Collection: Los Angeles Daily News Negatives / Subject: Disaster and Judicial proceedings--California--Los Angeles - UCLA Library Digital Collections Search Results

Description:: Betty Flay Hardaker sits in an office chair at the Los Angeles County Jail. Mrs. Hardaker was convicted of murdering her 5 year old daugher, Geraldine Hardaker, in a Montebello park washroom. The jury convicted her of committing the crime while of unsound mind.
Date:: February 23, 1940
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Los Angeles Daily News Negatives

Description:: Mrs. Mary E. Smith of Alhambra, serving as an alternate juror for the "White Flame" double homicide trial of aviation executive Paul A. Wright.Wright's defense team, led by famed Los Angeles defense attorney Jerry Giesler, argued that Wright was not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury found Wright guilty of two counts of manslaughter, and subsequently ruled that he had been insane at his sanity trial.
Date:: [between January 17-February 18, 1938]
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Los Angeles Daily News Negatives

Description:: Accused murderer Paul A. Wright on the stand. Wright, an airport executive, shot his wife and his best friend while they sat together on a piano bench. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
Date:: [circa January 13, 1938]
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Los Angeles Daily News Negatives

Description:: Family of murder victim Marilyn Bunker sit in court during the trial of the accused murderer Donald Rogers. Marilyn was shot by 17-year-old Donald Rogers, also known as Donald Fehrenschild, while she was playing on a hill with her little brother and other children. Rogers shot at the children from the upstairs window of his home. However, Rogers insisted that he was trying to shoot doves he had seen on the hillside.
Date:: February 15, 1940
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Los Angeles Daily News Negatives

Description:: Albert Dyer, a 32 year old W.P.A crossing guard who confessed to the murders of three Inglewood girls, at his trial. Dyer admitted to luring the girls; Madeline Everett (9), Melba Everett (7), and Jeanette Stephens (8) into the woods on the pretense of helping them catch rabbits and then strangled them in succession. Extra deputy sheriffs were on guard outside the trial to control the crowds of angry and thrill-seeking people they expected would come to witness the trial of this heinous crime. Dyer was sentenced to death after the jury's two day debate. On September 16, 1938 at San Quentin Prison, Dyer was one of the last people to be hung in the state of California
Date:: August 1937
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Los Angeles Daily News Negatives

Description:: Benjamin E. Erb, oil worker and resident of 2512 North Eastlake Avenue in Los Angeles, pictured serving on the jury for the famous "White Flame" double murder trial of aviation executive Paul A. Wright.Wright's defense team, led by famed Los Angeles defense attorney Jerry Giesler, argued that Wright was not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury found Wright guilty of two counts of manslaughter, and subsequently ruled that he had been insane at his sanity trial.
Date:: [between January 17-February 18, 1938]
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Los Angeles Daily News Negatives

Description:: Accused murderer Paul A. Wright on the stand. Wright, an airport executive, shot his wife and his best friend while they sat together on a piano bench. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
Date:: [circa January 13, 1938]
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Los Angeles Daily News Negatives

Description:: Dr. George K. Dazey (far left) and his third wife, Dorcas Dazey (center), at the trial in which Dr. Dazey is accused of murdering his second wife, actress Doris S. Dazey, in 1935. Doris Dazey's death was originally believed to be suicide by monoxide poisoning. However, witnesses claimed that Dr. Dazey had been boasting about committing the "perfect crime" and a night watchman testified to witnessing Dazey carry a woman's body from the house to the garage on the night of the murder. Other factors complicating the trial were the paternity of Doris and George Dazey's child, Doris Dazey's possible mental illness, and false testimonies from some of the witnesses. Dr. Dazey was ultimately acquitted of the crime.
Date:: between December 3, 1939 and March 10, 1940
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Los Angeles Daily News Negatives

Description:: Ex-convict Peter Pianezzi with his mother Rose Pianezzi at a trial where he is charged with two murders. Rose Pianezzi was a witness on his behalf. Allegedly, Pianezzi shot gambler George (Les) Bruneman 16 times in a cafe and then fatally shot cafe employee Frank A. Greuzard when he attempted to take down Pianezzi's license plate number. The murder, which occurred October 25, 1937, is thought to have been gang-related. The first trial ended with a hung jury, 9-3 for the acquittal of Pianezzi. In the second trial, Pianezzi received a life sentence for the murders. Later, at age 80, Pianezzi was pardoned based on innocence.
Date:: February 19, 1940
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Los Angeles Daily News Negatives

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