Jury Acquits Dr. C. C. Rahm

Jury Acquits Dr. C. C. Rahm

By Dawson Duncan
News Staff Writer

Orange, Texas - Charles C. Rahm won acquittal Saturday in district court here on a charge of murder in a fatal shooting in the aftermath of a tumultuous meeting of the Brownsboro School Board.

Dr. Rahm, slight of build and bespectacled, was secretary of the board of trustees last June 16 when he shot Thurman Jackson, 42-year-old lumber yard operator.

He said it was in self-defense as he was being attacked by three men in brawling that erupted after the board ended a rowdy session.

An Orange County jury agreed with him in 40 minutes after the week-long trial ended.

Dist. Judge Homer Stephenson warned that spectators in a courtroom - in which there were more than half a dozen prominently armed officers - against any demonstration. There was none.

Judge Stephenson, in his warning, said he was aware of the bitterness and strong feeling existing in the Brownsboro fussing of more than 20 years about its school system.

Tension in the school dispute mounted after the April dismissal of Homer Bass, superintendent for 23 years and brother-in-law of Jackson's brother, Clarence. It continued into the June 16 meeting which prosecutors admitted was a "riot."

Dr. Rahm, who returned to his Brownsboro practice after a month in jail following the slaying, said his only plan was to return to Brownsboro.

"I am very grateful to the court and to the people of Orange for a fair trial," he commented on the verdict.

Jurors received that case after three days of testimony with the final admonition of William Steger of Tyler, special prosecutor, to "do justice." The state had waived the death penalty.

Dist. Atty. Jack Hardee of Athens did not ask for the maximum term of life that could be assessed under the charge but recommended "a long term of years in prison."

Judge Stephenson, who conducted long, overtime sessions of his court to complete the case before the Christmas holidays, told the jurors their verdict could be acquittal under Dr. Rahm's plea of self-defense; two years to life in prison on conviction of murder with malice, as he was indicted, or two to five years on the lesser offense of murder without malice.

Confident of exoneration on the ground of self-defense, Dr. Rahm and his defense attorney, Charles Tessmer of Dallas, had waived the alternative of a suspended sentence by failing to make the needed pleadings in event the jury had favored that.

Dallas Morning News
Sunday, December 18, 1960
Section 1, Page 1
source: GenealogyBank.com