Closing Argument of Onias Skinner, 29 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.]
Source Note
, Closing Argument, [, Hancock Co., IL], 29 May [1845], State of IL v. Williams et al. (Hancock Co., IL, Circuit Court 1845); unidentified handwriting, possibly ; docket by , [, Hancock Co., IL, ca. 29 May 1845]; eight pages; Mormon Trial Notes, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Springfield, IL. Includes docket.
and we have all said and thought it He Walker does not know whether was there at the time the volunteers stepped out— or not— There is not proof
In order to do justice to this case it is necessary you should have a clear understanding of circumstantial evidence— Now if one single faactor
The prosecutor places his case upon this kind of evidence— Now he says Smith was killed— these men was at the Shantees— A mob of men came from that direction approached the jail killed Smith and returnd the way they came and late in the night took supper in — Now in relation to this kind of evidence if an the law is that if any one link in the chain of circumstantial evidence is wanting the chain amount to nothing it proves nothing— and cannot be relied upon— here read the law relative to circumstantial evidence and relative to doubts in of guilt in the minds of the jury in criminal cases— The circumstances must be brought together and <all of them> agree with this the supposition of the defts guilt before you can them— Now can the circumstances proved in this case of such a conclusive nature that you have no doubt— It is perfectly consistent with the innocense of th[at] [p. [9]]