People v. Costa

Norman Robert Costa was convicted by the court, sitting without a jury, of manslaughter committed in the driving of an automobile.

During early morning hours, Costa was driving a Cadillac automobile around the countryside with three other young men. All of them had been drinking and, at one time during the morning, Costa stopped and purchased a half-case of beer. Earlier, he had consumed three or four whisky highballs. He and his passengers drank some of the beer while they drove, Costa having had two cans of it shortly before the accident. By stipulation of the parties, a chemist’s report was…