Dennis Howard

Dennis Howard murdered David Alan Keasey 21 who he shot at 21 Wolverhampton Street, Dudley, Birmingham on 17 May 1957.

Dennis Howard was a gun fanatic and had a large collection. On 17 May 1957 he took a Mauser automatic to the clothes shop of David Keasey and asked to try on a sweater. When David Keasey brought the sweater for him Dennis Howard pulled out his gun, however David Keasey grabbed the gun and there was a struggle during which the gun went off.

Dennis Howard said he had shot David Keasey accidently but because in an earlier statement he had said that he cocked the gun before he went into the shop the judge and appeals judge said that that indicated that he was willing to use the gun and so the charge was murder and could not be reduced to manslaughter.