Imperial Valley press., 1930-12-20
ROBERTS FATE
TO BE- DECIDED
BY JURY TODAY
Case Taken Under Con-
i sideration Today After
Weeks Trial.

While Lee L. Roberts rested in the
county Jail from the rigors of a
trial that has taken up all of this
week, a jury composed Of three
women and nine men today deliber-
ated on the evidence presented to
them in an effort to decide his guilt
or innocence.
The jury was called into court at
10 o'clock this morning to hear
Judge A, c. Finney's instructions,
and at 10:45 retired to decide Ro-
berts' fate. While they argued the
evidence in a little room on the
second floor of the county court
house, the man whose life they held
in their hands waited stolidly in his
Jail cell.
Actions of the accused last night
and today continued along the same
| impassive line he has followed dur
, ing the trial. Only once, when he
was on the witness stand, did
| Roberts come near tears. During
the last trial, when hung jury was
the result, the defendant broke into
! sobS several times.
| Judge Finneys court room yes
| terday afternoon took on all the as
| poets of a torrid political debate
| except that the attorneys we're cam
! paigning for the release or convlc-
ton OF Roberts for the alleged MUIR
der of Mrs. Florence Miller neal
WinterhaVen on the night of August
10.
| Twelve votes were the award sough'
by four attorneys, and the ballot
=! must be unanimous. No matter
which side wins, the voters will cas-
their ballot with the name of Lee
L. Roberts as the only one men.
toned.
Six Verdicts Possible
Six verdicts were left open to tht
jurors. Three involved a verdict O.
first degree murder. One is murdel
in the first degree, with the deatf
penalty recommended, one with lift
imprisonment recommended, ant
one with no recommendation. Th'
other verdicts possible are secont
degree murder, manslaughter ant
guilty
| Addresses to the jury yeSterda,
afternoon, by defense and proSecu
ton attorneys, reviewed the case a
it has unfolded in evidence present
ed at the trial. Each attorney pre-
sented the case in the light of hi
interest in it. the prosecution Gle
claring that Roberts guilt has beel
proven beyond a doubt, and the de
Tense stating that the state has ut
terly failed to make out cas-
against the accused.
H. H. Baker, county attorney TO-
Yuma county, tpened the argument
with a speech which employed mum
erous turns of oratory. 1t wa
Bakers speech at which defense at
torneys directed a battery of criti
ciSm and ridicule.
Jesse C. Wanslee of Phoenix, de
tense attorney, followed Baker. Hi
style in argument was the direct op
posite of that of the Yuma attor
ney. WanSlee reviewed the evidence
of state witnesses, claiming tina
these witnesses had failed in th
object intended for them by the pro
secution.
1t was Ernest r. Utley, thirt
speaker, who directed a blast o
bitter sarcasm at the speech OF Ba
ker. A quiver of mirth passed owe
the court room when Utley shouted
Mr.. Baker is as full of contention
as a dog is of fleas, but he hasn'
got the proof
Clarence B. Smith, chief deput,
district attorney, closed the argu
mentS with a straight forward pre-
sentation to the jury of the evidenc
presented by the state during tn
trial, asking the jurors to conside
the testimony against Roberts a
reasonable men and women.