Sentence of Death Passed on Brauman

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 809, 1 November 1929, Page 1

Sentence of Death Passed on Brauman

JUI(Y ASKS FOR MERCY “I DO NOT REMEMBER” Press Association DUNEDIN, Today. Found guilty of the murder of his wife, Annabel Dorothy Deans Brauman, and strongly recommended to mercy by the jury on the ground of medical evidence regarding his mental abnormality, William Henry Brauman was sentenced to death last evening by Mr. Justice Kennedy. rpHE defence based its case on the assertion that Brauman did not know the nature and duality of his act or that he was doing wrong when he shot his wife on the St. Clair Esplanade on the evening of August 7. Medical evidence was called to show that he was abnormally jealous and that he was eertifiably insane. The Crown, however, called five doctors who gave expert evidence in rebuttal of the defence’s case. It was shown that, while it was possible, though unlikely, that Brauman was insane in the medical sense, he was certainly not insane in the legal'sense. In the afternoon, counsel addressed the jury and Mr. Justice Kennedy summed up the evidence and stated the law on the matter. His address extended over the dinner adjournment.

The jury retired at 5.15 p.m. and returned at 9.35 with a verdict of guilty of murder with a strong recommendation to mercy on the ground of the medical evidence regarding prisoner’s mental abnormality. In answer to his Honour’s question if he had anything to say why sentence of death should not be passed on him prisoner replied: “I do not remember about, it, your Honour.” The judge then sentenced prisoner to death and said he would pass on the jury’s recommendation to the proper authorities.