FREEMAN GUILTY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26769, 12 May 1948, Page 4

FREEMAN GUILTY

Murder Committed Five Years Ago

IMPRISONMENT FOR LIFE

After a retirement of one hour and seven minutes in the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon, the jury found Phyllis Freeman, aged 33, single, guilty of murdering Mrs Joyce Maysie Morrison at Enfield, near Oamaru, on October 3, 1942. Mr Justice Kennedy sentenced Freeman to imprisonment with hard labour for life. The jury retired at 3 p.m. and returned at 4.7 p.m. When the Registrar asked the foreman if the jury had agreed upon a verdict, the foreman replied: “ Yes, your Honor.” “ Do you find Phyllis Freeman guilty of murder, or not guilty,” —“ Your Honor, the verdict is guilty.” The Registrar: Prisone* at the bar, have you anything to say why the sentence of the court should not be passed upon you? The accused remained silent. His Honor: The sentence of the court is that you be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for life. The prisoner, who was standing in the dock supported by the police matron, swayed as the sentence was passed and was immediately assisted from the court. As the jury’s verdict was announced a gasp could be heard from the crowded galleries of the court.

The Crown Prosecutor, Mr F. B. 1 Adams, said there was another indictment of attempted murder against the prisoner. He did not propose at that stage to proceed with the trial and applied for an adjournment to next sitting of the court. His Honor adjourned the charge until the next session of the Supreme Court commencing on July 20. “ Thank you for your long and patient consideration of the case,” said his Honor, addressing the jury. ‘‘lt occasionally falls to a jury to discharge services of great length and under special circumstances and you have discharged that duty. You are now discharged with the thanks of your country for your services. I shall direct that you be exempted from jury service for the next six years.” The Crown case was conducted by Mr Adams, with Mr W. H. Carson as" junior counsel, while Freeman was represented by Mr J. E. Farrell, of Oamaru, who had with him Mr M. CGresson, of Timaru. Yesterday was the twelfth day of the trial, in which the typewritten evidence of 48 Crown witnesses amounted to 111,000 words. Freeman was arrested in September of last year and appeared in the Oamaru Magistrate’s Court in November charged with the murder of Mrs Morrison. After a hearing lasting four days she was committed to the Supreme Court., the first trial in February at Dunedin occupying nine days. The jury failed to agree upon a verdict after a retirement of five hours. . x , _ The jury which convicted Freeman of murder at the present session was composed of 11 jurors. On the fourth day of the trial, the foreman, William Osborne Clark, had a sudden illness and after medical evidence had been given and the consent of the prosecution and the defence obtained, the judge directed that the trial should proceed with the remaining jurors. They were Augustus Brown (foreman), George Anderson Farquharson Albert Stewart Blair, Richard Chandler, Murray Alex McDougall, Norman Osmond Wright, John Leslie Burnett Muir, Alexander Young. George Henry Wilson, Alphonson Killeen Hall and Henry Stanley Balchin. Public interest in the trial was evident throughout the 12 days and yesterday afternoon, before the jury returned, both galleries in the court were Backed. Mr Justice Kennedy finished his summing up at 3 p.m. atter speaking for five hours.