GUILLOTINE FOR PETIOT

Chronicle (Levin), 6 April 1946, Page 5

GUILLOTINE FOR PETIOT

COCNSEL'S UNAVAI1.ING FIGHT Received Friday, 8.20 p.m. PARIS, April 5. "I ask the jury to send Peto.it to join his victims," declared .the public prosecutor, M. Marcel .Dupin, concluding a hours ' address at tbe murder trial. There was earlier a distur.hanqe in the Courtroom as approximateiy 50u spectators fQught fpr standi'ng room and 2000 more milled round outside. The session was suspended until order was restored. Maitre Rene Floriot opened Petiot's defence by declaring that the "whole trial had been cooxed up "by the Press before it had opened.' ' He added that Petiot.had been attacked for every single act in his life. The audience, wnich was consistently hoscile, broke into applause wben Maitre Flc5riot asse.rted that 27 more persons bqd disapppared since Fetipt's arrest. Maitre Iloriot demanded ,that Petiot be aqciised of killing them. He added that twp defence and t vyp prosecution wionesses were among the' m'xssmg. When the appiause from. the .packed Ootiftfoonf, whiqb ,was tepse wita ekcitpment and following every word of Maitre Fioriot's nght to sayp Pe.ciQt from the guillotine, subsided, the prosecuting la.vyers cqnceded tbat 'the defence had won a morai victory, and tnen reasserted that Petiot would be conActed. I There v/as another emotional out- ! burst wheii a journalijt walked acroas I the Court durmg' the adjourhmeiit xpr i ivxaitre T'ipiiOt s autograpn. The eptire I Press bencn was innqecLiatply pn its feet, shouting: "Shame! Shamei You ! are a disgrace to tbe -Frepph Press..' ' Yviniq cbunsei eloquently s^oke in bis defence, Petiot sat huddled .ih a corner of the docK, wipmg streaming tpars ironi his eyes with a shaking* nand." After counsel's final sppech, whiqh ! was ternied by French pewSBaperinen as the "finest summirig up ever heard in French criminal trials, ' ' .there ylas a husn in the Court for' a few momehts. Then the people began to cl'ap'and severai rushed to the aocis to get Petiot's autjgraph. ' I Tne jury deliberated for 2| hours. ; The verqiqt was read to the p'acxea CourtroQm -by the .Presiclent pf .the Court, who said Petiot had been found guilty of 24 pf tbe 27 .lpurders with which he was cha'rged. Tne orner tnret were round not provpn. On hearing tne verdict, jPetiot jumped to his ieet, laokecl directiy at his ur'other' and sbQut'ed, "I must -be avenged; " * The guards ipimediately conducted Petiot frpm the Court. Petiot inimediafely lodged an appeai.