NEGRO STABBED
[ VERDICT OF MANSLAUGHTER FIVE YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT (PA.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 9. A sentence of five years’ imprisonment with hard labour was imposed in the Supreme Court to-day by the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) on Reginald Dslone Surles, aged 26, an American ship’s steward, who was charged with murdering a negro on board a ship at Wellington on December 3 last and was found guilty of manslaughter. The Chief Justice said he was not sorry the jury had been able to return «a verdict of manslaughter, as the sentence for murder might well be considered excessive in the particular facts of the case. In view of the serious nature of the stabbing, however, he could not impose less than five years’ imprisonment. It would be competent for the authorities, if they thought fit, to make arrangements for the American authorities to have the prisoner returned to America much earlier, but that was no concern of the court. ,
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 25456, 10 February 1944, Page 4
Word Count
158NEGRO STABBED Otago Daily Times, Issue 25456, 10 February 1944, Page 4
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