The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-09-21
MANY STORIES Of
COP OPPRESSION
REACH HIS EARS
Tells His New Prohers II Re-
ports Are True Indictments
OF Official Persecution
Should Be Returned.

Should Be Returned.
Conduct Of affairs Of the police de.
partmsnt, and the alleged practices 81
the city court o. Memphis, drew !
heavy arralpnmens at the hands "
Judge !. Ed Richards tuesday morn.
ing, when he charged the new shelby
county Grand Jury. The grand Jurors
were Instructed to probe carefully Into
the alleged doInus Of the cops, and II
foundation was found for charges whIch
nad come to the courts attention. thcy
were instructed to return indictments
for official oppression.
The grand jurors also were informed
that no city Judge or magistrate has
right to dismiss state WARRANT
against a prisoner. and then to irnuosa
a line Tor violation Of city ordinances.
This has been a practice IN the CITY
court OF Memphis. under the realtt1e N
me present city Judge. H. H. BARRIER.
y mas been. customary at times for
against prisoner. and 10 enter
charge OF disorderiy conduct, with an
attendant fine against the prisoner
larceny IL n felony, or state charge.
~ whne nlsordsrly conduct Il violation
OF city ordinance.
:, The specific charge against the no.
ice department was that some cftfxnna
have been arrested unlawfully and de-
niea their constitutional rights when IN
custody OF the officers OF the law
Judge Richards. no doubt. had N
mlnd the secret docket" methods Of
procedure now In vogue In the p0lira
department. by which a prisoner Is noE
listed on the regular docket, but m 4
IL al an. kafA -
municado. and denied the right to con
Ter with counsel.
The unlawful use Of firearms by city
poncemen also was a target for Judge
Richards official shafts He told tha
grand jurors plainly that q policeman.
deputy sheriff or railroad special agenk
has no right 70 shoot at any oItiren
unless In self-defense, or In order to
apprensnd such citizens known to have
Special Instruction.
In addition 70 the regular charKa -
the grand jury, these references 70 ths
police department came under the head
OF special instruction. The special in
struclon follows In full:
1T has been brought to the attention
q the court through the medium ~
the press Of this city that some Of our
citizens have been unlawflilIy arrested
and denied their constitutional fights.
the law.
"If you find that such practice has
been INDUCED In the court charuaa
you that such acts are unlawful and
70 your duty TO scrutlnlze that
helal or special agent Of any rail-
read company, BY color Of his offlce, +
witruliy and ocrruptiy depressing
the citizens Of this city or county.
those officials should be Indicted
for official oppression.
Every citizen has the right 60
travel the streets Of this city and
the highways and byWays Of thls
county without being arrested or
niolested by the officers when they
have violated no state Law or city
ordinances, and u the citizens Of this
city and county are being arrested
and fined or lncaroerated ,sin the
city or county prisons, when they
have violated no state law or cIty
ordinances, those officials guilty 81
such unlawful conduct, should be
Indicted.
:. 7 further charge you that no eIsy
dismiss state warrant, which has
been sworn out against any prisoner.
then pending before the said Judge OF
magistrate. when an offense against the
laws Of the state Is charged, to disnfias
such charge and impose fine upon
the accused for the violation OF city
ordinance predicated upon the state
law.
Causes Anarchy.
There are certain rights and privi-
leges, gentlemen. that are guaranteed
to every citizen by the constitution Of
the state and nation; these privileges
must be protected by those vested with
authotty. a denial OF the rights and
privileges guaranteed by the constitution
OF the state and nation, necessarily
breeds Htgrnntnu NJ x4sfft
the results that anarchy and acts of
violence grow. one OF these rights /
read from the constitution Of the United
states. Article 4 Of the amendment 70
the constitution which has this to say:
The right OF the people TO be secure
In their person. homes, papers and ef-
tects against unreasonable searches and
seizures shall not be violated. and no
warrant shall issue, but upon the prob
able cause supported by soath or af-
firmation particularly describing the
place to be searched or the person or
things to be seized So / charge YOU
that II you find from your investigations
that anyone vested with police author
lily disregards this sacred right Of the
citizen, it is your duty upon the proper
evidence being presented to return an
indictment against such offending Of
fetal | say to you that these privi-t
must not be abridged, as they form the
very anchor OF the peace and security
Of our form OF government.
"As stated before, gentlemen. ev-
cry citizen arrested in this city or
county has certain rights and privileges
granted him by the constitution OF the
United States, and the state OF Ten
nessce one guarantees him the right
to bond II a bailable case, and to know
the charge preferred against him. when
arrested
Another right and privilege that a
citizen has, when arrested, is to enl-
ploy counsel of his own choice and be
allowed to confer with counsel at all
reasonable and seasonable hours.
THE court further charges you to in
uulre into the unlawful use Of firearms
BY city police officers, deputy sheriffs
and special agents Of the railroad com
panies. None OF these officers has a
right to shoot at any citizen OF this
county unless ii is in their necessary
self defense or in order to apprehend
such citizens who 1t is known have COM
mitted some felony"