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12 TERRE HAUTE TRIBUNEWednesday, Dec. 20, ’67Deputy DistrictAttorney GuiltyOf MurderLOS ANGELES (AP) -JackKirschke, a suspended deputydistrict attorney convicted ofmurdering his wife and her alleged lover, says the jury’s decision was “a terrible error which in due time will be corrected.” He plans to appeal the verdict.The jury convicted Kirschke Tuesday after a 13 week trial. On Jan. 8 it will decide whether the penalty should be life imprisonment or death in the gas chamber. The prosecution said It had not decided whether to press for the death penalty.“We haven't lost the war,son,” Kirschke told young Doug Kirschke. 24. before bailiffs took him back to his cell. “We’ve just lost a battle. And from now on it's really going to be a battle.”The verdict was returned after 22 hours and 43 minutes ofdeliberation.“It was Jack Kirschkes gun. it was his house, it was his bed, it was his wife, and it was hiswife’s lover,” said prosecutor Albert Harris, an assistant attorney general.“If Jack Kirschke didn't do it,then who did?”The bodies of Kirschke’s wife, fashion designer Elaine Terry Kirschke. 43. and Orville Drank-han. 41, were found in the bedroom of the Kirschke’s LongBeach apartment April 8.Mrs. Kirsehke's body was found on a bed, clad only in a kimono top and shot in the head. Drankhan was sprawled fully clothed on the floor next to the bed. also shot in the head. 5It was never clearly estab- ; lished when the shootings took j place—the bodies were discovered too long after death for -medical experts to pinpoint the time. ‘The prosecution contended 1that Kirschke, irate because of 1 repeated infidelities of his wife, ' shot her and Drankhan in an 1 embrace on the Kirschkes’ bed. The murders took place early in lt;the morning, the prosecution 1 said. (Testimony during the trial 1 centered on the fast life the Kirschkes led in Long Beach, j Witnesses said Mrs. Kirschke belonged to a group of women 1 called the “jolly girls,” who covered for each other's marital ‘infidelities. jKirschke. 46, did not take thestand in his own defense. But dctense attorney Albert C. S. Ramsey repeatedly contended . that a reasonable doubt existed ! as to Kirsehke's guilt.; :-lL/ fa; i| i jV'it;? Vi'KiRgrilKE FIGHTS BACK TEARS — Jack Kirschke. suspended deputy district attor nes who was convicted in l.os Angeles of two counts of murder in the shotgun deaths of his wife and her alleged lover, appears near tears as he answers newsmen’s questions. A former prosecutor himself, he said “I’m sure the jury was eonse.ent.ous and attentivebut juries sometimes make mistakes. H.s attorney sa.d he will appeal. »►AP Wirephoto- M . a
Newspaper Details
Terre Haute Tribune
Terre Haute, Indiana, US
Wed, Dec 20, 1967
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
DE 27 Nov 2022
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