Commonwealth v. Thomas

Opinion by

Mr. Justice Schaefer,

On a trial for her life, in which the verdict made it forfeit, appellant produced testimony of many persons to show that her reputation for peacefulness was good. In cross-examination, the district attorney asked these witnesses whether they did not know defendant was a married woman living in open adultery with the man she was charged with having shot to death. The right to make this inquiry was challenged by defendant’s counsel, and the court ruled that, by the question put to the witnesses on direct examination, she had “put her character in evidence” and…