North Dakota Cowboy Dodges Hard Sentencing Due to Sunrise Timing
Milwaukee, Wis. – In an unusual turn of events, 27-year-old George Stone, a cowboy from North Dakota, narrowly avoided a three-year prison sentence for burglary, all thanks to the timing of the sunrise on May 13, 1912. Arrested by Patrolman Mueller for breaking into a West Water street store, Stone admitted to drinking and claimed it was his first arrest in a large city.
During the court proceedings, Judge Backus expressed reluctance to impose the maximum sentence. The district attorney confirmed the arrest time was 4:26 AM, just one minute after the sun officially rose at 4:25 AM. This critical detail prompted the prosecutor to amend the charge from nighttime burglary to daylight burglary, which carries a significantly lighter penalty.
Judge Backus, appreciative of the unique circumstances, reduced Stone’s sentence to just six months in the house of correction, saving him two and a half years in prison. This case serves as a reminder of how unexpected factors can alter the course of justice. Stone’s fortunate outcome has sparked conversations about the intricacies of the legal system and the influence of timing in determining fate.
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