October 2, 1844

Quincy, Illinois
People v. Williams 1: Defendants Sharp and Williams avoid a preliminary hearing to determine probable cause, and with it the possibility of being held without bail, by entering into an agreement with the prosecution. They waived the right to a hearing in exchange for being able to go free upon posting a relatively small bail.
Sources: 
Sustaining the Law: Joseph Smith's Legal Encounters, Gordon A. Madsen, Jeffrey N. Walker, and John W. Welch, 
Winter Quarters

Read peer-reviewed articles about Joseph Smith and other Church history topics from BYU Studies. Visit byustudies.byu.edu.