Insanity Verdict In Greymouth Trial
(New Zealand Press Association)
GREYMOUTH, July 10. A jury today found Raymond Charles Bellis not guilty of the murder of Joseph Edwin Gillan on the grounds of insanity.
Mr Justice Wilson ordered that Bellis be kept in strict custody in Sunnyside Hospital until the pleasure of the Minister of Justice is known. The all-male jury took half an hour to reach its verdict. During the three-day trial it heard evidence from 28 witnesses.
Bellis, aged 53, single, a carpenter, of Gladstone, had pleaded not guilty to murder-
ing Mr Gillan, a 46-year-old widower, at Gladstone on March 21. Mr J. Cadenhead and Mr J. S. Bisphan represented Bellis. Mr D. J. Tucker, with him Mr A. M. Jamieson, conducted the case for the Crown. In his summing up, his Honour said there was no doubt that since Bellis returned from the war he had suffered from depressive psychosis. The vital question was whether the disease was such that it rendered the accused incapable of understanding the nature of the act or incapable of knowing that what he did was morally wrong.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19690711.2.188
Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32037, 11 July 1969, Page 20
Word Count
186Insanity Verdict In Greymouth Trial Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32037, 11 July 1969, Page 20
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.
Log in