The PEOPLE v. Maurantonio

This case comes to us by writ of error to the criminal court of Cook County. Rocco Maurantonio, defendant, was indicted on December 4, 1953, for the murder of one Francisco Campanelli. He was tried by a jury, found guilty of murder, and sentenced to 18 years in the State penitentiary.

It is conceded that the defendant shot and killed Campanelli, but defendant contends here, as in the trial court, that in the heat of a fight, believing himself to be endangered of life and limb, he shot the deceased in defense of his father and in self-defense. The occurrence witnesses were all of Italian…