Ferguson v. State

The appellant was indicted for murder in the first degree, for killing John Stillhammer, and was convicted of murder in the second degree, and sentenced to the penitentiary for life. A bill of exceptions shows the following facts, which were also assigned as a cause for a new trial:

“And during the progress of the argument of counsel, counsel for the State commented on the frequent occurrence of murder in the community, and the formation of vigilance committees and mobs, and that the same was ” (caused by) “the laxity of the administration of the laws, and stating to the jury that they should…