New York Times; Feb 15, 1968; pg. 49

Judge Rules `Murder'
In '52 Did Not Occur

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 14 (AP)-Sixteen years ago three youths were sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, but a Philadelphia judge has ruled that no murder ever occurred.

Acting on a petition by one of the three defendants, Judge Edmund B. Spaeth Jr. of Common Pleas Court ruled yesterday that, at most, a $15 robbery and assault had occurred.

Joseph Antoniewicz, 32 years old, Edward Park, 34, and William Hollowell, 33, pleaded guilty to murder in the attack and robbery of Harry Thompson, 54, on May 21, 1952.

Mr. Thompson died nine days after the attack and the commonwealth charged the three youths with murder and convicted them.

At recent hearings, Dr. Joseph W. Spellman, the city's medical examiner, testified, "Harry Thompson died as a result of a coronary heart disease which was not caused, contributed to, or aggravated by the assault."

Judge Spaeth gave the commonwealth 30 days to appeal his ruling. The three men remained in prison.