The People v. Prohaska

The indictment against plaintiff in error, Merle Prohaska, consisted of four counts, in each of which, in varying language, it was alleged that plaintiff in error, Melvin Hod-son and Thomas Skelly did, on April 6, 1947, at Havana, Mason County, kill and murder one John Barclay.

Plaintiff in error was tried jointly with his codefendants, before a jury, and was found guilty of murder as charged in the indictment, and his punishment was fixed by the verdict at imprisonment in the penitentiary for the term of his natural life. A separate verdict was returned by the jury as to each of his…