MANSLAUGHTER.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1923, Page 3

MANSLAUGHTER.

TEN YEARS SENTENCE. ( in TELEGRAPH -PER PRESS ASSOCIATION] AUCKLAND. Febniarv 0. A sentence of ten yeurs imprisonment was imposed to-day on John Finuigan, aged 32, who was found guilty at I lie Supreme Conn of manslaughter in eonneciion with tin* death of ('mi O'Keefe. .1 fireman on the steamer Ti'edenham. The charge preferred against Finuigan was murder, to whi n he pleaded not guilty. The evidence showed that on January Ist., accused returned to the ship under the inflttenee of liquor and struck deceased, who was on his bunk, (lulled him out and kicked him on the hack and head, then bringing his boot down on deeensen’s head. Counsel for the defence elicited the fact that deceased’s head struck the dock as he was pulled out of the bunk. Counsel said it couldn’t be denied that accused assaulted O’Keefe: but lie had no intention of causing bodilv harm. The prisoner did not give evidence, because he could not remember anvthing about the incident. FTis Honour said the assault was cowardly and brutal. The jury would have to consider whether it had been established that the accused know that what he was doing was likely to cause

doatb. Alter forty-five minutes’ retirement tit,, jury returned with a verdict of manslaughter.