NOT GUILTY VERDICT
CHARGE OF ASSAULT ACCUSED HELD INSANE DETENTION ORDERED (TVr Pro.ss Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, this day. Without leaving the box, a jury in the Supreme Court yesterday found John GrifTenhoofe Abram not guilty of a charge of assault on the grounds that he was insane at the time. Mr. Justice Smith ordered his . detention in a mental hospital until the pleasure of live Minister of Justice is known. Abram was charged with assaulting Mrs. D. S. M. Baker, his mother-in-law, on August 10. at New Plymouth, causing actual bodily harm.
According to the prosecution, the assault occurred when Abram’s wife, from whom he had agreed to separate, went to Abram's house to collect clothing. She was handing clothing to her mother when Abram caught her and assaulted Mrs. Baker with a hammer.
For (he defence, medical evidence was called to show that, since he had suffered a head accident Abram had developed epileptic seizures, and that when the assault occurred he was suffering from epileptic imbecility.
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Bibliographic details
Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20088, 7 November 1939, Page 14
Word Count
168NOT GUILTY VERDICT Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20088, 7 November 1939, Page 14
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