It is worthy of note that whereas the defense introduced many witnesses who testified to Jean’s sayings and actions that showed silliness and indicated childish intelligence, the prosecution neither rebutted this nor produced witnesses testifying to anything in his previous conduct that gave evidence of good judgment or intelligence appropriate to his years, or that he had any moral development that would be normal for his age.[1]

The evidences of his pride in the deed are scattered[Pg 19] throughout the testimony. For example, at one time he said, referring to the deed, “You would not think anybody could do a deed like that so quick, would you?” When asked how he could get Miss Beecher to go so far up the hill in the dark with him, he replied with a good deal of pride: “That’s easy! I told her my father was building a house up on the hill and we went up there. . . Read More