Commonwealth v. Becker

Long, P. J.,

— On November 4,1936, John Becker was found guilty of murder of the first degree and the jury fixed death as the penalty. On December 31,1936, a new trial was refused and January 4, 1937, was fixed as the time for sentence. At the moment sentence was to be passed defendant requested a new trial, alleging after-discovered evidence. Testimony having been taken on January 5, 1937, a new trial was refused and defendant was sentenced in the manner fixed by the verdict.

He chose at the inception of his trial two experienced criminal lawyers, John W. Conrad, Esq., and Clarence O. Morris,…