The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-01-03

certainty of punishment is as
sured," Chief of Detectives Frank
! n. Littlejohn said here yesterday
in reviewing the incidents Of the
last year.
1T is not the severity of the
punishment but the certainty of i
that frightens criminals. There IS
something fundamentally wrong
with the whole system in this
country, including the courts, and
it is through technicalities of the
law that many criminals, doubtless
guilty of the crimes charged
against them, obtain their release
to continue obtaining money IN
nefarious ways" he said.
According to It's per capita
population, Charlotte has more
homicides annually than almost
any other city in the South and IT
ranks high among other cities oven
the country, said Chief Littlejohn
who is recognized as one of the
outstanding law enforcement off
GERS in this section of the country
MURDER is MURDER
"Most of these homicides," ex'
plained Chief Littlejohn, "arc
among the negro population, but
nevertheless a murder is a mur-
der, no matter what the nationail-
ty, color or sex"
During the last year more than
900 persons were killed by auto
mobiles on the highways of North
Carolina, many of the care oper-
ated by drunken drivers.
MANY police departments are
years behind the times. Imagine a
poorly equipped department at
tempting to compete with criml-
nails who drive high powered al
tomobiles, radio equipped, and
protect themselves with machine
guns. 1t simply can't be done,
Chief Littlejohn said.
Last year the newspaper were
full of murders, violent deaths and
stories that chill the blood. Crime
is not diminishing; it is increas-
ing and until the system is
changed and punishment is as
sured, it will continue to increase.
SHOULD REPEAL OLD LAWS
Antiquated~ laws that are no
longer observed should be removed
from the books. Many laws re-
main on the books although they
are laughed at and are not oo-
served by anyone. This is just
one of the many things cluttering
the system. -,
"The whole system of dealing
with law-breakers in the United
States is fundamentally wrong IN
my opinion. Our laws are SO in
tricate and so easy to evade that
most criminals do not fear the Law
should they be apprehended. Clev-
er lawyers. through technicalittes,
obtain their release. altho these
! lawyers fully realize their clients
are guilty of the crimes charged
"These criminals return to so.
cietv to continue their careers OF
lawlessness, and the police are
handicapped in coping with the
situation, because they often rea.'
ize the futility of it.
NEED STRICT PROSECUTION
"Above all things there should
be strict prosecution Of criminals
brought into court for trial. An
officer does not arrest the crlnll'
nal simply for the fun of It, he
is merely doing his duty IN en-
forcing the law.
"Partiality should not exist, but
often it does. A socially promi'
nent person stands a better chance
of evading the law than a less
fortunate person. The crime might
be the same, but often a person
socially prominent and wealth!
NAV be arrested but his case Is
never tried in court, There haE
been examples of this.
at is Just such things Is these
that make crime what it is today
A great many criminals kno"
the law better than the officers
of the law. If a criminal knew
that every time he broke the law
he would be punished, there Wouio
be no incentive to continue tft
practices.
CITES ENGLISH SYSTEM -
Canada. and particularly Eng
land, enforce their laws. A per
son committing a crime in Eng
land is sure of punishment upor
| lis conviction. Neither will he re
ceive his punishment months anc
mavbe wears later. He will re
ceive it Immediately. In this coun
trv a person can be arrested, triet
and convicted and often manages
to evade his sentence for years.
"The system is wrong. Unit
LAWYERS and others realize they
must assist in bringing justice
and not simply seek the release Of
their clients, guilty or not guilty
there will be no Improvement II
conditions in this country.
Legislators should DO incl
part and not be influenced bS
large corporations or the circula
ton of easy money, as had beer
reported. In making laws they
should visualize the future Of the
act and know they are doine
something constructive and no
destructive. They should practice
what they preach. | do not meal
to say that the legislators do no
perform their duties by their owl
convictions. Probably they do.
WHOLE SYSTEM WRONG
81 recently met and talked witt
sheriffs, chiefs of police. and lay
enforcement officers of all kind
at a convention at Raleigh. The
| oil oo,,.oad that the system of Law