George Larkin
Toronto, ON / May 23, 1960
George Larkin, 29, was a part-time driver and the father of two young children.
On May 23, 1960, he was driving home after completing his shift. As he was making a right turn at Bay and Dundas streets he came to a stop and was rear-ended by the car behind him. Although the damage was slight -- a broken headlight and tail light -- the driver of the second car attacked Larkin, punching him and causing him to fall on his head. Larkin died in hospital.
Larkin's assailant was a Detroit native who had been convicted in California four years earlier on two counts of second degree robbery. Sentenced to life imprisonment he had been paroled after two years.
The assailant was initially charged with Larkin's murder but was allowed to plead guilty to manslaughter. After being sentenced to 20 years in prison he went berserk in his cell, running head-first into the cell wall and trying to strangle himself with his necktie.
In February, 1961, the Ontario Court of Appeal reduced his sentence to 15 years.
| 