People v. Lee

By an information filed by the district attorney of Mendocino County, defendant was charged with the crime of murder, committed on the sixteenth day of May, 1917, the deceased being his sister, Mary Long. The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter and the judgment of the court was that the defendant “be punished by imprisonment in the state prison of the state of California for the term of from one to ten years.” The defendant appeals from an order denying his motion for a new trial and from the judgment.

Briefly but generally stated, the facts leading up to the commission of the homicide are as follows: Defendant and his wife were living in the town of Willits, in Mendocino County. On May 14, 1917, Mrs. Ed. Gravier, who lived in Round Valley, accompanied by her daughter, Hazel, went to Willits for the purpose of visiting Mrs. Lee, the wife of defendant, who was also a daughter of Mrs. Gravier. The visitors were met at the train by Mrs. Lee and the three parties started for the defendant’s house. On the way they stopped at the postoffice and Mrs. Lee went in to inquire for . mail. When she came out she handed to Mrs. Gravier a letter addressed to Arlow Gravier, a son of Mrs.…