Reason v. State
Mississippi Supreme Court
From the circuit court of Marshall county. Hon. William A. Roane, Judge. Reason, appellant, was indicted, and tried for and convicted of the murder of his father, Henry Reason, sentenced to the penitentiary for life, and appealed to the supreme court. The state failed to prove by any eyewitness that appellant committed the homicide; appellant himself denying that he was guilty of the crime.
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From the circuit court of Marshall county. Hon. William A. Roane, Judge. Reason, appellant, was indicted, and tried for and convicted of the murder of his father, Henry Reason, sentenced to the penitentiary for life, and appealed to the supreme court. The state failed to prove by any eyewitness that appellant committed the homicide; appellant himself denying that he was guilty of the crime. The conviction rested, aside from the confession hereinafter mentioned, on the testimony of his younger fourteen years old brother, Frank Reason, to the effect that appellant had made threats against his…
1Opinion of the CourtFletcher, J.
This conviction rests on the testimony of Frank Reason and the alleged confessions of appellant. There can be no doubt *292that Frank Reason’s testimony is greatly weakened by the fact that he had twice previously testified that appellant was not guilty. This being conceded, it was of the first importance that appellant should not have his case prejudiced by the admission of incompetent testimony. Now, appellant testifies, .without pretense of contradiction, that his original confession was extorted by threats to the effect that if he did not admit his guilt he would be hanged as soon as he…
2Cases cited3 opinions
- Whitley v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1900
- Campbell v. BrooksMississippi Supreme Court · 1908
- Solomon Banks v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1908
3Cited by7 opinions
- Armstrong v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1968
- Whip v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1926
- Randolph v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1928
- Boudreaux v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1936
- Keeton v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1936
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