OVERDOSE OF DRUG

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1931, Page 5

OVERDOSE OF DRUG

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE ALLEGED.

COURT DISMISSES CHARGE.

“There are times when one should take the law into his own hands and this is one of them,” said Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, SAL, in the Hamilton Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, when dismissing a chdrge preferred against a middle-aged married man of attempting to commit suicide. 1

Senior-Sergeant Sweeney said the accused had had some domestic trouble on December 19, and as an outcome he swallowed six sleeping tablets. He was taken to the Waikato Hospital and remained there in a sleeping or unconscious condition for four days. Constable Aplin said he interviewed the accused in the hospital. Accused signed a statement in which he said he had had difficulty in sleeping and two months ago he had bought some sleeping tablets. He had some domestic trouble on December 19 and he thought he would end his trouble by taking five or-six of the tablets, and so die in his sleep. In reply to Mr. J. F. Strang, for Accused, witness said accused was in a weak and depressed >tate when be saw him. He appeared to be worrying over his domestic differences. Witness knew accused to be a man of good character.

Mr. Strang said the accused had no intention of committing suicide. Counsel contended that when accused was interviewed he had been unconscious for four days and was not in a fit state to know what he was saying. There was no evidence of mental abnormality up to December 19, and there had been no evidence of mental abnormality sipce his discharge from the hospital.

Counsel contended that there was no evidence of intention on the part of accused to commit suicide. He had been suffering from sleeplessness and when he found that two tablets had had no effect he took three or four more tablets. The man nearly died.

The magistrate, Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, said he did not know how to get over

the accused’s statement. No one except accused and his relatives were concerned, however, and a certain stigma would attach to a conviction. The information would be dismissed.