Henley guilty of murder
in 6 of Texas sex slayings
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SAN ANTONIO, Tex, P Elmer Wayne Henley, a high school dropout, was found guilty yesterday of murder in six deaths in a homosexual torture ring in which 27 youths were killed.
The jury of six women and six men took only an hour to find Henley, 18, guilty
Twenty-five prosecution witnesses and no defense witnesses were heard during the week of testimony. During the two hours of closing statements, the prosecution's descriptions were so vivid that the mother of one of the victims fled from the courtroom screaming.
In addition, the jury had Henley's written statement and phsical evidence which included a sex device and a so-called "torture board."
The panel considered six murder in-
dictments against Henley, who has been jailed since the first bodies of Houston area youths were exhumed last August.
The state is prepared to ask for a 99-year prison term for Henley. The defense has indicated it hopes the jury will consider rehabilitation possibilities in a 10to 15-year prison term for Henley, whose mother says he wants to do religious work.
Henley, his mother. Mary Henley, 35. and his three brothers sat motionless in the courtroom as clerk Mildred Voelkel read the six guilty verdicts.
As the last verdict was read. Mrs. Henley broke into sobs and cried quietly. Her mother, Mrs. Christine Weed, sat dryeyed until the verdict was over, then rushed crying from the courtroom