_Gafid demanded use of the car, ‘When he refused, Henry tore an arm
from a chair and charged at him in a threatening manner. He then ww
-. Shot him and claimed that he did so in self-defense, A sanity hear-\,
“ing prior to his trial ruled him sane, but his attorneys still )
Soffer ed this as a defense and the jury that convicted him also ruledX\
eS he was sane, There was definite indications that he was para=
twnoic and prior to his execution, at the request of his family who
x said that he had further deterioated during his confinement, another>
X jury ruled on his sanity and once again found him sane, An appeal
was unsuccessful and then a strong effort was made to have the sen=
mw tence commuted, One of the Ass&sstant Prosecutars who had secured
& his conviction resigned, saying that his conscience was troubled
$and joined in the effort to secure clemency and the foreman of the 3
tast jury to rule him sane spent the night preceding the execution 48
Pryiog to get in touch with the Governor to intercede in his behalf, $
Nwany people felt that Leath was being executed not sa much because
1 he had murdered the boy as because he was a homosexual, For a fae
meal, he ate fried chicken, hashed brown potatoes, onion rings, a
a whole Dutch chocale cake garnished with nuts and celery sticks with
cheese, Exceedingly nervous, he was assisted into the death hae 18
j k the’ 23rd Psalm in the Bible and he died
% folding st in his Left de fle was electrocuted at the Texas State
n
‘ 6 SOUTHWESTERN (2nd 3163, JITNESS b
Prison on Nove 9, 1961, 365 ( ) 3 ; ey wes
id demanded use of the car, When he refused, Henry tore an arm
from a chair and charged at him in a threatening manner. He then
: : 1 A sanity hear
“Ning prior to his trial ruled him sane, but his attorneys still S
offered this as a defense and the jury that convicted him also aveN
es he was sane. There was definite indications that he was para= nN
sfnoic and prior to his execution, at the request of his family who NN
w said that he had further deterioated during his confinement, another>
\ jury ruled on his sanity and once again found him sane, An appeal -
MSwas unsuccessful and then a strong effort was made to have the sen=- ©
a tence commuted, One of the Assisstant Prosecutars who had secured
and joined in the effort to secure clemency and the foreman of the
last jury to rule him sane spent the night preceding the execution QI
Drying to get in touch with the Governor to intercede in his behalf,
(WHany people felt that Leath was being executed not sa much because Q}
the had murdered the boy as because he was a homosexual, For a tne
his conviction resigned, saying that his conscience was troubled 5
$ meal, he ate fried chicken, hashed brown potatoes, onion rings, a
whole Dutch chocale cake garnished with nuts and celery sticks with .
din, a'f2) he was assisted into the death chamber
sich hts fingers faticing. the’ 2 rd'Psaim in the Bible and he died _
holding it in his ae fg te ee randy se; the Py Sleal
al nm Nove 9, 1961, sour ani ; Bees
po Prison o ees 3 3 ‘ yy y
Gafia demanded use of the car, When he refused, Henry tore an arm
Meron a chair and charged at him in a threatening manner, He then
Jeshot him and claimed that he did so in self-defense, A sanity hear.
