Evening star., 1937-06-09
GARNETT TO KEEP
INDICTMENTS FEW
IN CRIME CASES
Multiple "C|earing" System
Against Defendants
Held Futile.
DRESS SUIT BURGLAR
CITED AS AN EXAMPLE
Sentences in Most Actions Made
to Run Concurrently Lane
Cases to Be Held to II or IL.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Report OF Washington Criminal
Justice Association. shouting ratio
OF about 10 to 1 betUeen reported
telonies and convictions, pointed to
willie Pye" arrests as one serious
nedkness in la1U enforcement. The
tern, described police practice OF
listing as "cleared" number OF
cases charged against single de-
Jendant, although he might be con-
ricted on only one or tlUo. As
remedy, it uas proposed police pre-
pare evidence in all cases for pres
entation to grand jury and that
prosecutor try all indictments re-
turned.
United States Attorney Leslie c..
Garnett announced today discontinue
ance OF the practice of clearing a
large number of cases against a sim
gle defendant BY multiple indictments.
In recent months his assistants have
presented to the grand jury every case
brought to them by police, regardless
of how many were against the same
defendant. This procedure was sug-
gested by the Washington Criminal
Justice Association, Inc.
Only yesterday Police Supt. Ernest
w. Brown, replying to findings of the
association that only onetenth of the
felony charges here resulted in con-
victions stated that former prac-
tice Of placing multiple charges
against defendant, later tried on
only few counts, was largely respon-
sible for the picture.
In making his announcement, Gar
nett said of the multiple indictment
system:
I'VE have given it a thorough trial
and found that it merely wastes the
time Of the court and of citizens
called as witnesses and does no good
The judges will not sentence man
on more than three or four charges
even though there be 20 Or 80 cases
against him. 1t takes up the time of
the grand jury and results in an un-
necessary expense in the form of
witness fees"
Garcia Case. Is Example.
He cited the case Of George Garcia,
so-called dress suit burglar, as an
example. Garcia was indicted in 3!
housebreakings. Five Of the cases
were nolle pressed: he was convicted
tn three, and pleaded guilty in %.
In imposing sentence, Justice F..
Dickinson Let's gave him three to ten
years in four of the cases and made
the sentences run consecutively, there
by resulting in total sentence of II
to 40 years, the most severe imposed
here in recent years. Sentences were
meted out in the % remaining cases,
but in all we're made to run concur
rently with the first four, adding
nothing to the total to be served.
Garnett explained he reached his
decision when Detective Richard F.
McCarty, tenth precinct, met him in a
court house corridor and remarked:
I'm going to need your grand jury
all day pretty soon. I've got "a cases
more in the ninth precinct"
The prisoner referred to was Will
ham F. Lane, 30, colored, whom the
officer had arrested on charges OF
breaking into numerous houses in
the Park View section. Fourteen
similar charges have been placed
against him by ninth precinct police
Garnett instructed his assistant,
Clinton Vernon, to present only IL
or II Of the most serious cases against
Lane.
No Hard and Fast Rule.
II am not going to adhere to any
hard and fast rule" Garnett ex-
planned. The facts will have to con-
troll the disposition of each case.
From now on, where there are 10 or a
dozen cases against one man, We will
present only two or three or per-
haps four to the grand jury"
simultaneously with his new dec
laration Of policy, Garnett gave orders
that notation be made on the
grand jury records of every case
brought in by police and not pre-
sented. In this way the dispositions
OF all cases can be shown and the
police allowed to clear their records.
Vernon disclosed that 80 cases
against only 4 defendants now are
pending before the grand jury. All
are housebreakings. Thirty-eight of
these are against Lane, Is against
another man, II against third and
II against a fourth.
In his statement yesterday. Mai
Brown said that in many instances &c
or 40 cases will be placed against 9
single individual, but only two or three
cases filed in court. He said this ha,
been corrected during the past year b,
arrangements with the United State.
attorney and instructions to member.
OF the police force.
In all cases where there is sufficient
evidence to warrant charge, he said
witnesses and evidence will be present.
ed to the district attorneys Office fol
presentation to the grand jury.
This" he added, will result in 9
disposition by the court of all case.
presented against the defendant ane
will eliminate the large number O.
cases classed by the Criminal Justic,
Association as technical arrests"