New Britain herald., 1926-09-21
BECKETT ID ASK .
 FOR NEW TRIAL
Says He Was Insane When He
 Admitted Murder

l. is five years and six months .inca Luman Charles Beckett of this city pleaded guilty in the superior court 10 a charge of murder In the second degree and began life scu- tence for murder, bu' lie will ap- pear Tn that same court this week, armed aith a petition questioning the prosecution and the sentence on the grounds that he had been adJudged insane by q commission e doctors before he entered his plea.
 Ho vas convicted in 1921 for the slaying Of Charles F.. Taft, Hart- ford taxfcab driver, in this city and has been confined 10 Wethersfeld state prison since that time. He will appear in the superior court before Judge NicEcrson in an at tempt 10 test the legality of the sen- tsnce by petition for q writ of habeas corpus. He will plead his own cause. The court has ordered Warden II. K. ". Beckett to pro- duce Beckett and to show cause nhy he should not bc released. States Attorney Hugh NJ Alcorn will oppose Becketts petition.
 States Attorney Alcorn is quoted ss saying that there is no question Of Beckett's legal sanity. He stated that Beckett was examined and was declared sane. but that he was not
 11 for capital punishment because he had constitutional inferiority. He was allowed 10 plead to a charge of second degree murder which car ries life sentence.
 Beckett asks that the state show cause why he should not be turned over to the sheriff for detention and mental examination. If de- ciared sane he asks that he be given . trial on the murder charge.
 Beckett alleges in his petition that Dr. Whitefeld \. Thompson, Dr. F. Arthur Emmett and Dr. William II. Walker, appointed by the state as q commission 10 determine his mental state. informed Judge Frank D. Haines in open court March. 1921, that he was then of unsound and feeble mind and, in their opinion and judgment Of such a degree Of insanity as to preclude free deter imitation"
 In that condition, Beckett says, 'he was unable to distinguish be- tween a plea Of guilty and plea of not guilty and that he did not possess sufficient intellect 10 com prehend the nature or course Of the proceedings so as to make proper defense"
 The expression Of opinion by the commission of alienists was such as to leave no reasonable doubt as 10 Beckett's insanity. says the petition ing prisoner. The Judgment of the court while he was insane, he says, is void and Illegal
 Beckett subscribed and swore 10 his petition within the prison con- fines before Melvin 0. Fry, mo- tary public.
 This is the second attempt Beck cit has made so effect his release rom prison. III tIF 0Nii'A4'l VI 1924 he persuaded prison guard 10 convey a letter to his aunt in New Britain, asking her 10 give the guard S25 for the purchase of TO- volvcr. He planned 10 plant the gun in the prison and win favor with the warden by discovering it.
 The warden was then looking for gun which had been left in the prison when Paul Danshire, releas- cd convict. returned 10 make an un- successful delivery Of the prison The gun never having been found, Beckett intended 10 let the warden assume that the one he planted was in reality Danshire's. He then "E- pected to be parolcd for distinguish cd service 10 the state.
 The net result was that the guard, Samuel J. Ritchie, Of Waterbury, was committed 10 the county jail for four months for conveying letter outside the prison, and after a short sentence was transferred to the state hospital for the insane in Niddletown.
 Beckett killed Taft in New Britain March 1, 1917 and escaped. Four years later he was found in the Windsor, Vt prison and brought back 10 face an indictment for first degree murder He was represented ny Public Defender John r. For ward