Evening star., 1939-11-21
Officer, Cleared
In Fatal Shooting,
Is Back on Duty
Coroner's Jury Rules
Youth Sought in Thefts
Was Shot in Self Defens

Detective Sergt. J. E. Ennis was
back on duty with the headquarters
pickup squad today following his
release by coroner's jury yesterday
in connection with the fatal shoot
ing of an 18-year-old colored youth.
He was freed at the last inquest
scheduled in the old churchlike
Maine avenue morgue.
After hearing testimony for nearly
four Hours, the jury in less than
10 minutes reached a verdict that
Sergt. Ennis had fired the fatal bull
let in defense Of his own life and in
his effort to maintain an arrest.
The victim of the shooting was
John Edward Parran of the 22OO
block of Twelfth place NV, wanted
in connection with a series of auto
mobile lootings and for parole vic
lation at the National Training
School for Boys. He died at Emer-
gency Hospital a few minutes after
the shooting at Thirteenth and q
streets NV. early Sunday.
Candor.
An alleged accomplice of Parran
Edward Wanzer of the 14OO block
OF Corcoran street NV, who was
arrested a few hours before the
shooting, testified in answer to a
question by Coroner A. Magruder
Macdonald that his occupation was
stealing"
1--WE washed cars sometimes and
did some stealing, too," Wanzer said
of himself and Parran.
Testimony indicated that Parrar
slashed at Sergt. Ennis with pen
knife, twice ripping his coat over his
left chest.
II figured I was protecting my
own life," the officer testified volun.
tarily at the inquest. II think hi.
intention was to kill me-"
The shooting, according to Sergt
Ennis statement, followed chase
to the Thirteenth street intersection
from Kingman place and @ stree
NV. There Sergt. Ennis and three
fellow officers had found Parran ir
an automobile, and Sergt. Ennis hac
told the youth he was under arrest
Two Skirmishes.
Two other officers, all of whom
testified at the inquest, were 1t
Joseph w. Shimon, chief of the
pickup squad, and Detective Sergts
Harry H. Britton and Robert j
Maghan.
Sergt. Ennis and Parran had 9
scufhe on Kingman place, the Off
GERS testified, and the youth broke
away and ran to Thirteenth street
before Sergt. Ennis could catcl
him.
Another skirmish ensued, the jury
was told, and Sergt Ennis fired &
shot before the other officers reached
the fighting pair.
Parran staggered, but then rar
more than 100 feet up the stree
before he fell, the officers said.
Another witness, however, Mrs
Katherine Smothers, colored, of 161;
Thirteenth street NV, who sait
she observed the latter part of tn,
chase and the shooting from he
third-floor bedroom window directl.
across the street, testified that tn,
chase was in progress when the sho
was fired; that there was no clos,
exchange of blows and that Parrar
and "the man who fired the shot
were not less than % feet apart.
Doctors Testimony.
DR.. Christopher Murphy, deput.
coroner who performed an autopsy
testified that the bullet entered tn,
youths left shoulder. ploughet
through his spine and came out hi
throat. He said the shot "neces
sarily was fired directly from tn
left"
Two others to testify were Law
renee R. Kirvan, parole officer a
the National Training School, ane
Joseph Concanon, an attendan
there.
Mr.. Concanon. who said he hat
charge of Parran's case, said he saw
the youth a few weeks after he wa
paroled in August of this year. Or
the basis of reports he said he re-
ceived relative to Parran's conduct
Mr.. Concanon testified he told tn
youth:
"You had better watch out or yo,
will end up being shot"
The witness said Parran replied:
That's all right with me, but II
get Q couple Of guys before I TO-"