El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-02-01
JURIES SUSPEND
MANY SENTENCES
District Attorney and Citi-
zens Object to Turning
Convicted Men Loose.

Are the lei Paso iuries abusing the
suspended sentence in the matter of de-
PENDANTS charged with burglary, muir
der, assault and theft by person. W. W.
Bridgers, district attorney, says so. So
do sheriff Peyton J. Edwards and A. g.
Foster.
'The juries are too tender hearted"
said Judge A. G. Foster. The juries
don't seem go consider that the men
charged with the crime are frequently
old offenders or petty Offenders said
pevton Edwards.
IS Criminal Cases.
The docket Of the 34th district court
whore the criminal cases are tried,
shows that within the present term over
50 cases Of robbery. robbery by assault
murder, theft from person and burglary
are scheduled to arise and in all of
them the suspended sentence may ap-
ply. II sought by counsel for the de-
PENDANTS and if il is shown that the
prisoner has not served a penitentiary
sentence before.
An examination of the criminal dock
et Tor the latter part of December and
the month Of January shows the follow
ing criminal cases disposed OF, all OF
which could carry the suspended SEN
tence
Alberto Hernandez, charged with
theft from person, was given sus-
pended sentence Of two years in the
state penitentiary.
Burglary Charge.
william Buchanan, charged Win
burglary, jury returned a Verdlct OF not
guilty and recommended the prisoner
TO the custody of the sheriff pending
action by the county attorney upon
charge Of theft over $50.
Bob Douglas, charged with burglary
and given a five years suspended SEN
tence.
m "a
the case was dismissed on action Oh the
district attorney.
Tesus Gonzales, charged with robbery
bv assault, found not guilty by jury
trial Juan Ganadra, yet to be tried on
the same charge -
charged with burglarizing a box car.
Tried Jan. 81, and found not guilty py
jury trial
r. z. Moreno. former deputy sheriff
from Las Cruces. n. NJ, CHARGED with |
assault to murder; bond placed on Jan
2B at $500 and released.
Jose Hernandez, charged with burg
larry and. on Jan. Is, found not gullty, /
because the Indictment stated ne mao
robbed a store when IT should have read
a residence. ..,. g..
murder. Defendant was released on Jan:
"a upOn his personal recOgnlzance anu
bond placed at $500.
Charged With ImpersOnating Officers.
Jesus Valenzuela, Faustina Armen-
dariz and n. A. Beall, charged with i'm
personating federal officers and with
robbing a home on Rio Grande street OF
several thousand dollars in money AT
the point OF drawn guns Nalenzuela
and Armendariz secured bonds OF $500
each and Beall bond at $4,000 Nalen-
zuela and Armendariz are out on their
bonds.
Mauro Navarate, charged with at
tempted theft from person, and on Dec.
Is. the charge was dismissed on motion 4
OF the district attorney.
sheriff Says Promotes Crime.
Sheriff Edwards says the Juries |
usually see the one side and the fact
that a man was being tried and about /
to be deprived Of his freedom and be-
cause they were not familiar with the
prevalence Of crime. their acts tended to
promote rather than stop that crime.
The police department has complained
rom its officers to its police chief that
here was very little TO be gained in
making arrests when the grand jury re-
used to indict and the juries to rem
Ter a verdict without the suspended |
sentence clause