State Ex Rel. Bird v. Superior Court

Jake Bird was found guilty of murder in the first degree in Department No. 3 of the superior court for PierCe county on November 26, 1947, and the jury further found that the death penalty should be imposed.

On December 6, 1947, the defendant’s motion for a new trial came on for hearing. After overruling the motion, the trial judge asked the defendant whether he had anything to say as to why the judgment of the court should not be pronounced. The defendant spoke at some length, enumerating the reasons why he felt he had not had a fair trial. Upon the conclusion of the defendant’s statement,…