AUCKLAND MURDER CASE
ACCUSED SENTENCED. AUCKLAND. February 19. Thos. Needham, who killed his son with a broom, and Frederick Spearpoint, who killed his mother with an axe, came up for sentence. In respect to Needham, his Honor said he thought the jury were right in not acepting the plea of insanity. It was shown that accused was of excitable mental equilibrium, and if capable of ordinary human feeling his remorse for having. in a fit of savage passion, destroyed the life of liis own son, would be a greater punishment than any sentonco the court could inflict. He thought ho would bo giving full effect to the jury’s recommendation in sentencing accused to five years’ imprisonment.
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Otago Witness, Issue 3494, 22 February 1921, Page 41
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116AUCKLAND MURDER CASE Otago Witness, Issue 3494, 22 February 1921, Page 41
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