Stevenson v. State

The defendant was indicted for murder in the first degree. On January 5, 1920, the defendant was duly and legally arraigned upon this indictment, and, being present in open court and attended by his counsel, he pleaded not guilty, and the 9th day of January, 1920, was set as the day for the trial. On that day (January 9, 1920) the defendant for the first time filed a plea in abatement to the indictment. The court sustained the motion of the solicitor to strike said plea, upon the grounds that the defendant had on a prior day of the court pleaded to the merits of the indictment and that…