New Information on How John Surratt Escaped Punishment?

[Steve]

(04-01-2019 05:17 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  I have never heard of this, and my initial reaction is to be skeptical. I can understand how the attorneys and judge might know of such a thing, but how would the jurors know? And the war was over in 1867 - what could be so valuable among Confederate records that the outcome of a trial would somehow be directly effected?

I have to agree with Roger's reasoning above on both counts.

In the early decades of the 20th century there were cases of "courtroom rings" in Massachusetts where District Attorneys would accept bribes from defendants in order to "throw" cases against them:

https://books.google.com/books?id=Y-KLl1...22&f=false

But looking at the transcript, it sure doesn't look like the prosecution was trying to purposely loose the case against Surratt in 1867 to me.