GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 4219, 16 February 1921, Page 2

GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER

MAN WHO KILLED HIS SON. (Per ITcsh Association.) Auckland, February 10. The see,,nd minder charge in ih riitninal n'siiolis was taken to-daj at the Supreme Curt. Thoma: N liiam, an elderly farmer. v\ ».- (.md lor the mui'.'er of his son, William Hai'luis Needhiim. aged 17. on January Id. Mr .Meredith was Ih, Crown Froreciiter. Winifred Needham, aged 110, said the brother quarrelled in the Kepaiat ng room. Witness rushed Hi. saw her brother on the ||oor with a gas), on his head and her father striking him J:t 11 a long weapon, Accused wept during part of hi,: daughter's evidence, Addressing the jurv, Mr Eiulean -aal that, medical evidence would be 4n'cil a.s lo accused's mental condition. Even il' that were not accepted, it was open to the jury to .-av that ihere bad been suHieiont provociitiuu to deprive an ordinary man ol his -,-li control. Such a finding would reduce' Uie charge to one oi manslaughter. Air, Needham said she bad been married marly 10 years. Her husband suffered f rom irritability aim delusion,. Three doctors staled that in then opinion accused was subject to lit- oi insanity. The prosecution called thre, doctors, who cave evidence in rebuttal. • After a retirement ~| DO minutes, th, jury returned a verdict of manslaughter, with a strong recommendation to mercy on account of accused's age and temperament Sentence was deferred.