The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-07-10
ROOKIE COP
IS HELD FOR
GRAND JURY
Screen" Policeman Who Killed
Youth Rearrested When
Freed BY Coroner.


coroner's jury for killing sixteen
ysar-oId Leo A. Mcleod. Policeman
Henry Arthur Starr is being held al
the First police precinct today-and
in red ink. q charge Of murder" Is
marked beside his name on the De-
tective Bureau blotter.
It Is probable that he will be re-
leased on $4,000 bond to await the
action of the grand jury before the
day is over. He has engaged coun-
sci, and, though the fact that he was
q policeman on duty when he fired the
shot which caused the boys death
does not mitigate the staying. every
effort is to be made to have the jury
bring in a verdict of mot guilty"
Policeman Cheerful.
In his cell this morning the police
man seemed to be confident OF the
future. Though reticent to speak OF
the shooting. his countenance bore q
cheerful smile.
It developed at the inquest, which
was held at the District Aorgue al
$3.50 o'clock yesterday afternoon, that
when Starr signaled for the auto
mobile, in which Mcleod and three
boy friends were returning from Chevy
Chase Lake to their homes in the
northeast to stop, he was not in uni
form, but wore his badge, No. s, on
the lapel Of his coat. The boys, see
ing no uniformed policeman, disre-
garded his call to halt. and he shot
he told the jury, at the rear tire OF
the car. Mcleod was hit, it was dis
covered fifteen minutes later, and
he died in Emergency Hospital be-
fore his parents could see him.
When the jury released Starr yes
terday afternoon he was Immediately
rearrested upon the direction OF Dis
trict Attorney John Z. Laskey. The
complainant OF the charge placed
against him is Detective Patrick
O'Brien, who was sent to investigate
the cese by Night Inspector Of Detec-
tiVes Weldon as soon as the affair
was reported yesterday morning.
Calls Shooting UnJustffIed.
Inspector Clifford Grant represent
ed the Police Department at the in.
quest He testified that the firing
OF the revolver was a fragrant vio-
lation OF the rules embodied in the
police manual. with which every man
OA AhC lOINC - 6uPpOSCA " NC
lar before he is given his badge"
He said: There are absolutely no
mitigating circumstances connected
with Starts actions. The manual
says, Police shall not use their baton
or revolver except in most urgent
cases of self-defense and when the
circumstances justify such action
The action of the policeman was
neither in self-defense nor was it
justified. The manual further reads:
Never point a revolver except in
cases like above
"And the police school Of instruc-
ton says, Under what circumstances
may a policeman use his pistol The
answer is. He may use it in extra
ordinary cases, such as in the actual
defense OF his own, or another's life:
when attacked with deadly weapons,
or in active pursuit OF escaping
criminals charged with such crimes
as murder, rape, HOUSEKEEPING, ar
son, ETC."
The three boys who were with Nc
Leod, a war worker in the Bureau OF
War Risk InsuFance-Giles Jones, AL
bert Senior and Charles Stewart.
driver and owner OF the automobile
testified. They told how they heard
the single shot, but did not stop. and
how 1t was later discovered that the
boy was unconscious and dying at
their side, with blood streaming from
the back Of his head. He was laid
across the rear seat and rushed to the
hospital
Starr took the stand in his own be-
half. He told the jury that he was
soldier. stationed at Fort Washington,
on the military police squad. before
he made application for q position on
the District force. When he was noti-
fed to report for duty on June IS he
was living at 925 K street northwest
with his wife, whom he married three
years ago. He said he had heard
from the auto, which was
speeding down Pennsylvania avenue
without lights at $40 o'clock yester-
cupants to halt.
Drew Pistol and Fired.
When they did not do so. he drew
his pistol and fired. He then chased
them down the Avenue, until it was
too late to overcome their lead Upon
to the First precinct, where
he had been assigned when appointed
three weeks ago, ne lOlu 14iculeHdHl
Lord about the shooting. Lieutenant
Lord suspended him. and took his
badge and equipment away. Starr
was then locked up, and has been so
since. Upon the witness stand, he
stood constantly at the side of his
lawyer. Michael +. Mangan.
Major Pullman has said that Starr
could claim no defense on the ground
that he was on duty. His act was
directly against explicit orders that
policemen. on duty or off. should
never fire their revolvers except
when life depended upon it.
The body OF the dead boy was
to his home, $40 5 street
northeast today. The funeral will be
held from St Martins Church at 0
o'clock tomorrow morning inteTment
will be IN Mt. Olivet Cemetery.
ASKS ABSOLUTE DIVORCE.
Alleging misconduct, Antonio Ii