Bloodstain Queries At Murder Trial

Northern Advocate, 7 May 1948, Page 7

Bloodstain Queries At Murder Trial

CHRISTCHURCH, Fri. (P.A.)—The trial of William Eric Cooper, 43, nurseryman. on a charge of murdering Leslie James Boswell, at Clifton, Sumner, on February 9, entered its final stages today when counsel’s heard.

For the Crown, Mr A. W. Brown said that all possibilities othejj- than that the boy had been murdered could be excluded, the only question remaining being whether Cooper committed the crime.

Mr Brown submitted that_ no other explanation fitted the facts. Witnesses saw Cooper going up the track with the child _ and .20 minutes later saw him returning.

Later he was seen washing his hands, and the Crown submitted that Cooper was then washing off bloodstains. It was nearly an hour later tjjat Cooper boarded a tram at Sumner for the city.

It was a reasonable inference that during that time Cooper had been washing stains from his clothing in sea water.

FREEZING WORKER For the defence, Mr J. K. Moloney submitted that there was no evidence to pin the crime on Cooper. Bloodstains on Cooper’s clothing could have been animal blood. They could not be identified as human, and the jury should remember that Cooper worked in a freezing works, where animal blood was about.

After His Honor’s summing-up, the jury retired at 12.20 p.m.

Poisoning Charge

DUNEDIN, Fri. (P.A.)—When the trial of Phyllis Freeman, 33-year-old Oamaru domestic, who is charged with the murder of Mrs Joyce Maysie Morrison, at Enfield, on October 3, 1942, was resumed this morning, the Crown prosecutor (Mr F. B. Adams) began his address to the jury.

It was expected that this would occupy the greater part of the day.