Suicide pact admitted

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33391, 24 November 1973, Page 2

Suicide pact admitted

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, November 23. After watching the film. “Getaway,” and entering into a suicide pact, a young couple swallowed pills and drank champagne in their flat, the Auckland Magistrate’s Court was told today.

The husband, a 25-year-old waiter, vho survived the attempt, wore a black arm | band and cried as a transcript of a tape-recording, i addressed to his parents, I was read to the Court. ! After the taking of depositions he pleaded guilty to i entering into a suicide pact, arising from which his 17-year-old wife died. He was charged under sec'tion ISO (2) of the Crimes Act, 1961. i Mr C. E. H. Pledger. S.M. suppressed the defendant’s name and remanded him to i the Supreme Court f< r sen- ! tence. Detective David Leslie Piper said that he went to I the defendant’s flat on October 1 and found him intoxicated. The defendant’s ■ wife was on the bed and appeared to be unconscious.

EMPTY BOTTLES In the flat he found empty! | bottles labelled mellerii. I amitriptyline, and valium and empty gin. vodka, and' champagne bottles. There was a note written! by the dead girl to her! ■ brother, and another note! 's' aed bv the defendant. I Detective Sergeant Owen| I Mitchell said that he saw the defendant on October 3.He was upset and could noti understand why his wife had! 'died and he had not. "He said that on the Sat-! urday they had been drinking and had watched a Steve; McQueen film. 1 "About 2 a.m., they de-| cided to commit suicide to-1

gether. They mixed bottles of pills and took half each. They took about 50 pills each. They also had a bottle of champagne, a bottle of vodka and a bottle of Screwdriver.” Detective Sergeant Mitchell read a transcript of a tap e-recording, allegedly made by the accused and addressed to his parents. He told them they were going to receive a shock, and that if he died it would be out of pleasure. The couple were married on August 24.