Evening star., 1937-05-12
BLANKET SOLUTION
OF CRIMES BANNED
'Wi||ie Pye" Arrests, Where
Conviction Is Lacking,
to Be Stopped.

The willie Pye" arrest, potentially
a source OF grave abuses, seems des-
tined to become as antiquated as the
old-fashioned third degree as the re-
suit Of an agreement reached by Dis
trict oMcials in cooperation with
the Washington Criminal Justice AS
sociation.
A Willie Pye" arrest, as the term
is commonly understood, relates to
the practice Of treating as solved
crimes charges against . prisoner
when he has not actually been con-
victed OF them.
Describing a hypothetical case, the
associations recent report set forth
the possibility OF a man being ar
rested in 10 cases of HOUSEKEEPING
but actually tried and convicted in
one. II the remaining nine should
be treated as solved" on the police
records by virtue OF the conviction
in the first, they would be known as
Willie Pye" arrests.
In many cases there might be sub
stantial evidence to indicate the man
was guilty Of all 10 offenses, but
unless he is indicted or convicted,
officials pointed out, the additional
charges might escape the notice of
the judge trying him in the one case
and could not be considered il he
should make application for parole.
Might Harm Innocent Man.
If, as alleged, Willie Pye" arrests
should be made in cases where there
is no evidence or very little flinsy
evidence against the defendant, it
might result in an innocent man
being charged with the crimes, and
the police record would be clear, al
though the real criminal had not been
apprehended
AS first step representatives Of the
association held conferences with Mai
Ernest W. Brown, superintendent Of
police. and described the possible evils
OF the practice to him. Mai. Brown
said he had never heard of the term
until 1t was called to his attention,
but an investigation disclosed that
for years 1t had been the practice OF
detectives to send only one or two
cases to the grand jury where man
had been arrested on a series Of
charges. Should conviction be OBJ
tanned, the remaining charges were
treated as cleared if there was any
evidence to warrant such action.
Maj. Brown agreed that the prac-
tlce opened the door to serious abuses
and has instructed his subordinates
that in the future they must send all
cases to the grand jury. Should the
grand jury refuse to indict, the re-
sponsible police official would then
decide whether the evidence was suf-
ncient to justify treating the case as
solved. Maj. Brown agreed there
might be cases Of this nature, but
pointed out that the new practice
would at least insure a check by the
grand jury on the work of the indi-
vidual detective.
Garnett Hits Practice.
Also condemning the Willie Pye"
arrests, United States Attorney Leslie
c. Garnet has agreed to present all
cases based on substantial evidence
to the grand jury although he has
some doubts as to how the policy will
work out in practice.
In the past it has been the policy
OF the United States attorneys Office
10 lndlct only on the strongest two
or three OF series Of similar charges.
One reason for this has been the
practice OF the judges not to impose
additional penalties after two convic-
tions for the same type Of ofIense.
Garnett said he decided to indict in
all cases, hoping defendants would
plead guilty to the balance after be-
ing convicted in two or three.
II a defendant should refuse to
plead, Garnett said, he would be faced
with the alternative Of trying him on
all the cases or nolle pressing the
charges remaining after a conviction
He said he was reluctant to nolle
PROSE- any great number Of cases be-
cause it would reflect unfavorably on
the record Of his office.
The objection to trying all the
cases. he said, Is that defendant can
be tried only once before the same
jury panel This would mean that II
q man had been indicted in 80 cases
as has happened, 1t would take 80
months to try him, since new juries
are selected only once a month.
Garnett said he was opposed to
the policy Of seeking indictments
with the expectation that they would
be nolle pressed He said such q
procedure would be unjust to an in
nocent man, since a defendant can
not present his side OF a case to the
grand jury.
The new procedure. however, has
not caused any difficulty 80 far. al
defendants indicted In a series OF
cases have been willing to plead guilty
after conviction.
La Roe Favors Ban.
Wilbur La Roe, jr, head of the
Parole Board, said he also IS heartily
IN favor Of doing away with Willie
Pye" arrests.
The Parole Board, he continued
cannot give any consideration to a
charge on police record against an
applicant for parole unless followed
by a conviction. He also said he
hated" to see improved charges on
q mans record because Of the posi-
bllity OF injustice to an innocent per-
son.
La Roe described the Criminal
Justice Association report as CON
structive and stimulative to public
thinking, but said he thought the
conclusion that convictions are OBJ
tanned in only 10 per cent OF majo
crimes was misleading unless studied
carefully"
The report showed 6,sls felonies
reported in 1896 and only 6s5 con-
uiNStnrr