MURDERER MARRIED.
CEREMONY BEFORE DEATH. LEGAL FIGHT OVEF COMMA. NEW YORK. Aug. 7. Salvatore Merra, who murdered a tramway paymaster, has been electrocuted after a year's legal fight upon the question of a missing semicolon. He was convicted with his partner and the jury rnado a recommendation for mercy for the latter. A comma instead of a semicolon divided tho Judge's entry of tho sentence.
Counsel argued that the recommendation was meant for both men, but the United States Supreme Court decided that the intention of the jury, and not the Judge's form of entry, should prevail.
Two days before his execution Merra was wedded in his' death-cell in order to givo legitimacy to his baby son.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19717, 17 August 1927, Page 11
Word Count
117MURDERER MARRIED. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19717, 17 August 1927, Page 11
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