Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-03
CAMPBELL FACES
D. c. TRIAL BOARD
Policeman Accused of Violat-
ina Pistol Rule in Hall
Death.

Policeman B. r. Campbell of the
tenth precinct today faced the Po-
lice Trial Board with his position
as a policeman in jeopardy on charg-
es of improper use of his pistol
early on the morning OF July lo,
when Larry w. Hall was shot and
killed during a speed chase on Hare
wood road near Soldiers Home.
On trial with Campbell was Police
man w. S. Buchanan, charged with
allowing Campbell to occupy the side
car of his motor cycle without spe-
cial permission, in violation OF reg
ulations In the Police Manual.
Defense Counsel Robert z. Lynch
first called to the stand an array
of more than a dozen character Wit
nesses for Campbell and Buchanan
among whom were represented hiSn
officials in the Police Department and
local civic leaders.
Exonerated by Jury.
The fatality, out of which this trial
grew, already has been acted on by
the coroner's jury, which exonerated
the policeman, stating that the shot
which killed Hall was fired in line OF
duty. The matter also has been pre-
sented to the grand jury. which thus
far has not presented any indictment.
An investigation by Inspector
Charles A. Evans, assistant superin-
tendent of police, resulted in the mat
ter being taken up by the trial board.
Evans filed a report stating that the
shots fired at the fleeing automobile.
without the policeman knowing fell
ony had been committed, and after
the period in the chase when the po-
licemen's lives were endangered by
being crowded off the road toward the
Soldiers home fence had past, con-
toll under the Police Manual, and the
filing of charges against Campbell re-
suited.
DR.. Herbert E. Martyr, deputy coro-
ner, testified before the board that the
wound which killed Hall had entered
the back of Halls head in an upward
direction, and evidently struck some
hard object before striking Hall. Ex
amining photographs, DIR. Martyr
stated the bullet could have rico
cheted from the road, or mushroomed
in passing through the rear window
glass in the automobile occupied by
Hall before it entered Halls head.
Photos Identified.
Fred Sandburg, headquarters identi-
fication expert, identified several pho
tographs of the automobile and of
Harewood road which were introduced
as evidence.
Capt. F. M. Cornwell Of the tenth
prencinct introduced the reports of
ghOntincp 10 hxy
few hours after it occurred. Capt
Cornwell testified that in his precinct
1t was customary for two men to use
a motor cycle in bootleg chasing when
the motor cycle of one of the men had
been disabled. He testified that Camp
bells motor cycle at the time of the
shooting had been put out of commits
sion by a puncture.
Lieut.. jeremiah Sullivan of the
tenth precinct and Neal f. Hollings-
worth who saw the end of the chase
at Harewood road and Blair road also
testified at the morning session.
There was little brought out at the
early session which had not been
covered at the coroner's inquest, the
outstanding testimony being a state
ment by DR.. Martyr that it would
have been possible for bullet to have
richocheted from the road and then to
have entered the car and struck the
man.
Position of Cars.
The case hangs on whether the shots
were fired during that period when
the policeman reasonably believed il
necessary so to do to protect his life
and the life of his fellow policeman
while being crowded off the road by a
speeding automobile which was rapid |
ly jamming the motor cycle toward a
fence or whether the shots were fired
after the emergency had passed.
Among the last things testified to
this morning was the position of the
motor cyNe tracks which showed, &C.
cording to photograph identified by
Lieut.. Sullivan. scarcely a yards mar |
gin before collision at the point dur
ing the chase when Campbell is al |
legged to have fired the shots. One |