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HARMON GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER IN SECOND DEGREEPortsmouth Man Sentenced To Serve Not Less Than Two Nor More Than Three Years In PrisonMaintaining the same unmoved composure which has characterized him throughout the trial, James A. Harmon heard Judge Oscar L. Young sentence him to not less than two or more than three years in State’s {iris* on last night after a jury headed by Foreman Edward A. Weeks, Jr., of this city had found him guilty of manslaughter in the second degree as. a result of the death of his aged father. John E. Harmon on August 4, The Jury deliberated a little better than five hours on th# ease which was concluded yesterday after two days of trial-Earlier in the evening the jury had asked for further instructions concerning a possible verdict and if aggravated assault could result In death. The instructions were given and it wasn’t long before a tap on the door informed those anxiously waitLng in the court room that a verdict had been reached. The foreman of the jury was asked by Clerk of Court Amos 8. Rundlett if a verdict had ! been reached and Foreman Weeks , replied, “Guilty of manslaughter in . the second degree. After pronotutc- 1 ing sentence and telling Harmon that he had 10 days in which to file exceptions. Judge Young thanked (he } jury for their attention in the case and excused them until this morning when they were to report at Exeter.County Solicitor George R. Scam- | mon in summing up the evidence for the state claimed that the accusation by the defence that the police and the state witness had had a dress re-1 hearsal was absurd and the fact that they were trying to “railroad James; Hannon into some form of punish- ' ment was equally as absurd. iThe county solicitor said that after I the father had brought the son up and seen him go out into the world he had taken him back when the son was out of employment.“Consider these men as strangers.1 MT. Foreman and Gentlemen, the ’ couety solicitor said. “We pity James because he caused his father’s death I and we don’t like to prosecute him. I The county, the police officers and you as Jurors have that duty to per- i form and we must consider it squarely on the evidence. ;Defense Counsel Stephen M. ' Wheeler, who addressed the jury for, nearly 50 minutes, said that the whole j case was based on circumstantial evi- : dence and it was the duty of the state to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that James Harmon's actions had caused his fathers death. The : indictment, which he read, charged! manslaughter resulting from a beat- : ing on the face and head with the | fists and hands which resulted in a!; fractured skull, and he expressed the belief that the state had failed to prove that the fracture of the skull came as the result of a blow, and in fact, he said, he felt that the state had never shown how John Harmon had received the diffused blood clot on the brain nor the fracture. Mr. Wheeler characterized the State’s case as a “dress rehearsal for something.Harmon admitted from the stand that by an “involuntary act he had placed his hand on his father’s shoulder and shaken him and then placed his hand over his father’s mouth to stop his outcry of “Murder after the elderly gentleman had spoiled a paper while attempting to sign his name toR* i . , ,“Didn’t you hit him in the face? he was asked by Mr. Seammon and Hannon answered, “No.. “Didn't you hit him on the bridge of the nose? he was asked and the respondent answered, “No, that scratch was caused by bis glasses.Judge Young in his charge to the jury outlined the duty of the men at jurors to weigh the evidence and that they must be unanimously satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the respondent was guilty. He also told them that the defendant came into court with a presumption of innocence and it was the duty of the state to prove him otherwise. He told the Jury that they could bring in any one of five verdicts: not guilty, simple assault, aggravated assault, second degree manslaughter or first degree manslaughter.LITTLE CHANGE IN STOCK PRICES(By Associated Press)(The following was the situation in the New York stock market at 1.15 p. m. today:)New York, Nov. 14—The stock market went into another hesitating phase today. The decline, led by the utilities shares in the previous session was checked after the first hour today and a little buying developed in scattered specialties, but on the whole the list hovered close to yesterday’s final prices by early afternoon.GOLDONE WEEK ONLY To Redeem Old Gold and Jewelry Allied Gold DealersSt, Boom 5Opca Eves tut fSat INPRIZEAt S O’clock TonitcWHIST PARTY Peirce HallAU Cash rrtms Top ft Ate.Se
Newspaper Details
Portsmouth Herald and Times
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, US
Wed, Nov 14, 1934
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Full Page
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USA 05 Oct 2024
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