Keenan v. Commonwealth
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Error to the Court of Oyer and Terminer of Allegheny county. This was an indictment against Thomas B. Keenan, for the murder of John A. Obey, on the 5th day of July 1862. Obey was conductor on one of the cars of the Citizens’ Passenger Railway Company, running to Lawrenceville. The defendant, with some seven others, entered the car, all more or less intoxicated.
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Error to the Court of Oyer and Terminer of Allegheny county. This was an indictment against Thomas B. Keenan, for the murder of John A. Obey, on the 5th day of July 1862. Obey was conductor on one of the cars of the Citizens’ Passenger Railway Company, running to Lawrenceville. The defendant, with some seven others, entered the car, all more or less intoxicated. They were noisy and boisterous in the car, sitting on each other’s knees, talking loudly, and using improper language. The conductor admonished them to be quiet, “ as there were ladies in the car;” but they continued as before.…
1Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered, by
Lowrie, C. J.
Our statute adopts the common law definition of murder, and then distinguishes it of two degrees, defining the first degree specially by certain enumerated cases, and generally by the words “another kind of -wilful, deliberate, and premeditated killing.” It is this general part of the definition that we have to apply in the present case., A careful study of our jurisprudence on this subject clearly reveals the fact that such terms as a deliberate purpose or a deliberate and premeditated intent to kill, or a specific intent to take life,…
2Cited by18 opinions
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- Government of the Virgin Islands v. Juan A. MartinezCourt of Appeals for the Third Circuit · 1986
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