People v. Van Allen

Defendant is a 38-year-old Negro. He has been convicted in the County Court of Albany County of rape, second degree, on a 13-year-old white girl. Having three times before been convicted of felony, he was sentenced to prison for an indeterminate term of from fifteen years to life, conformably with the mandatory duty of the court. (Penal Law, § 1942.)

The trial of such a case required, and received from the presiding Judge, care and skill in judicial guidance and impartial presentation to the jury in the direction of avoidance of prejudice which could easily attach itself to an accusation of…