WOMAN AT THE BAR

Evening Star, Issue 20135, 27 March 1929, Page 5

WOMAN AT THE BAR

" LEAD " IN MURDER TRIAL ABLE SPEECH FOB DEFENCE 'The first murder trial in which a woman banister appeared as leading counsel ended at tne Old Bailey on January JG, when William John Holmyard, aged twenty-four, a musician, was sentenced to death for tile murder of his grandfather, AA’lHiam Holmyard, aged seventy-two, a. commission agent, ’The defence was that accused’s grandfather threatened to strike him with a chair, and that in self-defence he struck linn with a pair of tangs. AI iss Venctia Stephenson, who led for the defence, in her address to the jury, said: “1 am fighting for tins young man’s life, and if words fail me it is because I appreciate the responsibility that rests on me in defending him on this serious chaigi,.’’ “Aro not the salient features in a. jnurder charge absent here?” Aliss Stephenson asked. “ What is the motive for murdering his grandfather'? AVhnt is the evidence of intent to murder” The statement of the accused man, on which the prosecution relied, Miss Stephenson said, was made at II o’clock at night, when the man had had no food since half-past 1, and when he did not know the serious condition of his grandfather She suggested that it was not a free statement, although she accepted it as far as it went. Aliss Stephenson held the court with her description of the struggle between the two men, raising her hands over her head to illustrate the old man’s attack with the chair. She asked the jury what they would have done in such a position. The young man, she suggested. ducked to avoid the blow, and •she drew hack her head to emphasise her words. “ He picked up the first thing to his hand, which happened to be the tongs,” counsel said. *‘ What else could lie have done? Youth has as much right to protect itself as old age. Would yon have said: ’This man is my grandfather. I must let him hit me ’ ? No. The strongest instinct in man is selfprotection.” “ I know,” Miss Stephenson concluded, “ that yon will not let sympathy for the dead over-ride justice for the living. This is the most solemn moment of my life, and i leave this vout.g man’s life in your hands with a prayer that God may lead yon to a right conclusion.”

Air Justice Humphreys prefaced his summing up with a tribute to the “ learned counsel for the defence.” “This case,” he said, “has been defended with conspicuous ability lam sure you will agree that a serious responsibility lies on her sbonldeds, but at, least hr may feel that she has discharged her duty to her client in a manner that reflects the highest possible credit on her. on her carefulness and her ability. “it is a satisfaction to know that everything possihh that could be said for this young man or done for him by advocacy, lias been said and clone.” It was difficult, the Judge added, to take very seriously the suggestion that the assault which caused death was committed in self-defence. The jury., on which there were three women, found Holmyard guilty of murder.

Holmyard, who shook his head when asked if he had anything to say. seemed dazed when he heard the verdict.