IE WESTFIELD LEADER Serving Westfield Since 1890 O —J I USPS 61020 Published JDTH YEAR
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Sir > CO n.t- "Timi—t -1 —I J3T1O IT a ^31- C "• > "< 'wt -J .j IE WESTFIELD LEADER Serving Westfield Since 1890 o —J I USPS 61020 Published JDTH YEAR. NO. 38 *™»i ciu. PO»«. p.d WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 1990 o livery Thursda> 24 Pages—30 Cents j -«. iij flF.~\A LI • o John E. List Awaits Jury's Verdict j' Kathleen L. Gardner He described List's mental state at the time of the killings in 1971 as It is Passover and Holy Week. Westfielders of both Jewish and a small rubber band, stretched to the limit, which finally broke be- Christian faiths are in the midst of religious celebrations — one mark- cause of increasing stress. ing the flight of the Israelites, led by Moses, from Egypt, the other Referring to List's choice of profession, Dr. Miller said the defend- acknowledging the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. ant had found a niche that worked for him. But amid the celebrations, residents are wondering what will be the "Mr. List found a protected way of existence as an accountant," fate of John E. List, who took flight from Westfield in 1971 after Dr. Miller said. He said that List found elements of the profession shooting five members of his family. Westfielders are waiting for the comfortable — concrete things — such as numbers and limited in- jury to pronounce the former Sunday school teacher guilty or not terpersonal relationships. guilty of breaking one of the Ten Commandments "Thou shalt not Focusing on List's relationship with his wife, Helen, Dr. Miller said kill." that her drinking and drug addiction, coupled with the symptoms of « * * her illness — the later stages of syphilis which she had contracted Closing arguments by the prosecution and defense were given from her first husband — took their toll on the marriage. Wednesday in the trial of John Emil List, at the Union County Court- "It is clear to me she had a serious problem with drugs and house in Elizabeth. As of 12 noon on Wednesday, the jury was in- alcohol," said Dr. Miller. "My opinion is that she was an alcoholic structed by Superior Court Judge William L'E. Wertheimer to con- and an addictive individual." sider three verdicts: first degree murder, which carries a sentence of He said List's devotion to his strict religious codes and the implica- life imprisonment with parole eligibility in 14 years and 11 months; tions of Helen's venereal disease made it ethically and morally dif- second degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 ficult for him to live with her. years; or not guilty by reason of diminished mental capacity. Looking back to the days just prior to the events of Nov. 9,1971, the To charge List with first degree murder, the state must prove that doctor said List viewed killing his family as his only option — reach- he acted with premeditation, willfulness, deliberation and malice. ing out to the public sector (welfare) was not acceptable to him, nor JOHN E. LIST, right, was awaiting jury's verdict in Union County The defense has attempted to prove through expert witness testimony was the concept of abandoning his family. "He believed that in doing Courthouse as The Leader went to press Wednesday evening. Defense by psychiatrists that List was unable to deliberate the pros and cons what he did, his family was allowed to join God.. and was saved from Attorney Elijah L. Miller Jr. is pictured at left. of killing his family on Nov. 9,1971. the misery, humiliation and embarassment of being on the public Earlier this week, a three-judge appellate division in Springfield re- dole." after which List had lunch and went to the bank to withdraw money jected a challenge by the defense to have a lesser offense of Dr. Goldstein concurred with Dr. Miller's diagnosis of obsessive from his account, and went about methodically stopping newspaper manslaughter in the case. compulsive personality disorder. He said that List felt his job in life and mail delivery. Elijah L. Miller Jr., attorney for List, called as expert witnesses was to be the protector and provider of his family, but that he saw Patricia, John, and Frederick were shot one by one as they came Drs. Sheldon I. Miller, and Alan M. Goldstein, bothpsychiatrists, who "the five people he was responsible for slipping through his fingers," home from after school jobs or soccer practice. List told Dr. Simring spent some time interviewing the defendant after his capture last referring to Helen's bedridden state, tensions between his wife and (hat he shot all the victims from behind; autopsy reports reveal that June. mother, and Patricia's growing estrangement