United States v. Anthony
United States Circuit Court for the Northern District of New York
24 F. Cas. 829 (no. 14,459) (1873)
Relevant factsFree
Susan B. Anthony (defendant) was indicted for voting in a congressional election in violation of New York law then barring women from voting, and argued at trial that she honestly believed the Fourteenth Amendment made that state prohibition unconstitutional and that she therefore had a right to vote; the circuit court directed a guilty verdict without allowing the jury to deliberate on her guilt, and Anthony moved for a new trial.
IssueFree
Whether a criminal defendant's honest belief in the legality of an act precludes a finding of guilt if the defendant knowingly engaged in the act even though the act was deemed illegal.