Why Was Seantum Found Guilty of Murder?

The case of Seantum’s secret murder of his brother Seezoram presents an interesting legal situation leading some readers to claim his conviction “would undoubtedly be rejected by the judge of an English criminal court” James Williams, “The Law of the Book of Mormon.”  American Law Review 34 [1900]: 222).  Additionally, under the law of Moses the accused could not be forced to incriminate himself, and the testimony of at least two witnesses was necessary to convict. There were, however, no living witnesses to the murder. How then, could Seantum’s confession have been considered valid?  A detailed analysis of this curious case shows that while a self-incriminating confession would not normally have been admissible, there were several notable exemptions. If, for example, the confession or proof of guilt was obtained before trail, or it was corroborated by divine ordeal, the conviction would be valid. The case of Seantum’s crime neatly fits the ancient legal criteria since evidence for the crime was divinely revealed through Nephi’s prophecy, confirmed upon examination of the accused, and the murderer voluntarily confessed to the crime before trial.