Imperial Valley Press

TESTIMONY OF WOMAN QUESTIONED

Suspect Accused of Perjury; Judge Takes Action

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Mrs. Isolina Martinez, witness in the Mason Todd murder trial, was jailed on a perjury charge Thursday morning. Judge Vauglin N. Thompson instructed the district attorney's office to prepare information charging perjury because her testimony in the trial varied from that read from transcript of her testimony at Todd's preliminary hearing.

Judge Thompson's dramatic order was given immediately after the woman completed her testimony and left the stand.

In court Thursday morning, Mrs. Martinez was asked if, on the afternoon prior to the alleged murder, Todd had told her he would get the money for her divorce from her husband. She said from the witness stand that he had made no such statement and they had had no such conversation.

Reads Transcript

D. H. Wolford, chief criminal deputy district attorney, then read from the transcript the testimony she had given at Todd's preliminary hearing in which she said Todd had told her he would get the money for her divorce. Wolford then asked her if that had been her testimony at the preliminary hearing and Mrs. Martinez said it had been.

Shortly after Todd was accused of murder, Mrs. Martinez' husband filed suit for divorce, naming Todd (Continued on Page 2; Col. 5)
COURT WITNESS FACES CHARGE
(Continued from Page 1)
Mrs. Simon Guzman identified Todd as the man who had broken up his home.
Todd went on trial Wednesday on charges of murdering Simon Guzman, a Mexican ranch worker, near Brawley the night of February 28. He first was charged with hit and run driving but when it was discovered he had been driving Guzman's car, he was questioned further. His admissions to T. M. Sharp, chief criminal investigator for the sheriff's office, Deputy Sheriff Frank Raney and Walter Walsh, California Highway patrolman, led to the murder charge being filed against him.
Died of Wounds
The Mexican died in the county hospital of wounds alleged to have been received when Todd struck him on the head with an automobile crank during a quarrel over Todd's method of driving the Guzman automobile. Todd is alleged to have broken the Mexican's leg when he drove the car over his body after the slugging.