A LIFE SENTENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17291, 5 October 1916, Page 6

A LIFE SENTENCE.

WELLINGTON MANSLAUGHTER CASE. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 4. At the Supreme Court Ernest Charles Devoin, convicted, of manslaughter in connection with the death of Louisa White from tho effects of a bullet wound, was sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour for the rest of his life. Mr Justice Chapman, after reviewing counsel's statements in prisoners' behalf," said that his interpretation of the jury's recommendation attached to the verdict of manslaughter (that the maximum penalty therefor be imposed) was that they had great difficulty in arriving at a verdict short of a verdict of wilful murder. Quite apart from anything the jury had said in addition to their' verdict, he had to considor the proper sentence in the oase. To Devoin his Honor said 1 : "You, prisoner, took this girl out on pretence of taking her for a walk. Sho was an innocent girl, honestly attached to you, and taking her out in this way for a walk you did an act which caused her death. Taking the whole circumstances 1 have to consider not what punishment to inflict, because I really do not' know how to inflict puuishmont. but what measures I must tako to satisfy the conscience of the public and ensure other women in future against a recurrence of your apparently motiveless act. I recogniso I "am not dealing with an ordinary man, I am dealing with, a dangerous 'man, and I will go further and sav that I am dealing with a man not fit"to be trusted to bo a member of a community of which girls such as deceased form a part. That is the .task imposed on me, and there is only one way of discharging the duty cast upon me. The sentence of the Court is that you be imprisoned with hard labour for the rest of your life."