The Unusual Action of the Latter-Day Saints in the Trial of Joseph and Hiram Smith

The trial of the murders of Joseph and Hiram Smith is held in May of 1845. Latter-day Saints were reluctant to fully participate in the trial for reasons we'll address shortly. Some Saints were selected for the jury of the accused assassins, which led them to take a very unusual action when it looked like a jury might clearly condemn their crimes. They petitioned the judge and said that they didn't think they could get a fair trial from the jury.