Coyle v. Commonwealth
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Error to the Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Jail Delivery of York county: Of January Term 1852, No. 192. Indictment of John Coyle, Jr., for murder in the first decree. Upon the prisoner being arraigned and the indictment read to him, and being asked if he was guilty of the felony whereof he stood indicted, he replied “I don’t know any thing about it,” whereupon the court ordered a plea of not guilty to be entered.
Read the full summary
Error to the Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Jail Delivery of York county: Of January Term 1852, No. 192. Indictment of John Coyle, Jr., for murder in the first decree. Upon the prisoner being arraigned and the indictment read to him, and being asked if he was guilty of the felony whereof he stood indicted, he replied “I don’t know any thing about it,” whereupon the court ordered a plea of not guilty to be entered. On the trial, before "Wickes, P. J., the fact of the killing was not denied, but the prisoner’s counsel relied upon the defence of insanity. The uncontradicted evidence was…
1Opinion of the CourtJustice Mekcur
It was clearly proved that Coyle killed Emily Myers. That fact is admitted. The only defence set up is that he was insane at the time.
The first specification assigned for error is that in referring to homicidal insanity the court cited approvingly a portion of the language of Mr. Chief Justice Gibson in Commonwealth v. Mosler, 4 Farr 264, in which it is said “ there may be an unseen ligament pressing on the mind, drawing it to consequences which it sees but cannot avoid, and placing it under coercion, which, while-its results are clearly perceived, is incapable of resistance. The doctrine…
2Cases cited1 opinion
- Hiester v. LairdSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1841
3Cited by22 opinions
- Commonwealth v. WoodhouseSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1960
- Commonwealth v. ColandroSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1911
- Commonwealth v. WinebrennerSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1970
- Commonwealth Ex Rel. Smith v. AsheSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1950
- Commonwealth v. ScovernSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1927
17 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.