"The jury found Mrs. McDonald innocent because they could not feel
sure that she did not act in self-defense, and, following the
instructions of the court, gave her the benefit of the doubt."
This was the opinion voiced by Juror Charles McGrath. Mr. McGrath said
that the jury presumed the defendant sane, and that the matter of
possible insanity was not considered at any time.
"I think that the jury attached a great deal of importance to the
testimony of Dr. McNamara," continued Mr. McGrath.
"He was the only physician that had made a thorough physical
examination of the defendant subsequent to Guerin's death. We
especially paid a great deal of attention to that portion of his
testimony that told of the marks found on Mrs. McDonald's neck,
indicating that she had been choked. This evidence, taken with that
relative to the finding of the hairpins on the floor, showed that
there had been a struggle, and the court had instructed us that if we
found that there had been a struggle we would be justified in finding
a verdict of acquittal.
"Although I, perhaps, ought to speak only for myself, I will say that
I do not think that the members of the jury were much impressed with
the expert testimony."
Another juror said that those favoring an acquittal based their
arguments largely on the fact that most of the evidence in the case
was circumstantial, and that there was no absolute proof that Mrs.
McDonald fired the fatal shot at all, and that if she did it was not
shown that it was not in self-defense.
"It was mostly by argument along these lines that the conviction men
were won over, one by one," said this juror. "The subject of the
unwritten law was not gone into at all."