THE FARMHOUSE TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 21093, 4 May 1932, Page 11

THE FARMHOUSE TRAGEDY

CORRIGAN TRIAL DEFERRED [Per United Press Association.] PALMERSTON NORTH, May 3. The trial of John Dillon Corrigan, aged twenty-three,, a farm hand, who is accused of murdering his father and mother at Mangamahoe on March 23, will be proceeded with at the sitting or the Supreme Court at Palmerston North in August. This decision was arrived at to-day, Mr Justice Reed granting an application by counsel for the defence for a remand. The grand jury returned a true bill. The accused’s counsel said the accused had only been committed for trial on Thursday last, and there had been practically no time to prepare the defence. Tho Crown Prosecutor announced that arrangements had been, made for the accused to be placed in a mental hospital for observation by order of the Minister of Justice, yet yesterday he had been asked by tho police to proceed with tho ease. The result of tho medical examination was available, the authorities at the hospital 'having apparently come to their conclusions in one day. He thought that at least a month would have been necessary. The defence had good grounds for asking for a remand, for the time had been very short. His Honour granted the application, stating that it was a meritorious one. Tho charge was serious, and counsel for tho defence had had little time to go into tlie case. Addressing the grand jury, Mr Justice Reed, after recounting briefly the events of the tragic night, pointed out to the jurors that they had nothing to do with the question of he accused’s sanity. It was a matter for the defence to prove that the accused was insane.