The Washington times., 1922-06-18
COURT CROWD
/ CHEERS YOUTH
ON ACQU|TTAL
Accepts Young Mans Story
That He Shot Stepfather
in Sef-Defense.
VERDICT ON FIRST BALLOT
agreement Reached After
Members Of Panel Pray for
Divine Guidance.

SUFFOLK, Va, June ia
, mother using every legal means
. to send her son to a murderer's
death in the electric chair.
. A pretty and devoted wife, with
their two small children clinging
TO her knees, standing staunchly'
by an admitted slayer.
, The mothers word against the
: sons as to whether the bullets
with which he ended the life of
" his stepfather and seriously
wounded her. when he visited his
fathers plantation near here sew
:. eral months ago, were fired with
intent for revenge or in self-de-
fense.
This was the appeal to their
e sentiments and the evidence
offered for cold reasoning when
a Jury of his neighbors tried and
acquitted Courtney Griffin here
this week.
Jury Prays for Guidance.
The apparent grim determination
: of the mother that her son should
: nav with his own life for the death
: of the spouse with whom she shared
the estate left by the youths father
to his exclusion, 1t is generally De-
& l,eved. was one OF the most tmpor'
tant factors in baking her revenge.
The sad.faced, beautiful wife and the
two pretty children of the accused
man who were at his side through
ont his trial, are also thought 10
have had their influspce on jury
40 deeply perplexed tVdo justice that
A. IA reported to have prayed for
divine guidance before rendering
verdict. J.,
II was a dark. rainy morning. be-
fore daybreak, several months ago
according to his mothers story, wnen
Courtney Griffin appeared AT the
kitchen door Of his birthplace on
plantation in Nansemond couht?,
near Suffolk, and encountered ms
stepfather, Peter p. Knight, VINO nao
been an overseer on the plantation
when the elder Griffin was alive:
Mrs. Knight said her husband had
stepped to the kitchen door with
lantern in his hand. to see who was
entering the premises, when she
heard curses shouted by her son, fol-
lowed by a fusillade OF bullets. Az
abe rushed to her husbands side, she
said, she was struck by bullets ana
fell beside him.
Mrs. Knight said her son fled after
firing the shots and she crawled;
wounded, through a driving rain
across fields to the cabin OF negro
tenant to obtain aid for her dying
husband. She said her husband had
done nothing to provoke her son 8 ace
which she alleged was inspired by
anger because he mad been disli'
herited by his father, for which he
blamed her and knight. and because
OF her marriage to knight.
Tf any man deserves to be sent
70 the electric chair, Courtney Grill
fin is that man." she told newspaper
men who interviewed her at the
hospital after the shooting.
In an effort to assure that fate for
him she employed two lawyers 10
assist the States attorney in prose
cutting him and took the stand her
self to give evidence that would
prove him a cold-blooded murderer
The Sons Story.
Griffin, in his own defense, testi-
fled that he did not know that his
mother had married knight when
ne went to the Griffin plantation
that tragic morning. He had heard
stories reflecting on his mother and
knight, he said, and had determined
TO investigate them.
When he encountered knight, he
said. knight had spoken disrespect
fully Of his dead father and then had
attacked him. He was forced 20
shoot in self-defense. he said. He did
not shoot at his mother, he declared,
and she must have been wounded by
stray bullets.
The tragedy created a widespread
sensation and virtually every resi-
dent of Nansemond county. as well
as Of Suffolk, attended the trial OF
Griffin. While there was some vari.
ance Of sentiment with regard to the
meaning Of the attitude Of Ms.
Knight, some conte dded that she had
assumed revengeful pose to in
fluence the jury in her sons favor.
there appeared to be little doubt
that most Of the sentiment favored
Griffin and the courtroom rang with
cheers when his acquittal was On
'nounced.
4 According to reports, all twelve
members, OF the jury Joined In =
fifteen-minute prayer for Divine
guidance before starting delibera.
ton on the case and then returned
a verdict Of mot guilty" on the
first ballot. e
y