The People v. Harris

A jury in the circuit court of Wayne County found defendant Charles B. Harris guilty of the murder of Betty Newton, the murder of William Meritt, and arson. He was sentenced by the court for a term of 60 to 75 years for each murder and for a term of 10 to 15 years for the arson, the sentences to run concurrently.

The defendant concedes that there is sufficient evidence to support the conviction. William Meritt had testified against Harris in a previous murder case in Wayne County and Betty Newton was a former girl friend of Harris who had forsaken him for William Meritt. Harris had told…