Donnelly v. United States
United States Supreme Court
228 U.S. 243 (1913)
Relevant factsFree
Donnelly (defendant) was tried for murdering a man on a federal reservation and sought to introduce evidence, including physical clues pointing away from him, that another man, Joe Dick, had confessed to the killing before dying. The trial court excluded Dick's confession as hearsay, and Donnelly was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
IssueFree
Whether, at common law, statements against a declarant's financial interest, but not incriminating statements against the declarant's penal interest, were admissible exceptions to hearsay.