JS ing prior to his trial ruled him sane, but his attorneys still Sy
ita this as a defense and the jury that convicted hin also ruled\
that he was sane, There was definite indications that he was para-
Snoic and prior to his execution, at the request of his family who nN
said that he had further deterioated during his confinement, aretha’
\ jury ruled on his sanity and once again found him sane, An appeal
SS was unsuccessful and then a strong effort was made to have the sen- ©
tence commuted, One of the Assisstant Prosecutars who had secured
$ his conviction resigned, saying that his conscience was troubled
Zand joined in the effort to secure clemency and the foreman of the
et jury to rule him sane spent the night preceding the execution
ying to get in touch with the Governor to intercede in his behalfs 5
Mary people felt that Leath was being executed not sa mich because 3)
had murdered the boy as because he was a homosexual, For a last
fay he ate fried chicken, hashed brown potatoes, onion rings, a
whole Dutch chocale cake garnished with nuts and celery sticks with
REVERS, he was assisted into the death chamb er'|
S cheese, Rxceedingly,
st the’ 23rd Psalm in the Bible and he died
S fe ands “fe
RS Holding 4 Paras wag electrocitod at the ee
61. 36 SOUTHWESTERN (2nd) 3h63 5E :
LE Prison on Nov. 9, 16, JE BEDE YY
fen iin Ske ek
Fhe
LEATH, Fred, Thomas
Leath, a 38-year-old white man, had served with distinction as a com-
bat infantryman during World War II, being decorated with the Bronze
Star with an oak leaf cluster for valor and the Purple Heart with two
oak leaf clusters, Married and a father prior to his military ser-
vice, he was discharged,after having undergone a complete personality
thange, a practicing homosexual. Returning to his native Texas, he
served a five year sentence in the State Prison following conviction
on an assault with intent to murder charge after he had shot a 15=
year-old Dallas youth who he suspected of planning to rob him, Re-
leased from the penitentiary in September, 1958, he went to Fort
Worth and obtained employment as a window dresser in a men's store,
living in an apartment in the Uptowne Hotel MMH at 612 West Third St,
In November, he met Charles Edward (''Chuck") Henry, a 15-year-old
youth, and they began a homosexual affair which continued until March
2h, 1959, when Leath shot Henry four times in his apartment. Pblice
and an ambulance was immediately summoned and Leath was taken into
custody while Henry was. taken to.a.Fort Worth hospital, where e. di d
Sorby, minutes, lgbe, wignout, regaining consetouanense LEA ofRined
but that he had always refused because Henry did not have a drivers!
license, He said that on the evening of the shodting, Henry appeared
LEATH, Fred, Thomas
Leath, a 38-year-old white man, had served with distinction as a com-
bat infantryman during World War II, being decorated with the Bronze
Star with an oak leaf cluster for walor and the Purple Heart with two
oak leaf clusters, Married and a father prior to his military ser-
vice, he was discharged,after having undergone a complete personality
thange, a practicing homosexual, Returning to his native Texas, he
served a five year sentence in the State Prison following conviction
on an assault with intent to murder charge after he had shot a 15=
year-old Dallas youth who he suspected of planning to rob him, Re-
leased from the penitentiary in September, 1958, he went to Fort
Worth and obtained employment as a window dresser in a men's store,
living in an apartment in the Uptowne Hotel AHH at 612 West Third St.
In November, he met Charles Edward ("Chuck") Henry, a 15-year-old
youth, and they began a homosexual affair which continued until March
2h, 1959, when Leath shot Henry four times in his apartment. Pdlice
and an ambulance was immediately summoned and Leath was taken into
custody while Henry was, taken to.a.Fort Worth hospital, where he. di d
EREEY: He boy nad: “on “acronal Secaets qconge equa gga. LER othe
but that he had always refused because Henry did not have a drivers!
license, He said that on the evening of the shodting, Henry appeared
LEATH, Fred, Thomas
Leath, a 38-year-old white man, had served with distinction as a com-
bat infantryman during World War II, being decorated with the Bronze
Star with an oak leaf cluster for walor and the Purple Heart with two
oak leaf clusters.
en's store,
living in an apartment in the Uptowne Hotel AKH at 612 Vest Third St.
In November, he met Charles Edvard ("Chuck") Henry, a 15-year-old
youth, end they began a homosexual affair which continued until March
2h, 1959, when Leath shot Henry four times in his apartment, Pahlice
and an ambulance was inmediately summoned and Leath was taken into
where, be, died
egeihing consctqusesss LenEn oh Si sed
on several o€casions, asked £0 borrow his autonobil
always refused because Henry did not have a drivers
license, He said that on the evening of the shobting, Henry appeared
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