Goodwin Knight, Jerry Giesler, and Dr. Jess Nathan
Alternative Title
Valley Times Photo Collection
Contributor
This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian Made accessible through a grant from the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation and Photo Friends
Title supplied by cataloger. Wesley Robert Wells; scheduled to be executed April 9, 1954, under the law that mandated the death penalty for a life-term convict convicted of assault with a deadly weapon. Wells was imprisoned for five years to life at San Quentin Prison when he hit a guard over the head with a cuspidor during an inmate disturbance that took place on October 31, 1950. His sentence was commuted to life imprisonment without possibility of parole in March 1954. Photograph caption dated March 27, 1954 reads, "Clemency For Wells -- Joining in victory celebration with Governor Goodwin J. Knight after surprise move in which he recommended commutation of death sentence of Wesley Robert Wells are Jerry Giesler, left, prominent Beverly Hills attorney, and Dr. Jess Nathan, center, editor of Valley Jewish News, who were active in move to save Wells. He was sentenced to death under California prison code statute 4500 for throwing cuspidor at prison guard. Supreme Court will rule on governor's recommendation Monday."
Type
Image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ; 26 x 21 cm. Photographic prints
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