SPECIALISTS TO DECIDE WHETHER ACID BATH MURDERER IS INSANE
LONDON, July 30 (Rued. 8 pm) —No appeal against the death sentence on John George Haigh had been lodged when the time limit expired at midnight last night. Haigh was convicted of the murder of a wealthy widow, Mrs, Durand-Deacon, and a statement read at his trial contained confessions of other murders, and an assertion that he drank his victims’ blood. The bodies were dissolved in an acid bath. At his trial his counsel argued that Haigh was insane r suffering from paranoia Failing notice of an appeal against sentence of death, the usual statutory inquests into the mental condition of a condemned murderer will be held early next week. The inquiry will be conducted by a panel of specialists appointed by the Home Secretary, Mr. C'huter Ede, who is compelled to abide by their verdict. Tile panel does not have to consider whether a murderer is sane at th? time of the crime, but whether he is sane after the crime, because an insane person is not in a condition to urge any ground why the execution should not, be carried out.
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Wanganui Chronicle, 1 August 1949, Page 5
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192SPECIALISTS TO DECIDE WHETHER ACID BATH MURDERER IS INSANE Wanganui Chronicle, 1 August 1949, Page 5
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