Show An n Odd Coincidence refused to to the state board of pardons MORE MORE than a year ago LYL commute the death sentence of Walter Robert Avery who murdered an Ogden police detective when he w was s surprised store Avery was in due course In the act of robbing a grocery thereafter executed for his crime At t the time The Tim Telegram congratulated the Ogden judge before whom Avery was tried for a statement he had made to the pardons board opposing any ny commutation of the sentence We YVe felt that the board must have given great weight to the j judges judge's dJ s 's views inasmuch as he knew all aU th the facts in the thc case had heard all aU the evidence at the thc trial and was therefore in a better position than anyone else to express an opinion on leniency in the case In praising this judges judge's action in taking a a. direct interest in the pardon appeal of a murderer convicted in his court The Telegram expressed the hope that similar action would be taken by every other judge who has presided at the trial of a vic vicious ous criminal who later seeks clemency from the pardons board By an odd coincidence the example set by that judge in the case of Walter oWalter Avery now is followed by another judge to help assure that the proper punishment will be meted out to a man Who cold cold-bl cold murdered the first judge For the first judge was Lewis Vernon Trueman of Ogden And Judge Truemans Trueman's murderer Austin Cox is now facing death sentence for that crime cHine and arid the judge who heard Cox case Glenn W. W Adams has as Written a letter to the board of pardons opposing ing any clemency for the killer In his letter Judge Adams contended that Cox was fairly tried that in his opinion he was sane that he had a mean revengeful and surly disposition and that he is dangerous to the lives of the people of this state I recommend the judgment of the district court of Weber county be carried into effect on June 19 1944 as ordered We Ve extend to Judge Adams the same congratulations we extended previously to Judge Trueman for taking such forthright forthright forthright forth forth- right action in bringing to the attention of the pardons board the views of the trial judge in a case where clemency is o omay op ox may be asked for a convicted vicious criminal It is not an easy action for a judge to take in many respects He is not obligated to go beyond his task of p presiding at the trial N Nevertheless it is a fact that no one Is in a better position to express an opinion on the advisability of gra granting ting leniency to a condemned man and nd it is a real service to the state and to the pardons board to have such an expression of opinion from the judge Again we express t the e hope th that t other judges who preside at t th the trials trial of vicious criminals will follow the example set by Judge Trueman and Judge Adams |