The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1935-12-07
ON
P E A OF
SELF.DEFENSE
Verdict Rendered BY All
White Jury

Because Matte Banks
lO5 pound mother of foui
children, testified that she
shot and killed Mildred
Jackson, 30 pound mother
OF five children. because she
feared that Mrs. Jackson
would do her bodily harm.
an all-white jury composed
of nine women and three
men. returned her to- the
arms of her family in Judge
Brennans' Court, Wednesday
afternoon, by rendering q
verdict of not guilty of muir
der, reached after an hour
and a half of deliberation.
The verdict came as a surnr,s.
10 many OF the spectators in the
courtroom, after Assistant Prose.
cutor Charles Jones, had shown
me physical fact that Mrs. Jack.
son had been killed by a shot An
me back as she was In the act OF
running away from the woman
with the gun.
Matte Banks appearance. and
The TACT that she had never been
previously arrested for a crime
( probably had some weight with
the Jury Mrs. Banks. small. timid-
looking. quiet. looked little like
the killer whom witnesses had de-
scribed as shouting Back every
body and sending a fusillade of
. i've deadly bullets flying into tbs
crowd OF people that had gatherc,
about the house ON Farnswortl
I stree<, directly across from N,
chiidrsns Hbu1atix where N,
, argument came 70 &c.,
II Clad In black. sho sat cf1&uned
up In her chair. during the whole
or the three day trial. watchin :
the proceedings disinterestedIy. az
though they were not connecteS
with her In any way During the
final day of the trial. she cried
frequently. wiping the tears cara
fuiiy away with a handkerchief.
Death ON Sunday
The killing, which arose from n
night between the Banks and ack-
son children In the alley behind
their homes. occurred on Sunda,
afternoon. October 20. At about
$3.50 p. m.
Upon the witness stand. several
children swore that Mr.. Banks had
held . year old AlpAcnse yacksos
and let his son strike him IN the
stomach with O brick
Mrs. Jackson. accompanied BY her
sister Emma Anger. and a friend.
Isaac janice had gone 20 the Banks
home TO remonstrate against the
Further testimony by witnesses
revealed that they met Mr.. Banks
In front Of the doorstep, and ac-
cording to the testimony of three
witnesses. Mr.. James. knife in hand,
to jump on him II he
would put down the baby that he
held In his arms.
Mrs. Banks, so the testimony
ran who had come out OF the
house with a pistol clutched under
her coat. came to the aid OF her
and after some argument,
pulled out the gun and began fr.
ing, standing near the curb.
The first person to fall was
Emma Anger. who was shot in the
arm. Mrs. jackson started to runin
the direction OF her own house.
and seeing her sister fall. turned
and ran back past Mrs. Banks with
her hands raised. She was lift by
two bullets, one striking her In
the arm and the other lodging in
her back.
She fell at the corner of the
house, flat on her back. with her
hands raised An II year old boy,
John Corbitt. said Mrs. ackson
implored Mrs. Banks not 70 shoot
her any more. I'm Dying" he
said the fallen woman had gasped.
The young boy said that his dog.
thinking that the woman on the
ground was playing with him
snatched one OF her shoes off and
ran down the street with Il.
Three men picked MIRA. jackson
mp and carried her 70 the hospE
tai: but abe was dead on admit
lance. Mrs Banks went into her
homo IN the apartment building
where she and her husband wore
care-tAkers. Mr.. Banks had been
slirhtly wounded In the lee by one
OF his wise's shots. The pistol. with
ave discharged cartridges and one
loaded one was found by tho police
IN n bureau drawer.
Over 81 Witnesses trooped 10 the
stand 10 tell different versions cf
he killing II was brought out
under skillfui cross examination
Nv defense council Merrill (white,
that Mrs. Jackson was something
OF a bully in the neighborhood. hav
Ing been In many arguments with
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