The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1943-04-10

legal sanity OF the defendnt. "
Buckley said.
There was long argument
which Bigger did not under
stand The judge called both
LAWYERS forward to the railing
and they talked for over an hour
Finally. they went back to their
seats and the Judge looked to-
ward Bigger and said;
Bigger Thomas. will YOU rise?'
His body flushed hot AS he
had felt when he stood over the
bed with the white blur floating
toward him; AS he had felt when
he had sat in the car between
Ian and Mary; as he had felt
when he had seen Gus coming
through the door of Docs pool
room so he felt now construct
cd. taut. in the grip OF power
full impclling fear AZ that mo-
merit II seemed that any action
under heaven would have been
preferable 10 standing He want
ed to leap from his chair and
swing some heavy weapon anil
end this unequal fight Max
caught his arm
"stand up. bigger
He rose. holding on 10 the edLe
Of tho table. his knees trembling
so that he thought that 'Nrv
would buckle under him. The
Judge looked AZ him long tire
before speaking BEHIND him.
Bigger heard the room hn7zme
with the sound Of voices. The
jidge raped for order
How far did YOU get in school,
tho Judge asked
Eighth grade" Bigger wis
prrcd. surprised at the question.
III your plea Is guilty and TN"
nlea Is entered IN this case the
fudge said and paused. the Court
may sentence Won 10 death nc
Judge said and paused again. "or
the Court may sentence you 10
the penitentiarv for tho term 81
your natural life" the Judge sl'i
and paused vet again. "or The
Court may sentence YOU n tn
penitentiary for term OF nnl
less than fourteen years
"Now. do YOU understand what
I have said?"
Bigger looked at Max; Max
nodded 10 him.
Speak up the Judge said. III
YOU do not understand what
have said. then say So
"y-y-yessuh; understand" nc
whisnered
"Then realizing The conse-
ouences ~ your plea. do YOU stu
plead guilty."
"Y-y-yessuh" no Whispered
again: feeling that y was All
wild and intense dream that must
end soon. somehow.
That's all. You may sit down.
the judge said.
He sat
us the state prepared 10 pre-
sont its evidence and Witnesses
the Judge asked
I'VE are. Your Honor" said
Buckley. rising and half-facing
tho Judge and the crowd.
your Honor. my staten NJ ~
this time will he very brief Thsre
is no need for me to p 'inrc ~
this Court tho horrible hetH"s 81
those distardly c,imes The a~rav
OF witnesses for the state. me
confession mad" and siene J Nv
tho defendant himeclf. 1nf IN"
concrete evidences will - -eAl the
unnatural aspcr; NJ this vie
osiense against God and man NOR
eioouenily than could over dare.
In more than one resrc,'. am
thankful that this Is the case. for
some Of tho facts Of this evil
crime are so fantastic and nm
hci,evahle so utterly beastlike
and foreign IN our whole concent
~ iise. that feel incanahle OF com
municatIng them to this Court
Never in nv long career as
an officer Of the people have !
been placed in position where
I've felt more unalterably certain
Of nv duty There Is no room here
for evasive. Theoretical. or fanci-
fuI interpretations 81 the law
Buckley paused. surveyed me
courtroom. then stepped 10 me
table and lifted from II the knife
with which Bigger had severei
Mary's head from her body. This
case r. as clcan-cut az this muir
derer's knife. the knife that dis
membered an innocent girl
Buckley shouted Tic paused AGAIN
and lifted from the table the
trick with which bigger had bat.
tered Bessie In the abandoned