POISONING CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1933, Page 6

POISONING CASE

(Per Priss Association Copyright .) NURSE' KERR’S DEFENCE BEGINS. VERONAL WAS NOT A POISON. (Pt Press Association — Copyright.) AUCKLAND, March 7. Counsel for the defence of Nurse Kerr, charged with administering vercrnal to her foster-daughter, Dorothy Betty C'-rmeron, with intent to injure her, and so as to endanger her life, bagan his addres l} to the jury this morning.

Mr Singer referred first to the many months during which the Crown had been preparing its case. It was eight months yesterday since Nurse Kerr was arrested, and he pointed out that, in July, accused was charged with administering poison on March 28th. That charge has been dropped. Tbe charge •relating to April 8 was an ' afterthought, and the'important dates were April 10 and 16. Th e prosecution, in preparing its case, had gone everywhere, seen everybody, and even at nights during th. e trial, they had been pursuing inquiries in an attempt to fill i u the cavities. There ihad been witnesses upon whose evidence no reliance could be placed. ■Counsel complained that the matter published in the newspapers, as well ■as the tongues of others had started rumours about the case, and hostility had been bred towards accused. The word “poison” had been in the aU svire accused's name was first mentioned. Veronal was not a? poison, hut the press and public had made it *3O. Veronal was in common use, and had been for years. At the Auckland hospital it was not kept in the poison cupboard, but whs always easily available for u-e when patientis were restless. It was not on the schedule • of poisons, and no chemist had to keep a, record of its sales.

i Counsel said that' this charge was 1 tK, first in history of using veronal-with intent. In all other c?s o s the charge had beep one 0 f .administering and cans. | ing death. He wanted to say now that the defence to this ease was 'absolutely flawless and unanswerable, and there .’■had been no anticipation of it by the Grown. Tlie , efts? is proceeding.