State v. Ortego

The legal question here involved is whether, in a criminal case, the testimony given at a former trial by a witness, or witnesses, who cannot be produced at a subsequent trial, may, over the objection of the accused defendant, be proved by parol at the later trial. The facts giving rise to this question are as follows:

Upon a trial before the Honorable Guy B. Knott, justice of the peace in and for Seattle precinct, in King county, Washington, the defendant, Anthony Ortego, was found guilty of the crime of assault in the third degree and was sentenced to pay a fine of fifty dollars and costs.…