Pleaded Guilty, Dodged Death

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 23, 28 January 1939, Page 5 (Supplement)

Pleaded Guilty, Dodged Death

THE tradition that a guilty plea is a slayer's best insurance against going to the electric chair in Cook Cpunty, Illinois, has held good again. Judge Robert Jerome Dunne imposed a sentence of 199 years upon Charles Lane, hard-boiled robber and killer, for the murder of John Bozula, 33-year-old proprietor of a handbook. Though Lane had pleaded guilty, the State had demanded the death penalty. A dozen witnesses testified to the wantonness of Lane's crime. Other witnesses told of his record as a robber. Lane killed Bozula with a shotgun during the robbery of the handbook. After Bozula fell the bandit fired on the police. In all, three persons were killed and three wounded, including Lane. "You have pleaded guilty," Judge Dunne told the slayer when he was brought in for sentence. "lliere are, however, bits of evidence that disturb me. And there are certain reasonable doubts in this case. "Because of this I am sentencing you to 199 years in prison. You will be an old man when you get out. You will have a long time to think it over. (Lane cannot apply for a parole until GO years have passed; by that time he would be 98 years old.) "Society will not stand for the likes •f.you. You are just no good."

Judge Dunne did not say what bits of evidence disturbed him. Neither did he elaborate upon his reasonable doubts. The prisoner stood in sullen silence while sentence was passed, then walked out without a word. He had not changed expression since entering the courtroom. Lane's attorney, James Daniels, said he had expected the sentence and that he was satisfied. He added that there will be no appeal. Just before Lane was ibntenced, one of the other two robbers who accompanied him to the handbook, was taken before the Court. He is William Wright, 24 years old. He also pleaded guilty. Witnesses said he had done none of the actual shooting in the fatal gun fight. "You are a young man, on the threshold of life," the judge told him. "It is my duty to society to try to straighten you out. You are sentenced to serve 45 years." "That's no break!" snapped the prisoner. Judge Dunne ignored the remark, but public defender Benjamin Bachrach protested that the sentence was too harsh. Murder defendants wiio have pleaded guilty aiid who were not involved in the actual slaying usually get a maximum of 14 years, lie said. The Court then lowered the sentence to 40 years and finally agreed to hear arguments on a motion to vacate the sentence. Assistant State's Attorney Leslie V. Cur tie, who demanded the death, penalty

for Lane, paid he will fight any effort to lower Wright's cent erne. "When a group of persons embarks Tipon a crime during the commission of which there is a murder, all are equally guilty in the eyes of the law," Curtis declared. In the gun battle Bozula was slain when lie refused to hand over the money; Mrs. Lucille Budaasi, 18 veare old, a patron, was killed while being used as a shield l)y James Gilfoy, the third bandit. Ciilfoy was slain by police. Two policeman and Lane were wounded. <S>