Dennis Griffin, whose friends have so faithfully worked to secure his release from the State penitentiary under bond, ending an appeal to the Supreme Court from a sentence of 30 years imposed by Judge Sinclair at the trial early this month, will be released immediately. For several days it has appeared that all his chances of being released were lost, but Attorney General Brummitt reversed Judge Sinclair and Solicitor Gilliam in their interpretation of the Statutes, and said that the appeal bond did not have to be in possession of the court before the trial was closed.
When attorneys for Griffin gave notice of appeal before the special term of court adjourned, Judge Sinclair made his appearance bond $50,000. Being such a heavy one, the attorneys thought it would not be raised and they failed to put up the appeal bond of only $50 before the court session was ended. This bond is required to cover the cost of printing the record.
But the friends who so closely stood by him through the whole affair, from the time of his arrest the first of April, when they put up a bond of $20,000 for his appearance at the special term of court, secured his release and then testified in his behalf during the trial, got busy and in the day or so had put up a bond of $50,000, and if need had been they would have put up as much more.
It is generally believed that the only purpose of an appeal was to get two or three months of liberty for Griffin, because there were very few exceptions and little ground for an appeal resulting from the trial held in this county. Solicitor Gilliam wrote Governor McLean, stating that he and Judge Sinclair were of the opinion that Griffin’s rights had been forfeited. In the same message he suggested to the Governor in case he was not satisfied with their conclusion that he secure a ruling from Attorney General Dennis G. Brummitt.
Yesterday the governor sent the attorney general the papers in the case, and he returned an opinion that Griffin was entitled to be released, pending the appeal to the Supreme Court. Attorney H.M. Stubbs left this afternoon for Raleigh to make the necessary arrangements for the release. They will return tomorrow.
From the front page of The Enterprise, Williamston, Martin County, N.C., Tuesday, May 26, 1925. Griffin was found guilty of mutilating a man accused of raping a woman. https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8493267847537044513/26178882065217068
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073995/1925-05-26/ed-1/seq-1/#words=May+26%2C+1925
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