Johnson v. People

This is a prosecution under the Bastardy Act. The jury found that the appellant was the father of the child of the relatrix. His most serious complaint is, that the court refused to give to the jury this instruction :

“ The court instructs the jury, that in this case both the mother of the child and the defendant are competent witnesses, and if one swears that the defendant is the father of the child and the other that he is not, then if they are of equal credibility, the one offsets the other, and unless further evidence, given by other witnesses for the people, or circumstances proved, give…