ANOTHER APPEAL BY CHESSMAN

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29193, 2 May 1960, Page 11

ANOTHER APPEAL BY CHESSMAN

New Evidence Claimed is Execution Time Nears

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SAN FRANCISCO, April 30. Federal Judge Louis Goodman today rejected another appeal aimed at saving the convict-author, Caryl Chessman, from the gas chamber at San Quentin Prison on Monday. It was not immediately known on what grounds the appeal was made. Chessman’s lawyer, Mr George Davis, said he would file later today a new petition with the California Supreme Court together with new evidence. Mr Davis said Chessman “will not die on Monday.”

Asked how he felt, Chessman said: “I am hopeful and I am remaining hopeful. I don’t start dying until ten o’clock Monday morning.” Asked how he thought he would take it he said: “I will just walk in and sit down. I am confident that I can die with dignity.” Later Mr Davis filed a lastminute petition for a writ of habeas corpus with the California State Supreme Court in San Francisco. Just before the petition was officially filed the court clerk announced that the Court must not meet in session before nine o’clock on Monday morning—one hour before Chessman is due to die. According to the British United Press, the petition alleges perjury by police officers at Chessman’s trial and the suppressing of evidence by the Los Angeles Police Department. It also contends that the description of the “Red Light Bandit” given by the bandit’s victims did not tally with descriptions of Chessman, who was found to have been the bandit. Therefore the descriptions were no use at the trial.

Reuter said the petition asked the Court to delay the execution until California’s Attorney-Gen-eral could complete an investigation of Charles Terrenova, a fugitive forger alleged to be a prime suspect in the bandit crime. The petition also said that a magazine writer, William Woodfield had given the AttorneyGeneral the names of three men who could verify that Chessman was not the bandit.