THE SUNNYSIDE CASE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16327, 25 August 1913, Page 5

THE SUNNYSIDE CASE.

ILL-TREATING A MENTAL DEFECTIVE. CHAPMAN SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT. Tho case against Joseph Martin Chapman, an attendant at Sunnyside Mental Hospital, was continued on Saturday at the Supreme Court. Tho charge of manslaughter having been abandoned by the Crown, the Court dealt with the second count, that Chapman had struck and ill-treated Charles Thomas M’Meekin, a mental defective then a patient at tho Sunnyside Mental Hospital. Mr T. "W. Stringer, K. 0., appeared for the Crown, and Mr M. Donnelly, with him Mr A. T. Donnelly, appeared for Chapman.' The Crown called rebutting evidence on the question of Duckworth having bathed M’Meekin and the suggestion that there was a conspiracy among the attendants against Chapman. William Turner, an attendant at Sunnyside, said that on July 9, between 6 a.m. and 6.20 a.m., he saw Duckworth bathing a patient, but he did not know who it was.

To Mr M. Donnelly: He was interviewed that morning bv Detective Ward. He was called into Dr Gow’s office by the medical superintendent, who said that he was wanted to see if he know anything about the bathing of M’Meekin. Detective Ward questioned him, and he told him that he did not know who the man was. He told the detective that he had asked Duckworth who the man was, and ho had replied that it was M’Meekin. To his Honor: The bath key was kept, sometimes in Chapman’s room and sometimes it was awkward to get at in Chapman’s room. James Todd, recalled, stated that before reporting to Dr Gow the circumstances in M’Meekin’s room he told several attendants about it. Ho told John Peters about it, and others after Dr William Baxter Gow, recalled, said that Todd’s report was in the form of a letter received on the morning of July 12, and on that letter he_ conducted an independent inquiry into * the whole matter, and as a result placed the case in the hands of the law officers of the Crown. To Mr M. Donnelly: The inquest was held on July 10. He then told the Coroner that he purposed making further inquiries. Edward Pattelle Harris, head attendant, recalled, said that the bath key should always be kept locked up away from the patients, but the place where the key should bo kept was left to the discretion of the officer in charge of tho ward. The key was kept sometimes in the storeropm and sometimes in the room of the officer in charge. COUNSEL’S ADDRESSES.

Mr M. Donnelly then addressed the jury for nearly two hours. He took I the evidence of the prosecution in detail and stated that as the medical evidence showed that there were no bruises on M’Meekin’s body tho stories of Chapman’s attack as told by Todd, and of tlie discovery of a bruise by Duckworth were directly contradicted. Ho suggested- that there had been a conspiracy against. Chapman, and that Duckworth had lied. As evidence of a conspiracy Mr Donnelly drew attention to the fact that no report was made until after it was known that Dr Gow was to make an inquiry. Ho insisted, too, that Chapman would not have attacked M’Meekin after calling in Todd, in whose hands his reputation would be for ever afterwards. Mr Stringer in his address said that he agreed with Air Donnelly that the accused had given his evidence in a manly, straightforward way. But it ivas too manly, too straightforward. It was reeled off without Mr Donnelly having to ask any questions, and while his story might he .true it was clear that it had been carefully thought over and recited. To believe the accused meant that there was a conspiracy amongst tho other men. The motives suggested by Chapman for the enmity of the various members of the so-called conspiracy, who were supposed to have committed perjury, were ridiculously insufficient. Chapman had declared that Duckworth could not havo given M’Meekin a bath, but there was the evidence of Turner, who , saw Duckworth bathing a man and was told by him that it was M’Meekin. If the jury believed that Chapman’s story on that point was a concoction it should also question the remainder of his evidence. MAXIMUM PENALTY IMPOSED. The jury retired for forty-five minutes and returned a verdict of guilty. In sentencing the prisoner his Honor said that tho offence was one of the most serious that could come before the Court. Tho prisoner had been convicted of having brutally and savagely assaulted a helpless patient. It may have been done in a moment of passion. The evidence fell short of showing that the prisoner’s actions did not accelerate M’Meekin’s death, and he was justified in considering the point. In view of the circumstances he thought he would be failing in his duty if he did not inflict the maximum penalty. Chapman was sentenced to two years imprisonment.