Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-09-06
Sentence Of Robert Dcdmaa.

AZ 10 o'clock this morning Robert
Dedman, convicted Of murder in the
second degree for killing Albert Springer,
was brought into the District Court at
Virginia, and Judge Richard Rising
pronounced the following decision
Robert Dedman I: You were indicted
by tho Grand Jury, at the present term
Ct Court, for tho murder Of Albert
Springer, on tho Sd of August last, to
which you pleaded not guilty.
In due season you were placed upon
trial before a jury Of your peers, ably
defended by counsel Of your own choice
and selection ; the trial resulted in your
conviction for the crimo of murder in
the second degree. This bias been ap-
pointed as the limo for pronouncing
judgment upon the verdict of the jury.
Have you any legal cause TO show
why such judgment should not be pro-
nouuced?
Offering no sufficient legal cause, SEN
tence by the Court must follow.
i purpose referring but briefly to the
facts established ut the trial. II nP-
peared TINT, procuring a pistol, and
without cause or apparent provocstiou,
you deliberately aud secretly advanced
upon the deceased, across Il room sixty
feet in length, and with this deadly
weapon, used rs n club, struck him
upon the head, telling him 10 the floor,
md while thus helpless, wel,eripg in
his blood, you continued to inflict fatal
blows; then declaring it to have been
your Intention TO kill but for the inter-
position of others. The deceased had
not offended you, or sven spoken TO you
that night; was entirely ignorant and
unsuspsctiug Of your premeditated as
sault and attack, when stricken by your
blows. The act, coupled with the exter.
nal manifestations Of intention, in my
iudgmen, constituted murder Of the 6rst
degree, and had the jury so found and
returned, the evidence, in law, would
have sustained the verdict. But fortu-
nately for you, their elaboration, SO re-
suited that your crime vas reduced to
that Of murder in the second degree.
The conviction of the jury, OF the enor-
nifty Of your o~fense, wal so clear 9ud
positive that they unanimously request
ed the Court to impose the severest PEN
atty known to the law. / sanction this
recommendation, not solely because the
jury made it, but that il is in accordance
with my own opinions. cannot we'll
conceive Of u much more deliberate, in.
territorial and aggravated case of MUIR
der in the second degree, than the facts
and circumstances exhibit and illustrate
this to be-and the penalty will be COR
respondingly severe. The punishment
prescribed by law for this ~offense, isim.
prisonment for not less than ten years,
and may extend to life.
1t is, therefore, ordered, and is tho
sentence and judgment Of the Court,
that you Robert Dedman, be imprisoned
in the State Prison Of the State OF Nsva-
da, at hard labor, and that such i'm
prisonment commence now, aad con.
tinue and extend during your natural
life.
The Sheriff will execute the judgment
OF the Court.
The Courtroom was we'll crowded
with interested listeners, and the pris-
oner, Dedman, stood up firmly while his
sentence was being pronounced, show
ing but little fear or trepidation-he
took It like a philosopher. He looked
rather pale and careworn, but apparently
more from the effects of his imprison.
ment than anything else. Of the justice
of the decision everybody is fully enti-
tied to think for themselves, but judg-
ing from the evidence in the case, and
all circumstances connected with 1t, We
cannot look upon Judge Rising's decis-
ion in any other light than that il is
cmincntly sound, correct and just.