Murder by Mail: Roland Burnham Molineux, 1899, by Mark John Maguire

The case of Roland Molineux is an important one in US law because it gave rise to the “Molineux Rule“ - the principle that evidence may only be heard if it pertains directly to the crime of which the defendant is accused. In other words, evidence of past crimes or other crimes are inadmissible. This principle is one widely established in Western legal systems - although a case in Britain during this same period (that of George Joseph Smith), offers a contrast with the approach taken in the US. The approach taken in the US is, in my opinion, a sound one - although it certainly contributed to a man getting away with at least 2 murders... Mark John Maguire