Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1923-01-29
YOUTHS OUT OF
DANGER OF ROPE
If UNDER AGE
Father of Campbell Says
Boy Born in 1904;
Must Prove Age
Find Man Killed on Trip
Through Desert Was
Shot in Back

Charlie Davis, charged with the
murder of Leslie l.. Nichols, on
the desert a week ago, were brought !.
before Justice Mayfield this morn
ing for preliminary hearing ;
Formal charge was made by Sheriff
Gillett, alleging murder. BY the
statements of the boys, both are I'M
der Is years of age and according
ly the justice court merely certified
them to the juvenile department of
the superior court. Judge Mayfield
appraised the boys of their right to
be represented by counsel. Davis,
| who appears to be the more canny
of the two, declared that he would
wish to be represented by counsel.
Asked if he desired counsel at this
time or upon his appearance before
the juvenile court he said that it
! would be. sufficient to have an at
torney when the ease came M in
the higher court. Campbell agreed
to this and the order was made ae-
Iscordingly.
Father Says Boy Of Age
Under the new law no person NAV
suffer the death penalty if under
| 10 years of age. While both boys
/ claim that they are only II years
| old, telegram received from John
| Campbell, father of Lawrence G.
| Campbell and addressed to the dis
trict attorney, saws that Lawrence
| was born November 10, 1904. This
| would have made him Is years old
last November and would put him
| outside the protection of the iuvs.
nile provision. The boy Davis is
a, evidently older than Campbell. He
| is more mature i'll every. way and
displays broader experience in
the. ways of the world.
The law places the burden Of
proof as to age upon the defendant
and not upon the state.
Simon May Defend
Following the preliminary hear
| ing, the boys were permitted to
talk with former District Attorney
Z. r. Simon in the district attor.
ney's office. Mr.. Simon stated
that he has not vet decided wheth.
er he will take their case.
After hearing the evidence Sat
urday the corOner's jury found tina.
Leslie l.. Nichols came to his death
by being shot and stoned bv Charlie
| Davis and Lawrence c. Campbell.
| Nothing new developed at the in
quest further than that fully re-
ported except that evidences I'M
covered at the autopsy proved tina.
Nichols was actually shot from he
1 I Lat
there can be no possible doubt of
this and the fact is significant as
disproving the statements both OF
Campbell and Davis who testified
| that the murdered man was shot
from the front.
Blood Disproves Story
Also, the condition of the under
clothing tended to disnrov9 the
| statement of Davis that Nichols re-
manned in an upright position for
"A considerable period after having
been shot, Davis having stated that
the shot was fired on the highway.
after which Nichols was compelled
to get into the auto, ride half a
mile and then walk half Il milo
before being dispatched. Had the
body been in an upright position,
the blood would necessarily have
run down, whereas the spots showed
circular strains about the wounds.
Also lead spots ON the underwear
indicate that Nichols was shot after
his outer clothing had been remoT.
ed.
Davis testified that Nichols re-
moved his coat and vest and drove
over the Chocolate range in his
shirt sleeves. When the Officers
made the same trip they all found
overcoats very comfortable in All
dition to coats and vests and all
believe it very improbable that
Nichols removed his coat and vest
to be comfortable.
In general, Coroner Lyons de-
clares that both of the boys ARE
plainly falsifying for IL is easv "a
disprove either of the stories Nin
some detail The story of neither
boy is supported completely eyea
in respect to the theory upon whiel;
it is based.
I Appearance of Lawrence &. Camp
bell and Charlie Davis before the
juvenile court upon certificate from
the Justice court will probably take
place tomorrow, District Attorney