JURY’S VERDICT

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1932, Page 5

JURY’S VERDICT

OF MANSLAUGHTER TRAGEDY AT TOMAHAWK. !By Telegraph—Per Press Association) DUNEDIN, April 27. The hearing was concluded in the Supreme Court today of- the charge against Lewis William O’Connor ci murdering Findlay Douglas Buchanan at Tomahawk on March 30. Counsel for the accused urged that when O'Connor admitted that he had committed the crime, he was in such a. condition, through drink, that he did not know what he was saying. Undei these circumstances the killing of Bu chanan was not murder. Counsel referred at length to the evidence showing that O’Connor was so drunk that he was behaving like a madman. He submitted that O’Gunnoi was maddened by drink, and that lie had lost his sound reasoning quality by reason of the quantity o'liquor he had consumed. He was in such a condition that he was incapable of form ing ally intention,

Counsel said he could not plead insanity. hut he did plead drunkenness to such aii extent as to dethrone the accused’s i’easoti.

The jury returned a verdict of man sla lighter. The accused was remanded for sentence until to-morrow morning.

SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS’, DUNEDIN, April 28. Lewis William O’Connor was found guilty of manslaughter in killing Findlay Douglas Buchanan, at Tomahawk, on March 30. He was sentenced to 14 years’ hard labour. Judge Kennedy inflicted the sentence without comment