A quarrel over carrying malt ended in tragedy when Thomas Griffiths threw a brickbat at Judith Haswell in 1742. She survived for days before dying after developing a fever. With disputed medical evidence, Judith’s plea for mercy and even a courtroom lie from Griffiths’s mother, the jury chose manslaughter over murder.
Tag Archives: old bailey trials
This Day in History: April 21st, 1680
On 21 April 1680, the Old Bailey heard two serious cases: Edward Harrison was convicted of manslaughter after a deadly dispute, while William Harding was found guilty of the rape of a young child. Both men were sentenced to death, reflecting the severity of justice in 17th-century London.
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