Gerak v. State

The record in this case discloses that Thomas Gerak, a young man just under 18 years of age, was indicted, tried, and found guilty of the crime of murder in the first degree; that there was a recommendation of mercy and he was sentenced to the penitentiary for life.

The jurisdiction of the common pleas court to thus try and sentence Gerak was challenged by a plea in abatement, which was overruled. In this proceeding in error, we are asked to reverse the judgment of the trial court on the ground that it was without jurisdiction of the defendant or the subject-matter of the action.

The claim is…