. In the first count, it was averred, that they mixed a deadly poison, called corrosive mercury sublimate, in a solution of camphor, and gave him the mixture to drink, which caused his death. In the second count, it was averred, that the death was produced, by causing him to drink of a mixture of corrosive sublimate of mercury, “ and certain other ingre- » dients to the grand-jurors unknown.” There were two other counts,, charging…
1Opinion of the CourtWaite, J.
The only question, presented in this case, is, whether it was competent for the jury, upon this indictment, to find the prisoners guilty of murder in the second degree, and for the court, upon such conviction, to impose the punishment prescribed by law for such offence.
Formerly, in this state, a person convicted of the crime of murder, whatever might be the attending circumstances, was liable to the punishment of death. But, in the year 1846, the legislature passed an act, in the preamble to which, they say, that “ the several offences, which are included under the general denomination of…
2Cited by30 opinions
- State v. WaltersSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1958
- State v. MenilloSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1970
- Warren v. StateCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma · 1911
- State v. TomassiSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1950
- State v. EdwardsSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1972
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