Potts v. People

Plaintiff in error, defendant below, was convicted of first degree murder of his wife and sentenced to death. We are asked to reverse the judgment and order a new trial: First, because of asserted error in the admission of a photograph of the body of the victim; and, second, because of the refusal of the trial court to admit certain character evidence.

On May 20, 1943, upon request of neighbors, the police investigated the disappearance of Mary Theresa Potts. They went to the family home in the evening and aroused the sleeping husband who first stated that his wife was in California, then that…