Evening star., 1938-06-20
PO[|CEBRUTA[|TY
/. CHARGES PROBED
BY D. c. BAR UNIT
Series of Killings Back
of Move for Inquiry,
Lawyers Say.
THIRD DEGREES ALSO
INCLUDED IN QUIZ
Civil Rights Committee Is Chosen
to Undertake Job by
Association.

The newly-appointed Civil Rights
Committee Of the District Bar Associa-
ton has begun an investigation Of
charges of Washington police inter-
ference with the rights Of prisoners.
witnesses and counsel, it was learned
today. Without naming the makers
of the charges, the committee, in a
report to the association, stated that
there has been recently a series Of
killings by the police under circum-
stances which have led to charges Of
unnecessary brutality"
The scope Of the police inquiry.
which is a part of a four-fold investi-
CATION into all problems concerning
the invasion Of civil rights in the
Capital, including delays IN the Dis
tFict Court, will lead the committee
members to consider these questions:
Unnecessary police brutality and IN.
discriminate use of firearms.
The third degree.
Practice of holding prisoners and
witnesses incommunicado and "for in
vestigation" without access to friends
or to counsel.
Illegal delay in making charges.
ACCESSIBILITY Of sponsorship by the
association Of bill in Congress (sim-
liar to one which has passed one House
of the New York Legislature) to re-
quire the immediate charging Of all
prisoners and the imposition of safe
guards on police questioning.
Report on Killings.
In connection with the police kill
ings, the committee in a report on
its activities said: your committee
has not yet been sufficiently informed
Of the facts in these cases to form a
judgment as to the merits Of the
charges which have been made against
the police
1T is felt, however, that the charges
are sufficiently serious to warrant
thorough investigation in order that
the association may be advised as to
the facts"
Going into another phase Of police
conduct, the report, which was drawn
up under the general supervision of
Acting Chairman Frederick A. Bal
lard, whose fellow committeeman are
Dean Acheson, Edward Burling, jr;
Edmund D. Campbell, Julius I. Peyser,
John H. Pratt, Oscar W. Underwood,
jr., and. exof1icio. Wilbur L. Gray.
added:
ut is charged in some quarters that
various local ordinances and police
regulations have at times been en-
forced by the police, and to some ex-
tent by judges of the Police Court, in
such q way as to discriminate against
persons or organizations holding un-
popular political or economic views.
Handbil Distribution.
These include the regulation on
the distribution of handbills, the regu-
lation on parades, the disorderly con-
duct statute, which covers unlawful
assembly and the obstruction of streets.
and the regulations covering the
carrying Of signs in public places"
The Civil Rights Committee was
established last January in apprehen-
sion over the current encroachments
upon civil rights throughout the
world, even including parts Of the
United States. increasingly dis
turbing" The report added:
Both in their historic capacity as
leaders Of public opinion and in their
own interest, it has appeared to many
that lawyers IS q body should mani
fest q continuous and increasing inter-
est in this field.
1T is apparently in response to such
sentiment that the president and the
directors (of the District Bar Asso-
ciation) have set up this committee,
with instructions to furnish . me-
dunn through which the association
may be advised Of, and take appro-
pirate action to remedy, all infringe
ments in the District Of Columbia
upon the civil rights guaranteed by
the Federal Constitution
Delay In Trials.
The other two points being covered
by the current investigation deal with
alleged interference with civil rights
Of persons or corporations in the Dis
trict by congressional Investigation
committees, and delay in trials and
decisions. In regard to the last point,
the report states:
1T has been suggested to your COM
mittee that inquiry might well be
made into the crowded condition of
the court docket, and the practice Of
some Of the judges to take cases un-
der advisement for some times a. long
~ . year.
"Your committee u naturally SYM
pathetic to this suggestion, and its
only doubt Is as to whether it should
not be referred to the COMMITTEES on
Relations With the District Court.
However, It may be argued that
access to the courts for the redress
Of grievances Il just - much . civil
right - the right Of . jury trial: and
perhaps every one will agree that tho
value Of this right may be seriously
undermined by having to wait many
months after 3oinder of issue before
trial Of . cause can be had.
The advantages Of early trial are
. part Of the right Of access to the
courts and in 20 far a. the present
congestion prevents early trial, it
deprives US Of the full exercise Of an
important civil right. It IL hoped that
the appointment Of three new judges
in the District Court viii 20 far
toward relieving this situation"
SHOT ACCIDENTALLY
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