Boyd v. State
Mississippi Supreme Court
From the circuit court of Copiah county. Host. Robert Powell, Judge. Boyd, appellant, was tried and convicted of murder by poisoning his wife, and appealed to the supreme court. The opinion states the case. The evidence is not sufficient to sustain a conviction. There is nothing in the testimony, in the first place, to show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the good woman died of poison. But’ if that was shown, it is not shown that Boyd was the criminal agent.
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From the circuit court of Copiah county. Host. Robert Powell, Judge. Boyd, appellant, was tried and convicted of murder by poisoning his wife, and appealed to the supreme court. The opinion states the case. The evidence is not sufficient to sustain a conviction. There is nothing in the testimony, in the first place, to show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the good woman died of poison. But’ if that was shown, it is not shown that Boyd was the criminal agent. The testimony of those conversant with the true inwardness of the relation between Boyd and his wife discloses that Boyd’s conduct and…
1Opinion of the CourtTruly, J.
On tbe night of the 29th of November, 1902,Mrs. Annie Boyd died of acute gastritis. An autopsy disclosed the fact, according to the testimony of the analytical chemist, that her death was superinduced by arsenical poisoning. Appellant, the husband of the deceased, was indicted for her murder, and upon trial was convicted, sentenced to the penitentiary for life, and from that judgment prosecutes this appeal.
The testimony adduced at the trial was purely circumstantial. The theory upon which the prosecution proceeded was that the appellant had poisoned his wife through a desire to effect her…
2Cases cited3 opinions
- Field v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1879
- Williams v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1901
- Bunckley v. StateMississippi Supreme Court · 1899
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