Show condit must die state pardon board rules the application of donald lawton condit for commutation of his death sentence to one of life imprisonment was denied by the state board of pardons at a meeting held on wednesday therefore the 25 year old slayer of harold A thorne grocery salesman who befriended condit must face a firing squad on july as ordered by judge will L hoyt on monday of last week the defendant had already lost in in his appeal to the state supreme court for a new trial and his only hope rested in a rep by the governor who present at the wednesday meeting of the board several friends and rela ela jitni tit ni condit themert the meet ing of the Board last Satur saturday daj and along with his attorney made a plea for his life his attorney alonzo W watson argued in con aits behalf with the following people giving testimony and urging that he be given a life term mrs condit who blamed herself for the slayers frame of mind when he left los angeles on the trip which resulted in the killing T C heyl L A attorney representing mrs francis hampton who financed Cond its schooling martin bredberg huntington califon calieon nia school executive who financed the trip of other california witnesses and condit himself they all made lengthy pleas giving many reasons for Cond its actions up to the time of the shooting but district attorney ellis J pickett who conducted condich prosecution saw condit as a cunning smart desperado with criminal senses sharpened by his term in san quentin and declared that commutation of the death sentence to one of life imprisonment would mean his release on the public in about eight years district judge will 1 L hoyt had also written a letter to the pardons board requesting that no change be made in the sentence there is only one other avenue to the defendant of escape open is by governor now and that a rep herbert B maw |