Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-29
SECOND BRUTALITY
PROSECUTION WILL
START WEDNESDAY
Detective R. J. Barrett Faces
Assault Charge in T-Shoppe
Staying Probe.
CONVICTED PAIRS APPEAL
TERM ENDS TOMORROW
Mostyn and Latin, Awaiting SEN
tence, Are Liable to Year in
Jail and $500 Fine.

The second of the series Of police
brutality trials resulting from the
Department of Justice expose of third
degree activities in Washington will
begin this week, when Headquarters
Detective Robert j. Barrett goes to trial
before jury in Criminal Division /,
District Supreme Court.
Two precinct detectives who we're
convicted last week on third degree
charges are awaiting sentence by JUS
tice James M. Proctor. A four-day
period granted their attorneys for ar
ranging an appeal will expire tomorrow.
The maximum sentence to which the
pair, James A. MoStyn and William r.
Latin, are liable is year in Jail and
a fine of $500. The court can limit
the punishment to q jail term or to
the fine.
To BE Tried Wednesday.
Barrett, suspended member of the
homicide squad of the Detective Blu
reau, will be tried Wednesday on
charge of Simple assault" growing out
of his investigation of the murder of
Elizabeth JayneS, cashier of the Garden
T Shoppe, on Columbia road, near
Eighteenth street.
The October grand jury, acting on
of Investigation. indicted Barrett and
16 other members of the police force
on brutality charges.
According to the indictment against
Barrett, the detective is accused of a
fistic assault on George B. Baber,
whom he approached as a suspect in
the Jaypes murder case. Baber was
exonerated of any connection with the
shooting.
rrI,o CoyarpnoarE tbro,,ob AceiStopt
United States Attorney Julian !. Rich
ards, will endeavor to show that Bar
rett waited in Baber's room at the
Marine Apartment for the latter's re-
turn, and that when the suspect"
came in his apartment, he was beaten,
allegedly by Barrett, in the presence
of several other officers.
The attack is alleged to have occurred
on April 6 of this year.
It is said the prosecution will call a
number of civilian witnesses, including
one alleged eyewitness, Mallon Mil
burn, friend of Baber. The manager
of the Marine Apartment house also is
expected to be an important witness
for the Government.
Intimidation Charged.
A sensational sidelight Of the Barrett
case was the arrest by Department Of
Justice agents of two men who were
charged with attempting to intimidate
Baber. One of these men, Cecil Mason,
was indicted by the grand jury for
"obstructing justice" after he had plead
ed guilty to such charge before United
States Commissioner Needham C. Turn
age. Mason was alleged to have repre-
scented himself as a friend of Barrett
and TO have suggested to Baber that
he "go easy" on the detective in his
testimony.
Baber subsequently was placed under
guard and has been kept under close
surveillance by Government agents to
protect him from trouble" He will be
the Governments star witness against
Barrett.
George Sorber, another of those
named by the grand jury, also will be
tried this week. Sorber will face
jury in Criminal Division 2. The date
for opening of Sorber's trial will depend
on developments in the appeal of Mos
tyn and Latin. as James A. O'Shea is
representing the defense in both cases.
Sorber was accused of beating Arthur
T. Paul on August l, last.
Mostyn and Latin face another trial
before the Police Trial Board. It is
expected Policeman William T. Bur-
roughs and William c. Grooms, acquit-
ted by the jury which convicted Mostyn
and Latin, will be restored to the force
without trial by the police board.