 Goode was defended by two young distinguished attorneys, William Aspinwall (who had not previously defended a capital case), while Edward Fuller Hodges (his name is erroneously given as E.F. or Edgar F.) assisted Aspinwall.The two attorneys argued that their client was innocent, denouncing the testimony of the prosecution's witnesses and casting doubt on the circumstantial evidence presented by Samuel Parker.In his closing argument, Hodges began to discuss the inappropriateness of capital punishment in Massachusetts when Parker objected and was told by Chief Justice Shaw that he was out of order to discuss the appropriateness of justice of the death penalty.