The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-08
April 20 Set
 For Execution
CContlnued from Page lO

Heralding Zukauskas' arrival at fhe courthouse today was the same nhfieking of sirens which flAred as Ine started his fateful confession at noon, Saturday, Nov. {.
 Tt must be a big fire" someone shouted. But Zukauskas was deep m other thoughts, and perhaps memories. He bowed his head and slowly wound his way up the court house stairs-to meet his fate.
 Plain clothesmen, wearing police badges, were scattered throughout the building as the deadline neared.
 Spectators clung to their seats as c waiting mob clamored to get in- side for a final glimpse of the dra- Hnatlc scene.
 The wife of the accused remained calm and stolid when she chatted with her husband as the judges pondered his fate. The couple laughed and smiled and looked in- dlfferent to the weighty proceed lngs inside the judges chambers For the first time since the trial started she had a relative at her gide-her brother, soldier, who had just arrived home from hospital and service in the Pacific.
 The soldier, Pvt. First Class Fred erick Sterling, was grim remin- der of the storm which enWrapped the Zukauskas family.
 One of four brothers in the serv- Ice, three of them still overseas, he arrived in Waterbury at ] a. m. to- day for friendly visit with hic sister, and learned for the first time of the murder trial.
 The suspense that engulfed the courtroom as the decision was awaited as evident throughout the building. Everywhere the question that burned was What will 1t be life or death" AS the minutes went by. speculation became stronger, and spectators argued whether de- lay meant better chance TOT the accused.
 Only a two to one decision was necessary, everyone everywhere re- 1terated.
 In his final arguments to the court, Carmody described the action of the accused as that of crazy man." He said ZukauSkas was in a "complete physical and mental fog" when he pulled the trigger and ex- ploded the death-dealing bullets.
 What happened in his mind the Lord only knows" Carnody de- clarcd. Tt was not rational and 1t wasn't plain. Even the lowest animal kind would have rejected a plan as foolish, as dangerous, as wild, as this plan to shoot in his own neighbor- hood at 10 o'clock at night"
 The defense attorney said it was not the claim of the defense that Zukauskas was drunk when he fired the guns. The accused had been drinking heavily, however, and "theye was alcohol in the picture" |" Carinody stated.
 He said there was a complete lack Of intent or knowledge of what Zukauskas was doing
 Carmody declared an emotional explosion burst when ZukauskaS fired the final shots The decd was not willful, deliberate, or premedi- tated, he declared.
 Called Mad-Man
 ZulLauskaS' actions after the crime was committed were those of mad man, the defense attorney declared "He drove and drove, here and there, and did not know where he was go- ing or what he was doing" Carmody stated.
 Sectators in the building sensed the gravity of the occasion when the office officers were noted Throughout the corridors and in the courtroom. Badges flashed from all directions, and sheriffs walked the floor to kee order.
 res of prospective spectators sefe turned away early in the morn slsf after the courtroom was filled sf were asked by the sheriffs to if@ge the building No one was al- aJsaI to stand even in the corridors
 fa his closing arguments yesterday s noon, Fitzgerald declared Zu- kauskas shot Mrs. Plungis the first time because of mixture of anger and jealousy and that he shot her on Bradley avenue to conceal what had happened on Alder street"
 Z9sauskas knew, the prosecutor stated, that whether or not Mrs. Plungis died from the wounds sus- tained on Alder street. he would be exposed and punished and that his family would be subjected to econ Onitc consequences And his police rank meant great deal to the ac- cused, Fitzgerald said
 To cover up the incident on Alder street, he decided tO kill her and 'embarked on a consistent policy and course of conccalment." Fitzger- aid stated.
 Lied To Police
 Discussing the concealmcnt, Fitz- gerald pointed out zukauskas hiG the body, buried the clothes, seat tered the shells, disposed of the guns, and lied to police. The accused declared he left Mrs PlungS on q street corner Nov. ] and that she drove away like a bat in hell', he continued. The defendant even urged police to hunt out Joseph @quarzino or another man she may have bounded off with, the prosecu- tor pointed out.
 ZukauskaS' thought was that Mrs. Plungis might die anyway from gum shot wounds or loss of blood after the Alder street incident, the pros ecutor said. To kill her outright and coEceal her body would save him from the consequences of that shoot ang. the prosecutor stated in speak ing of the possible thoughts that xnotiyated the accused.
 "The killing was accompanied by no circumstance which law will re- gard as a justification circumstance Or as an excuse" Fitzgerald declar- cd. There was no suggestion he said, that Zukauskas was of unsound mind. either permanent or tempor-