State v. Stratton

— The information in this case charged Ollie Lee Stratton with the wilful, felonious and premeditated killing of William Frawley, August 26, 1931, in Jefferson county, Washington. On arraignment, the defendant entered a plea of guilty, but thereafter, on leave granted, the pleas of not guilty and of mental irresponsibility were substituted. The trial resulted in a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree and a special finding or verdict that the death penalty be inflicted. The appeal is from a judgment ordering the death penalty.

The facts are about as follows: The deceased was a…