MURDER TRIAL.

Waipa Post, Volume XXI, Issue 1281, 15 August 1922, Page 5

MURDER TRIAL.

REMARKABLE DEVELOPMENT.

ACCUSED FOUND NOT GUILTY

(By Telegraph. Press Association.) DUNEDIN, This Day.

The trial of Stuart Cecil Harland, and his wife, Heatherbelle Harland, on a charge of murder of their infant child, -took place yesterday. The child was found on July 17th, and from medical evidence adduced was.considered t 0 be full time The female accused denied being the mother of the child, but admitted -that she had a miscarriage. The case took a peculiar turn, as when the Crown closed its case, Mr Hanlon, for accused, contended that there was no case -to submit to the jury as'the Crown had not proved that -the child had had a separate entity, and that it had completely proceeded in a living state -from the body of the mother. Hist Honor agreed that this was a point which would have to be cleared up first, and he -submitted the following question to the jury : “ Are you -satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the child in question met its» death after completely proceeding in a living -state from the body of its mother ?”

The jury retired for fifteen minutes and returned with an answer in the negative. His Honor 'said that this' meant a verdict of “ not guilty,”, and prisoners were therefore discharged.