▁incon clus ively ▁with ▁a ▁hung ▁j ury , ▁seem ingly ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁pro sec ution ' s ▁attempt ▁to ▁port ray ▁Br igh am ▁Young ▁as ▁the ▁true ▁master mind ▁of ▁the ▁mass acre . ▁A ▁second ▁trial ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 , ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁pro sec ution ▁placed ▁the ▁bl ame ▁square ly ▁on ▁Lee ' s ▁shoulders , ▁ended ▁with ▁his ▁conv iction ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁sent enced ▁to ▁death . ▁Lee ▁never ▁denied ▁his ▁own ▁comp licity , ▁but ▁claimed ▁he ▁had ▁not ▁personally ▁killed ▁anyone . ▁He ▁said ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁voc ally ▁rel uct ant ▁particip ant ▁and ▁later ▁a ▁sc ap ego at ▁meant ▁to ▁draw ▁attention ▁away ▁from ▁other ▁M orm on ▁leaders ▁who ▁were ▁also ▁involved . ▁Lee ▁further ▁maintained ▁that ▁Br igh am ▁Young ▁had ▁no ▁knowledge ▁of ▁the ▁event ▁until ▁after ▁it ▁happened . ▁However , ▁in ▁the ▁Life ▁and ▁Conf essions ▁of ▁John ▁D . ▁Lee ▁he ▁( or ▁an ▁editor ) ▁wrote , ▁" I ▁have ▁always ▁believed , ▁since ▁that ▁day , ▁that ▁General ▁George ▁A . ▁Smith ▁was ▁then ▁visit ing ▁southern ▁Ut ah ▁to ▁prepare ▁the ▁people ▁for ▁the ▁work ▁of ▁ex termin ating ▁Captain ▁F an cher ' s ▁train ▁of ▁em igr ants , ▁and ▁I ▁now ▁believe ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁sent ▁for ▁that ▁purpose ▁by ▁the ▁direct ▁command ▁of ▁Br igh am ▁Young ." ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 8 7 7 , ▁Lee ▁was