Surfing the web is often a pointless waste of time. But sometimes you come across some useful material.
The website www.oldbaileyonline.org contains the Proceedings of the Old Bailey, 1674-1913 in a fully searchable edition of 197,745 criminal trials held at London's central criminal court.
Typical in of the cases is a detailed account of the trial of John Hogan for murder on 11th January 1786 (Reference Number: t17860111-1).
The case against Hogan was strong but circumstantial. It appears he murdered his girlfriend after a fight – the opening, evidence, closing, jury instructions and sentencing are all set out.
Sadly the case could, with very little changes, be set in today’s Toronto.
The legal analysis is unhelpful but there was a phrase used by the prosecutor in opening worth a second look:
Gentlemen, in circumstantial cases very often, very small and trifling events, as they seem when they stand alone, become a vast body of evidence when connected with others
Hogan was hanged.
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