SENTENCE ON JODL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26274, 4 October 1946, Page 5

SENTENCE ON JODL

SEVERITY CRITICISED DEFENCE DISREGARDED (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 3. The Nuremberg correspondent of The Times says that the opinion is widely held that, in relation to Schacht’s and von Papen's acquittals, the death sentence passed on Jodi was unduly severe. It is pointed out that, whereas the court, in discharging Schacht, accepted his interpretation of events on which the prosecution put an equally credible meaning, they entirely rejected Jodi’s explanation of his handling of Hitler's orders and efforts to modify them. The judgment, in calling Jodi “the war’s actual planner,” disregarded his defence, namely, that when he returned to the high command after a long period of field service, plans for the invasion of Poland were already in existence, and so far from expecting war he booked pasages for a Mediterranean cruise. The correspondent says Jodi certainly was more staggered by the death sentence than any other man in the dock. Lord Justice Lawrence and Mr Birkett, who arrived in- London by ail from Nuremberg, praised the dignity of the 21 Nazi defendants during the trial. Mr Birkett said it was most impressive, and he added that the tribunal’s .unity was most remarkable, having regard to the difficulties of language and law. Questioned concerning the Russian dissent, Mr Birkett said: “It was clear from the beginning that any judge was entitled to dissent. The charter say.there must be three affirmative votes for a conviction, so you can read roughly how we voted. We are both glad to be home again. It has been a big strain.”