Opinion ID: 1688754
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Seals v. State, 208 Miss. 236, 44 So.2d 61 (1950)

Text: Seals was convicted of murdering a game warden. Motion to change venue was denied. He introduced fourteen (14) witnesses in support of his motion, including the county sheriff, who testified that the victim had numerous relatives and friends in the county. The sheriff removed Seals from the jail, after crowds had gathered around it. Statements given by Seals were published by two newspapers as confessions, and the public regarded them as such. Sixty-five percent (65%) of the jurors examined during voir dire stated they had fixed opinions, or were so biased and prejudiced against Seals that they could not give him a fair trial. This Court reversed, holding that it was impossible for an accused to obtain a fair trial under such conditions.