Reynolds v. United States

George Reynolds (defendant), a member of the Mormon Church in the Utah territory, married a second wife while still married to his first and was charged with bigamy under a federal statute punishing it with a fine and up to five years in prison. At trial, Reynolds asked the court to instruct the jury to acquit him if he married in pursuit of his religious duty; the court refused, and Reynolds was convicted, sentenced to two years and a $500 fine, and the conviction was affirmed by Utah's territorial supreme court before the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari.