Mercy killer of legless wife gets light sentence

International News Photos (New York, N.Y.) · [ca. July 1953]

Mercy killer William R. Jones, 62-year-old Detroit auto worker, is shown in the photo at (left), shaking the hands of bed-ridden Judge Clyde Webster after the judge sentenced Jones to a year and a day to five years imprisonment for the mercy slaying of his legless wife Barbara, last December 10th. Jones' attorney, Peter Lucas stand by. At (right photo) the judge and Jones break into tears after the sentence was pronounced. Frank Whitman, court reporter, takes notes. Judge Webster is bed-ridden with a nervous infection.