THE MANSLAUGHTER CASE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 118, 12 February 1919, Page 8

THE MANSLAUGHTER CASE

ALBEECHT SENTENCED. Thomas' Albrecht, who was found guilty of manslaughter on Monday, came up lor sentence yesterday morning before Mr. i Justice Edwards., Mr. E. V. O'Leary, who appeared for the prisoner, said that the facts and circumstances of the case had been, thoroughly investigated,. and* no good'p'ur'pose would be served by ugaiu going over the same ground. He did, however, wish to point out to the Court that apartfrom the punishment that the Court might inflict on' the prisoner, there waa the punishment that a jury of his countrymen had found him guilty of the crime of practically killing his mother. Further, he suggested that His Honour should give the fullest consideration to the recommendation of the jury—a reI commendation to mercy.

His Honour said tho jury had recommended the prisoner to mercy oil the ground of tjie condition ho was in when the crime was committed. His condition at the time was one of intoxication. So far as His Honour's views were concerned intoxication was 110 excuse, because in his long experience he had found thjt the man who was not'a criminal when sober was not a criminal when intoxicated. . The prisoner had most justly been'found guilty, and any .other verdict would havo been a travesty of justice. . The prisoner had been found I guilty of killing his mother through* a brutal assault, brutal because it was an assault on an old woman, and because that old woman was the prisoner's mother. Continuing, His Honour snid: "Taking all. things, into consideration, and being disposed to give effect to the recommendation of the jury, I propose to 6end'you to prison for .a term with a period of detention to follow, so that the Prisons Board may havo "an opportunity of dealing with your case. In that way I think I can meet tho .wishes of the jury." Albrecht was sentonced to one year's imprisonment, to bo followed by three yearp of reformative treatment, .