THE WESTPORT MURDER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2057, 21 May 1909, Page 5

THE WESTPORT MURDER.

VERDICT OF MANSLAUGHTER.

A SENTENCE OF TEN YEARS

[Per Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH. May 20. The Westport murder trial lias concluded.

Mr. A. O. Hanlon and Mr Stringer, K.C., addressed tho jury god His Honor summed lip favorably on the Crown’s theory that Cdniir-dly was guilty of manslaughter. The following issues were "submitted to the jury, which retired at 5.33 p.in.: (1) Is accused guilty or not guilty?; if yes, (2) is ho guilty of murder or (3) is he guilty of manslaughter? ; (4) if you find him guilty of either then do you find it is proved that he was assisted as alleged in his original written statement ?

Tiie jury returned at 8.53 p.m. with the following replies: To No. 1 •‘Guilty,” to No. 2 ‘‘Not guilty of murder,” to No. 3 “Guilty oi manslaughter,” and to No. 4 “No.” The jury added they desired to express a very strong recommendation to in ere v

The prisoner stated he was 13 years of age, and had nothing to say why sentence should not be passed on him. His Honor .aid, addressing Connelly, that after a very careful trial, in respect to which he (Connelly) had received every assistance that he could expect from counsel, he had been found guilty of manslaughter. The jury had ■ o found that lie had failed to establish the defence he had set up that ilallinen and Anderson had boon with him. Considering the history of the ease. His Honor thought he ought to express his entire concurrence with tho jury on all these points. It had been, impossible to listen to tho evidence in the ease without coming to the conclusion that the verdict of the Hokitika jury was -justified, and it was Hear that a true account of the* transaction was that disclosed in the confession which the prisoner had somewhat belatedly made. The jury had taken a favorable view of prisoner’s action in recommending him to mercy. They must be assumed to have found that prisoner acted possibly under the influence of liquor and certainly without any realisation of the consequence of his brutality. As to that and to prisoner’s age His Honor thought he ought to give effect. Nevertheless. prisoners offence liad been a very serious one: indeed, young as ho was, he hid already had a career of crime. He (Hin Honor) must inflict a. substantial sentence —a sentence whiek to some extent would go beyond the one lie was already serving. His Honor sontcnced prisoner to ten years' imprisonment. the sentence to be concurrent with the sentence imposed on him for perjury. firs Honor thanked the jury for the* obvious care and .attention they had brought to this very important case. It would probably be « satisfaction to thorn to feel that their verdict eonformed to a previous verdict and placed beyond all reasonable doubt the true nature of tho transaction and finally removed* anv stigma attaching to Hallinen and Anderson. J heir verdict attached 1 no stigma to the jury which* dealt with the case in Nelson.