The PEOPLE v. Ward

After a jury trial in the circuit court of Madison County, the defendant, Joseph McDonald Ward, was found guilty of murdering his wife, and sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than 14 nor more than 18 years. Upon an appeal to this court, he complained of testimony at the trial concerning certain photographic exhibits of the deceased which were not admitted into evidence; that the court erred in the admission of two written statements made by him to investigating officers; that his counsel was incompetent; and that he was denied trial by an impartial jury for the reason that one…