The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-25
Hlckman's Sanity Trial
Gets Under Way Today
Proceedings Win Follow Cali.
fornia's New and Infested
Laws Governing Insanity
Defenses - IL Jurors Must
Reach Unanimous Verdict
as to Youths Mental Status

Los Angeles, Jan. 25-(AP)
The trial Of William Edward
Hickman. kidnaper killer Of lit.
tie Marian Parker, after open.
ing 1t $50 today. and being in
session 40 minutes, was I'd.
journed to 2 o'clock this after.
noon. The action avs taken to
allow Superior Judge Carlos.
Hardy and District Attorney
Asa keyes opportunity 70 con.
slider. and the court to rule up.
ON, IN exception taken to Judge
Hardy sitting in the case on the,
grounds of bias and prejudice.
Los Angeles, Jan. 25.-R-Cali-
fornia justice today set out on a
voyage through uncharted legal
seas as it undertook to determine
tho punishment of William Hick-
man, youthful confessed kidnaper
and murderer of 12-ycar-old Marian
Parker.
The trial, which will determine
the sanity Of the killer, will follow
new and untested state laws gov.
erning insanity defenses. Hickman
has pleaded mot guilty by reason
Of insanity, "a tacit admission that
he committed the offenses charged
but was not legally responsible.
Sanity Is Sole Issue
Hickman's sanity-defined as the
ability to judge between right and
wrong-is the sole issue and on this
the jury Of IL is required to reach
an unanimous verdict. II found
sane the young defendant will be
sentenced by Superior Judge Carlos
Hardy, either to life imprisonment
or to be hanged. II Hickman were
found insane now or to have been
insane at the time of the crime,
some legal authorities have de-
clared he would be sent to . state
hospital for q year and then could
demand . sanity trial. If then
found sane, these authorities con-
tend, he would be given his free
dom.
Hickman, who graduated, with
honors from q Kansas City high
school in 1926. was indicted on two
counts. clar4iqf him WITH ;,$heskid.
HApinf and murder Of Marian,
whose mutilated body he delivered
to her father, a bank official here,
in exchr e for 800.
Youth Versus Maturity
Youth versus maturity was the
alignment presented by opposing
counsel. District Attorney Asa
Keyes, who is directing the prosecu-
tion, will be assisted by men past
or near middle age. Jerome Walsh,
25-year-old Kansas City attorney,
is chief of defense counsel. His as
sociate is Richard Cantillion of Los
Angeles, only two or three years his
senior.
Prosecution forces announced
that they would play . waiting
game and probably would enter
most Of their evidence as rebuttal
testimony. Walsh declared he had
not yet decided whether to place on
the witness stand the mother, faith
er and brother Of Hickman, all here
for the trial. Four hundred and
fifty pages Of depositions obtained
from Arkansas, Oklahoma and
Missouri witnesses will be offered.
Four expert witnesses-physicians
and psychiatrists-will testify for
the defense and seven for the
prosecution.
Besieged by throngs Of the cur
ious seeking the tickets admitting
spectators to the trial, Judge Carlos
Hardy has adopted the plan of Civ
ing halliday passes for the less
than Is seats available after So
newspaper representatives and
court attaches are provided for.