Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-06
HICKMAN TO TEST
NEW INSANITY LAW
Trial in Parker Staying to Be
Merely Sanity Hearing.
other More involved.

Ey the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES. January Ga
complete try-out of California's new
laws governing insanity as a defense
In criminal cases apparently will ht
involved i'm the trials Of William Ed
ward Hickman on the two murder in
dirtments which he faces here.
The Ia-year-old youth a few days
ago pleaded mot guilty by reason nj
insanity" to charges Of kidnapping and
slaying little Marian Parker. Iester
day within few hours of his indict
nient together with his lS-year old
accomplice. Welhy Hunt. for the muir
der of c. Ivy Thoms, in a drug store
hold-up. he entered the alternative
plea Of the new and little tested Cali
fornia law-"not guilty and not guilt,
by reason Of insanity"
Confused His Own Plea.
So little used has been the new law
--llickman's being the first ease in
Los Angeles CountN--that court ut,
PENDANTS were confused hy the new
plea, and il first was reported ms the
same as that entered to the Marian
Parker murder charge. The confusion
was increased by the fact that on his
arraignment Hickman first started IL
state his plea When the defendant
himself became involved in the legal
phraseolocy. his attorney stepped for
ward and asked the court 10 permit
him la plead for his client
Tho difficulty was StlaiGhtened out
when Richard CanIillon. liickmans
Las Angeles attorney. rcstated Tor
newspaper men the plea entered.
In the Parker case Hickman legally
admitted his guilt by the plea lie made.
9nd his trial. set for January -. Will
he "A sanity hearing only. On the
Thnms' murder indictmen, he first
viii ,e tried ~ determine his guilt, and
T. found guilty will I've given sanity
trial 10 determine punishment.
Long Trial Possible.
Although Hickman's trial in the
Thems case was set for February /.
attorneys indicated that a long drawn.
cat trial in the Parker case might
cause Il postponement
With The attorney for Welby Hunt
reiterating that his client would plead
guilty ~ the Thoms murder charges
and throw himself on the mercy VI
the court, court attaches predicted
tina; the trial on the hoId,up killing
would find Hunt tes,ifyins against his
former accomplice in crime.
Despite the fact that the Juvenile
Court. 10 which Hunts case first was
referred. sent il hack To the Superior
Court for handling. due TO the serious
ness Of the charge. the youths al
forney said he would attempt tn have
Hunt tried in the Juvenile Court. In
any event, he said. he would ask a
separate trial. California law pro-
yides that the death penalty can he
inflicted on no person under is years
OF age. Hunts Superior Court ar
raignment was set for January 10.
Equal Guilt Possible.
Although the bullet which fatally
wounded Thams At the time of the
hold.up has been shown 10 nave been
the Same eaiiber az Hunts pistol.
California Law provides that i'm such
case each of the accused would be
held equally guilty. regardless Of
which youth fired the shot.
Another angle in the investigation
OF the activities of Hunt. was believed
ta have been cleared up when the
authorities declared they We're con.
gineed that A. X. Drigkeli. the youths
grandfather, took his own life here
last May.
Driskeil.s Death was investigated
when handwriting experts suggested
that purporied suicide notes found on
the aged mans body might have been
forged. The inquiry was ordered
when Hickman and Hunt confessed 90
e series III crimes and il WAS estab.
Ii&hed that Driskeil took a large sum
of moneysfroa the bank short time
before HIS death. II was agreed that
the suicide notes apparently were
genuine.