JURY ACQUITS RIPI
Manslaughter Charge (New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, August 14. A Supreme Court jury at Dunedin took only 10 minutes to find John Xavier Ripi, aged 26, a machine moulder, not guilty of manslaughter. - Ripi was charged with unlawfully killing his wife, Petanella Yvonne Ripi, aged 24, at Company Bay on May 3. The hearing was before Mr Justice Henry and a jury. Mr J. B. Deaker appeared for the Crown and Mr R. J. Gilbert, with him Mr J. Cadenhead, for Ripi. No evidence was called for the defence. In his address, Mr Gilbert said the Crown had to prove that the blow struck by Ripi caused his wife’s death. Even an expert, Dr. E. F. D’Art, could not say which fall had caused the death. A jury of laymen were being asked to make a decision an expert could not make. Summing up, his Honour said this was a case where it would not be safe to convict The Crown had to satisfy the jury that one of the blows struck by Ripi had caused death.
In his Honour’s view the proof had failed to reach the standard required.
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Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28974, 15 August 1959, Page 4
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193JURY ACQUITS RIPI Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28974, 15 August 1959, Page 4
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