Pernier Convicted in Gun Case

Pernier Convicted in Gun Case,

Faces Three to Seven Years in J[?]

Pernier Convicted in Gun Case, Faces Three to Seven Years in J[?] ONLY 12 MINUTES REQUIRED BY JURY TO REACH VERDICT Three Cops Tell of Warm Weapon in His Hand in Fight With Enemies PAL OF SLAIN BONNER A jury of 12 men after deliberating 12 minutes yesterday convicted William Pernier of carrying a revolver. The trial of the former pal of William "Shooey" Bonner, slain gangster, was one of the shortest in the history of Camden County Criminal Court. The trial consumed but 2[?] minutes from the time the jurors were sworn until they were sent out for their deliberation. Pernier, who is 32, and who gave an address of 293 Liberty street, through his attorney Julius Sklar, offered a defense which Assistant Prosecutor Rocco Palese termed a "smoke screen." After three policemen testified that they found Pernier with a revolver in his hand on the night of Oct. 30, after he had allegedly fired on thugs who shot him at Locust street and Kaighn avenue, Pernier said the weapon was not his. "I was walking along Kaighn avenue with my wife, Mary, and three men friends," he said, "when as we reached Locust street, this car pulled along the curb and the occupants fired at me. I was shot in both legs and after shooting me they threw the revolver at me. I picked it up and tried to shoot at them with it, but it would not go off. I never owned a gun." Policemen William Whaland, Joseph Lack and Joseph Leonhardt, however, testified that the gun with four empty shells and one cartridge in it, was still warm when they took it from Pernier's hand. After the jury announced that they had found Pernier guilty, Palese stated that he would ask for sentence this morning. Judge Samuel M. Shay remanded Pernier to jail without bail pending sentence. He faces a sentence of from three to seven years in prison.