from the church. they (with the exception of John Jr.) were shot in the side of the head. The defense contended that List suffers from a mental defect — Prosecutor Eleanor Clark introduced as the state's expert witness Dr. Simring said List told him that it was "almost a sigh of relief obsessive compulsive personality disorder. Certain criteria must be in psychiatry Dr. Steven Simring, who diagnosed List as suffering that I killed all of them." In retrospect List told the psychiatrist that if present in an individual in order for him to be diagnosed as an from an adjustment disorder with depressed mood, or "mid-life ho had it to do all over again he would find some way of getting help. obsessive compulsive. The doctor's concurred that List possessed crisis" at the time of the killings. List's account continued with how he had dinner and spent the night many of the traits, including perfectionism, a preoccupation with Dr. Simring testified that during a four-hour session with the defen- in the house, but "didn't sleep very well." He had breakfast in the details rules orders and schedules which can lead to the inability to dant, List gave a chronological account of the events leading up to the morning and began his preparations for flight. His belongings were complete projects, an excessive devotion to work to the exclusion of crimes. List told of being laid off from jobs every few years, his grow- forwarded by rail and he abandoned his car at Kennedy International family, friends and outside activities, overconientiousness or ing concern for his wife's illness and the children, Patricia, 16, John Airport. He took a train to Philadelphia and for the next few days zig- scrupulous behavior (religious devotion) and a restricted expression IS, and Frederick, 13. zagged his way across the country, arriving in Denver, Colo, where of emotion or affection. He said that List had a "clear mind at all times" when he planned he obtained a job as a cook. Dr. Miller gave an account of List's early years in a German- and executed the slayings, and that he weighed the pros and cons of Asked whether he thought much about the crime, List told Simring American community in Michigan where he was brought up in a his decision and did not make up his mild to kill his family until the that it was "always in the back of his mind for the first year or two," highly religious Lutheran household — where no angry emotions evening prior to Nov. 9. and that he prayed for forgiveness. Later he only thought of the kill- were allowed to be expressed and sexual matters were not discussed. Aided with notes taken during the interview, Dr. Simring recounted ings on the anniversary of the deaths. He said he became active in the Dr. Miller said that where emotions were concerned, List was taught how List purchased the ammunition for the .22 caliber revolver and Lutheran church in Denver and tried to make up for what he had to "swallow them, sit on them, hold them inside." Dr. Miller added 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, the former which had belonged to done. that the defendant learned this lesson well and was able to "show a List's father, the latter, a souveneir from his years in the army. List re-married in 1985 and moved to Midlothian, Va., and began placid face to the outside world," despite growing pressures related List said he shot his wife as she sat at the kitchen table having work as an accountant in Richmond. He was captured on June 1,1989 to family and financial problems. breakfast. His mother, Alma, was shot in her third floor apartment, in his place of employment. Palamar Offers Herself Bagger Seeks Mayoral Post As Bd. of Ed. Candidate Former Councilman Richard liaison to the Board of Education, the Westlield Town Republican Faith Palamar is seeking elec- portantly, the children are being H. Bagger announced this week and a member of the Planning Committee, Bagger pledged to tion to the Board of Education as cduated and encouraged to nur- that he is a candidate for Mayor Baord. In addition, he served on wage a vigorous, person-to- M spontaneous response to the ture a love of learning by of Westfield, Mr. Bagger, a both the Finance and Public person campaign for Mayor: Westfield Leader, Thursday, dedicated professional teachers. Republican, served six years on Works Committees. Since leav- "Together with the Republican Feb. 22, editorial which staled, Why is school attendance more (he Westfield Town Council and ing the Town Council, Bagger candidates for Town Council, I "we are distressed by the lack of appealing than the lure of enter- currently is Chairman of the had been a member of the Ad- will strive to meet as many West- interest shown by the rest of the tainment in the outside world.