Hide Article Text (OCR)
SikesFoundGuiltyInManateeMurderTrialcomfortedSchool_ By NORMA GILL wasTwenty-year-old Mrs. Judith Sikes was found guilty P®!* of murder in the first degree Saturday night by .* jury of eight women and four men who deliberated hZ attemP‘10 rcach a verdict-Jurors began their deliberations at 5:08 p.m. Attheirconvictedthemfor nearly five hours before returning the verdict with a recommendation of mercy.Following the announcement of the decision from the jury foreman James David Nolan, Judge Lynn Silvertooth sentenced the five-foot seven-inch brunette to life imprisonment at Lowell State Penitentiary forWomen.Mrs. Helen Taylor, mother of the defendant, burst Into sobs at the announcement of the verdict. Sheescortedmatrons to the top floor jail to await transfer toprison. *She spent about 2Mr months in the jail followingWhile the jury was out, Mrs. Sikes remained inthe courtroom surrounded by her defense attorney and his partners, Richard Hampton and Robert Boylston. With her family and attorneys, she ate1967. until bond was set at $15,000 supper in the attorneys’ offices.after a preliminary hearing last October.Her attorney, Warren Goodrich, asked for a 30-day period to file an appeal motion. The request was granted by the court.The courtroom remained about half-filled until about 7 p.m., when spectators left for supper. Earlier, thoseunable to find seats inside the courtroom stood at the doorway.The courtroom was almost filled at the time theverdict was returned. '■Assistant State Attorney William Strode Saturday referred to the trial as a search for truth. He calledit the “longest trial ever conducted in Manatee County.”and“common sense”He asked the jurors to use consider “the total effect” of the evidence.Strode briefly chronicled the facts presented by the state, beginning with the marriage of Elwood and Helen Rich in October 1966, when Mrs. Sikes, according to one witness, asked, “How does it feel to be an executioner?”(Continued on Page 2A. Col. 7
Newspaper Details
Sarasota Herald Tribune
Sarasota, Florida, US
Sun, Jul 28, 1968
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Rebekah K.
FL, USA 01 Sep 2020
Other Publications Near Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota Herald Daily Tribune
Sarasota Herald Sunday Tribune
Sarasota Herald
Sarasota Journal
Sarasota News
