that he had found Mrs. Atkins property abandoned ina parking lot.
Convicted and sentenced to die, his case was appealed to—the Texas————
Supreme Court which affirmed the conviction and hewas electrocuted at
the Texas State Prison on March 31, 1963,
TRUE DETECTIVE MAGAZINE, June, 1963, Page 7¢
363 S.We2and 139
that he had found Mrs, Atkins property abandoned in a parking lot.
Convicted and sentenced to die, his case was appealed_to—the Texas
Supreme Court which affirmed the conviction and hewas electrocuted at
the Texas State Prison on March 31, 1963.
TRUE DETECTIVE MAGAZINE, June, 1963. Page 7
363 S.We2nd 139
that he had found Mrs. Atkins property abandoned in a parking ake
Convicted and sentenced to die, his case_was appealed tothe.
Supreme Court which affirmed the conviction and hewas electrocuted at
the Texas State Prison on March 31, 1963.
TRUE DETECTIVE MAGAZINE, June, 1963. Page 7.
363 S.W.2nd 139
LAVAN, Joseph, Jr.
Lavan, a 23-year-old black man, had served time in Texas State Prison
for assault to murder, robbery by assault and fourteen cases of bur~
glary. He was living in Houston where he supported himself by variou
robberies and burglaries, On the night or March 13, 1961, he crawled
under the building where Mrs, KKEXXXxK Cecilia Atkins ran a neighbor-|
hood grocery in the front and maintained sleeping quarters in'the
rear. He bored a hole through the floor, connected a hose to the gas
line under the building and inserted in hrough the hoje believing
that would cause Mrs, Atkins to Sleep so deeply that she would not
hear him while he was robbing the store. He entered through a bedro
window and when he found that she was not unconscious but was aware of
his presence, he shot her several times with a .22 calibre pistol,
inflicting mortal wounds, He then robbed both the store and her liv-
taining money which she had hidden underneath her matress, Lavan was
Stopped for a traffic violation and when officers found the empty
purses, some of the goods taken and some clothes belonging to Mrs, At-
kins, he was taken to the police station where he mtakm confessed
| the robbery mrder, At his trial, he maintained that the confession
had been made after he had been beaten and abused and he said
LAVAN, Joseph, Jr.
Lavan, a 23-year-old black man, had served time in Texas State Prison
for assault to murder, robbery by assault and fourteen cases of bur-
glary. He was living in Houston where he supported himself by variou
robberies and burglaries, On the night or March 13, 1961, he crawled
under the building where Mrs, KHEXXEXXX Cecilia Atkins ran a neighbor
hood grocery in the front and maintained sleeping quarters in'the
rear, He bored a hole through the floor, connected a hose to the gas
line under the building and inserted in hrough the hope believing
that would cause Mrs, Atkins to sleep so deeply that she would not
hear him while he was robbing the store. He entered through a bedroa
window and when he found that she was not unconscious but was aware of
his presence, he shot her several times with a .22 calibre pistol,
inflicting mortal wounds, He then robbed both the store and her liv-
ing quartess, taking various goods from the store and five purses con-|
taining money which she had hidden underneath her matress, Lavan was
Stopped fpr a traffic violation and when officers found the empty
purses, some of the goods taken and some clothes belonging to Mrs, At-
kins, he was taken to the police station where he mittkm confessed
| the robbery mrder. At his trial, he maintained that the confession
had been made after he had been beaten and alused and he said
LAVAN, Joseph, Jr.
Stopped for a traffic violation and when officers found the empty
Rirees, some of the goods taken and some clothes belonging to lire. Ate
Kins, he was taken to the police station where he xtaix confessed
the robbery mrder, at his trial, he maintained that the confession
had been mace after he had been beaten and alused and he said
