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COLLETT WEEPS(Continued From Page One)li*tt{lt;Iff referred to IiIh chief defensecounsel, James N. Linton, who hadreturned to Columbus when thecane went, to the jury late in tafternoon.Family Not PresentNeither his wife, Laura, and sish r of the slain Rimer McCoy, nor hia son Thomas, 29, was in the courtroom when the verdict was read.Reached at his farm home, hisson said “I was afraid that would happen, hut I II tell you now just as I have said all along, as long: as I live I'll never believe that my dad was in his right mind if lit* J j did lt,tfMrs. Collett said: “This is go lug to crush us. My life is almost over hut Thomas* Is just starting.I don’t think the Lord’s going to punish Thomas and his family forthat.”May Appeal for New TrialCollett lias three days in whichto file an appeal for a new trial, and under the law cannot be sen* tun red until after that time.The jury’s quick decision climaxed a day into which much of the trial’s drama was packed. Common Pleas Judge Harry M. Rank in had given the jury fivepossible verdicts on each count ofthe indictment:1. Death,2. First degree murder with recommendation of mercy,J. Second degree murder,4 Manslaughter, and5, Innocent.In his charge to the jury Judge Rankin said: “You should not al-H low your minds to he Influenced by sympathy or prejudice, nor isthe fear of a disagreeable verdictto he considered by you.” jHe told the Jury the alibi was a proper defense*, and that the burden of proof that Collett was in the vicinity of the McCoy home the night the three were slain lay with the prosecution.Regarding the confession, he pointed out that it must be voluntary and that it was up to the juryto decide whether or not the eon fesslon admitted at the trial andin which Collett admitted slayingRimer McCoy was given voluntarily*fIit1IcV*£IVI
Newspaper Details
Van Wert Times Bulletin
Van Wert, Ohio, US
Sat, Mar 11, 1944
Page 6
Full Page
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