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Commonwealth v. HathawayCommonwealth v. Hathaway

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Sep 15, 1816
Reporters:

The jurors were sworn thus ; “You shall diligently try, ‍‌​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‍and a true verdict return, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, whether Joshua Hathaway, the prisoner at the bar, who now stands indicted ‍‌​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‍for murder, be of sane memory or not, according to your evidence and knowledge.”

Sundry witnesses were examined ; and, during the examination; ‍‌​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‍the prisoner often interrupted them by wild and incoherent remarks, and from his whole manner discovered that he was ‍‌​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‍under the influence of a religious frenzy. »

The jury returned their verdict, that he was not of sane memory, and ‍‌​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‍he was remanded to prison. (1)

See H. H. P. C. 34, 35.-4 Black. Com. 34.

Case Details

Case Name: Commonwealth v. Hathaway
Court Name: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Date Published: Sep 15, 1816
Citation: 13 Mass. 299
Court Abbreviation: Mass.
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