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PAGE 46 BUCKS COUNTY COURIER TIMES PENNSYLVANIA lt;***-- WEONESOAY,SEPTEMBER 15, IDoctor testifies for LearPENNSYLVANIAWEDNESDAY. 5EPTHMB E? 15,1971Judge Bodley this morning te-tasedtoaecefUgvntypkifron Lowell Lear to v«kdvy mu-slaughter. Lear has ihe option to mitdravlisgutqrpleaaQdbavt a juiy trial on a charge of murder.If he doesn't withdraw his plea, the judge can find Mm gutty «f$MODddegreemttrdtft0day.By CHARLES F. McGURK Courier Tiriies Staff WriterLowell Lear acted with explosive fury because of frustration in the stabbing death of his wife, Winifred, a psychiatrist testified yesterday.Dr. Robert Sadoff of Jenkin-toHra told the court he believed tbe34*year-oM Lear, a resident of Upper Makefieki Township, “did not plan it (the slabbing) out. Lear entered a guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter before Judge John J. Bodley Monday morning. The hearing on the ptea continued this morning.Lear was accused of stabbing his wife with a penknife while the couple was on their way to a bank to casb an income tax refundcheck last Mav 17*Follow'ug ReleaseThe incident took place six weeks after Mrs. Lear had been released from Bucks County Prison after she served five months ofa three-io-lfc-month sentence for inv oluntary manslaughter in the shotgun death of an alleged prowler at the Lear home oc Oakdale Ave. Washington Crossing, on June 25.1968. She was sentenced in the death of Vernon Bergen on Nov. 4,1969.The mother of three was released from Bucks prison on probation on April 4. Lear told the court he bad picked up his wife at the apartment of his brother, Dd-ford. to have to countersign the check in the amount of 3376. Be indicated tos wife had been seeing his brother frequently since her release from prison.DA.lt;hwstiOBSIn answer to questions from Assistant District Attorney Michael 0‘Brien, Lear said his feelings over the incident were pretty sad.With his bead and eves cast downward, the defendant an-* swered, No to O'Brien’s question, Did you want to kill her?Did you want to beat her up?” asked O’Brien.No, replied Lear wrttoat looking up.What did you want to do? O'Bnen pressed and Lear answered, I don’t know what I wanted to do.He told the court his wife had said ul don't give a damn about yon and the children** during the ride. The couple never reached the bank.Drove Short TimeLear saki he drove along for a short time and when he found a place he pulled the car from the roadway and his wife began tograb his clothing and hit him.She came at you? O’Brien asked and Lear replied, Yes.He said he picked the penknife up from the floor of the ear with tus left hand and admitted he had to look for it during the altercation with his wife.Had you told to you were going to kill to? O'Brien questioned Lear answered, No.”Did Not RetailLear said be did not recall’1 .inflicting stab wounds In his ' wife’s legs, forearm, wrist, cbeslor heart.« ■'How* long did you struggle . with her, O’Brien asked.I don't know/’ Lear said-“i«uk tfcaa a minute?'7 O’Brien continued. More than two minutes? Lear replied, Yes” to both questions.More than three minutes, O'Brien added. Lear replied, !Where 9s Langel?Taxpayer appeal cont rmedBy C. H. THROCKMORTON Courier Times Staff WriterA Lower Southampton taxpayers' association, attempting to nullify an ordinance adopted by township supervisors, was granted a continuance of its appeal last night due to an absent witness.The witness, Township Manager Edward Langel. did show up later in the session, but he was not called to the stand, presumably because of the late hour.Labron Shuman, attorney for the Lower Southampton Taxpayers' Association, told the town-the stand, was present at the meeting, and can be questioned about the conduct of the meeting, Darlington said.No NotesHe added that the township was willing to stipulate for the record that no stenographic notes of the proceedings of the Jan. 21 were taken.At 9:15 p_m., as the exchange of remarks between the attorneys continued. Langel appeared in theauditorium of the township bunding where the hearing was being beW.His presence was ackoowL edged, but Shuman made no request to have him sworn in as a witness, perhaps because of the lateness of the hour.A few minutes later Ralph Munyon, chairman of the zoning hearing board, announced that the board and attorneys had agreed to a continuance of the hearing until Oct 5 and the meeting was adjourned.guess so.M4TH she cry or scream? O’Brien went oo.“I dart taw.” Lear answered.Drove to SuttonThe defendant said his wife threw her hands in the air and he then drove to the Upper Make-field Township Police station. He said Ms wife said nothing on the trip and neither did he. She did, tie said, fall over on the seat when be made a sharp turn.Did you know she was dying? O’Brien asked.1 knew she was hurt, Lear answered. He added he did not know where the knife was, hut recalled giving H to Patrotmao Russell R. Lynn. This was on his second stop at the station. On the first visit he told the court do one was at the building and he left to locate the police officer (not identified in court) who lived nearhim.DM Not StopLearjaid he did not stop at the officer's home because the patrol was not parkgd out front and t when he returned to the station. . employees of the road department were there and he asked them-‘to use the telephone to make ait emergency calLAccording to Lear's testimony, he called the Bucks County Police Radio Room and asked to have a police officer stop at the station.Lynn had testified earlier that it was about 4:45 p.m. when bemet Lear at the station and the♦defendant handed him the pocket-knife and pointed to the car in which Mrs. Lear’s body was found.Dr. Sadoff told the court he believed Lear was frustrated because he could not have his way in having his wife return to the fami-iyLear, answering questions from Judge Bodley, said he bad taken the penknife with him to pick up his wife because he was afraid, at that time of his brother and of his brother’s roommate.Defense attorney Stephen Stantz and O'Brien were to sum up their cases today
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Bucks County Courier Times
Levittown, Pennsylvania, US
Wed, Sep 15, 1971
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