The Supreme Court of Austria today denied the appeal of Philip Halsmann’s lawyer to set aside the verdict of guilty which a court in Innsbruck had brought against him in connection with the death of his father.
As soon as Halsmann’s mother and sister, who were in the court-room, heard the verdict of the Supreme Court which meant that Halsmann, who had been declared by doctors to be tubercular, would have to remain in prison, they broke down in a flood of tears.
The only thing that remains now for the Halsmann defense is to ask for a pardon.
Stormy scenes often interrupted the announcement as the verdict was given, the public joining with Halsmann’s family in cries of “let’s leave, we won’t find anything here.” The cries necessitated a delay of fifteen minutes in reading because the counsel left together with members of Halsmann’s family, sympathizers and newspapermen. The judge had to send a court usher to recall counsel in order to conclude the verdict.
A strong cordon of police guarded the vicinity of the court building against the excited populace.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.