People v. Dessauer

Defendant pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity to a charge of murder. After trial by the court sitting without a jury he was found sane and guilty of murder of the first degree and sentenced to death. His motion for a new trial was denied. The case is here on automatic appeal from the judgment and order denying the new trial.

Defendant, 28 years of age, and Libby Bershad, the victim of the homicide, had been living together as husband and wife since June, 1950, without legal sanction. Apparently one source of their income for a living embraced various activities, such as…