United States Ex Rel. Townsend v. Twomey

MEMORANDUM OPINION

PERRY, District Judge.

The case of Charles Townsend is said to be the oldest capital punishment case in the country.

The history of the so-called Townsend case dates from the time of Charles Townsend’s arrest in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day 1954 and covers a span of 17 years. Petitioner (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “Townsend” or “petitioner”) was indicted for the murder of Jack Boone on January 6, 1954. He was tried in the Criminal Court of Cook County, Illinois; found guilty by a jury on February 18, 1955, and sentenced to death on April 7, 1955. Thus…