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Trial Called Fair: Most Bystanders Say Collins Guilty

Trial Called Fair: Most Bystanders Say Collins Guilty image
Parent Issue
Day
19
Month
August
Year
1970
Copyright
Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
OCR Text

Trial Called Fair

Most Bystanders Say Collins Guilty

By Cal Samra

. (News Staff Reporter)

M"-! "r 11-K-- in.,;!," interviewed
in ( ... outside the
County Building this morning
agreed that John Norman Col-
lins received a fair trial and
was guilty of the murder of
Karen Sue Beineman. Many
said they felt there ought to be
a death penalty for murder.

But an EMU student who
once dated Collins commented
that she didn't "feel- it was
definitely proven" that Collins
killed Miss Beineman. Said
Sharon Riley, 25, who lives on
West Huron in Ann Arbor: "He
got a fair trial, but it was all
circumstantial evidence."

Miss Riley said she met Col-
lins at the Rubaiyat restaurant
over a year ago, and had dated
him on occasions. "He was very
nice," she said, adding that he
had treated her gently. "He ap-
peared very normal."

Her reaction to the jury's ver-
dict: "I feel numb." She added:

"I heard that he showed no
emotion when the jury came in
with its verdict." That seemed,
to disturb her.

"I'd be concerned about dat-
ing him now," she said.

Miss Riley and Mrs. Iwona
Weir of 2125 Golfside both had
been coming to the courtroom
regularly. "I always felt he was

guilty '^ ^lared Mrs. Weir,
addii.-, ,.n. ..he felt Collins got a
fair trial. "I really feel sorry
for him. I could never have
served on that jury and given
a verdict. I wouldn't feel re-
sponsible enough to make such
a decision."

Mrs. John Miskovic, a house-
wife who lives at 4945 Miller
Rd., walked by with her two
small children in hand. "I feel
it was a fair trial and that he
was guilty," she said, declaring
that the state ought to institute
the death penalty for murder.

"With the death penalty," she
said, "there would be less of
this sort of thing. If a murderer
knows he'll get out in time,
then he's likely to do it again."

Asked if she felt she could
walk the streets of Ann Arbor
easier now, Mrs. Miskovic said
she didn't think so. "There are
a lot more like him running

around— and maybe worse
than he is," she said.

"Ten years ago," Mrs. Mis-
kovic declared, "a woman could
walk safely on the streets of
Ann Arbor — now, you can't.
And I don't think it's getting
better. In another 10 years, a
woman will need an armed
guard to walk around here."

Robert Harder of Saline, a
County employe,- also said the
death penalty for murder ought
to be instituted. "We're having
too many of these kinds of
cases," he commented. "We're
losing too many policemen."
Collins, Harder claimed, got a
fair trial and "was guilty." He
added: "The prosecution had a
wonderful case."

Pearlene Sullivan of Ann Ar-
bor, a city District Court em-
ploye, also said she felt Collins
got a fair trial and was guilty.
She said she felt the blood found
in the basement of the Leik
home was the turning point in
the prosecutions case. Miss Sul-
livan said she believed the death
penalty ought to be given to per-
sons convicted of more than one
murder.

Chris A" of Ann Arbor,
an employ city's Human
Rights Department, agreed with
Miss Sullivan's assessment, but
felt that one murder alone jus-
tified the death penalty.

"I feel bad for the boy," said

Ken Levy of 1725 Weldon Blvd.,
an Ann Arbor realtor. "But
that's American justice. This
was the final verdict of a good
jury." He added: "I felt he had
a fair trial. The deliberations of
the jury were deep and thought-
ful."

"Only Collins knows in his
own mind whether he's guilty,"
commented William Hogan of
1071 W. Air Way, who is in the
home remodeling business.
"He's the only one who really
knows." But he declined to
judge Collins' guilt or innocence.
"I don't judge, in order not to be
judged," Hogan said.

"I feel it was a just verdict,"
said a young man, who insisted
on remaining unidentified, be-
cause both ther and his
father are ai ; ;; s-. "The thing
I don't rnderstand is why Col-
lins wasn't called to testify. He
should have been called to the
stand." He added: "I feel sor-
ry for his family, but I think
they ought to have the death
penalty for murder in Michi-
gan."

Said Vickie Smith of 2008 Car-
hart, an employe in the County
Building's coffee shop: "It
seems real sad that such a
young man should be convict-
ed like this. I feel sorry for him.
It seems a shame he has to
spend his life in prison. But he'll
have to take the consequences."

She added: "I can't really say
if he got a fair trial."

Miss Smith -•'^ .she v-as plan-
ning to enter ' ,'ar.

An' ' -by who asked
not .led because he
is the husband of a policewoman
serving in the Collins' court
said: "Based on the prosecu-
tion's testimony, I thought it
was a just verdict. There were
seven undisputed facts pointing
to Collins' guilt, and the circum-
stantial evidence linked these
facts together."

One of those who appeared to
be most deeply affected by the
verdict was Fr. Patrick Jackson
of St. Thomas' Church, spiritual
adviser to Collins and the Col-
lins family. After the verdict,
Fr. Jackson drove his car into
the rear s ' 'n:: 1n{ n" " '" •••
ty Build i

waiting to take Mrs. Coiiins
home.

Fr. Jackson quietly declined
to comment on the verdict, but.
he was clearly trying to choke
back tears.

Fr. Jackson Wc;"c,7 itiently
for Mrs. Collins (i e from
the County Building. And when
she finally came out, followed
by a battery of photographers
and newsmen, she got into the
priest's car and they drove
away, carrying their pain with
them.