Evening star., 1940-10-26
Virginia Bar
Committee Sets
Judges Hearing
Charges Involving
Arlington Jurist to
Be Aired Nov. 19

The 9th District Committee OF
the Virginia State Bar has set
November l9 as the date for hear
ing formal charges of alleged i'm
proper conduct against Judge Ben
jamin M. Hedrick of the Arlington
County Trial Justice Court.
The hearing was announced after
a preliminary investigation yester-
day. November IL was the time
fixed within which an answer to
the charges may be filed.
Earlier yesterday, the Grievance
Committee of the Arlington County
Bar Association reported at the
associations meeting in the Wash
ington Golf and Country Club it
had found that Albert M. Jones,
substitute for Judge Hedrick, has
not been guilty of any unlawful or
any unethical conduct in connec-
ton with the matters referred to
us and (the committee) recon-
mends that no action be taken by
this bar association"
Five-H Hour Meeting Held.
Mr. Jones had been criticized by
Edmund D. Campbell, member of
the County Board, for representing
the great majority" of numbers
cases in the Trial Justice Court this
year. Concerning this, the Griev-
ance Committee said:
This committee is further Of the
opinion that a substitute trial jus
tice should not appear to become
identified as counsel for any organ
lied crime, such as the numbers
game"
The District Committee met be-
hind closed doors in Circuit Court
for more than five hours, during
which time Crandall Mackey, attor-
ney and publisher of weekly news
paper. Judge Hedrick and his coun-
sci, Frank L. Ball, ST., were seen
to enter the room.
Yesterdays preliminary investi-
cation was the outgrowth of meet
ing of the committee in Alexandria
about two weeks ago. at which time
Mr.. Mackey presented certain docu-
ments purporting to relate to Judge
Hedrick.
Statement Issued.
The State Bar Committee issued
the following statement at the con-
clusion of yesterdays meeting:
In the matter of the charges filed
against Judge B. NJ Hedrick before
the Eighth District Committee of
the Virginia State Bar, after pre-.
liminary investigation the commit
tee fixed November II. 1910. as the
time within which an answer may be
filed to the formal charge of al
legged improper conduct on the part
of a judicial officer. Hearings upon
the charges have been set for No
vember 10. 1910. At that hearing
the committee has the right only
to determine whether or not the
matter shall be presented to the
Executive Council for such action
as it may deem proper"
Members of the committee are
Virginius Shakelford of Orange,
chairman: Thomas w. Phillips,
Arlington: j. Randall Cation. Alex
andria; Burnett Miller, jr., Gull
peper: Stetson Hall, Leesburg:
Charles Pickett, Fairfax. and Edgar
w. Walker. Charlottesville.
In reporting that in its opinion
Judge Jones was not guilty of any
unethical or unlawful conduct, the
Grievance Committee was making
known its findings from data pre-
sented to it at a public meeting
Tuesday.
Opinion Given on Warrants.
Concerning the availability of the
regular Judge and his substitute
for the purpose of issuing warrants,
the committee stated its opinion
that this matter should be arranged
by the judge and his substitute in
cooperation with the Police De-
partment.
IF it. appears advisable" the re-
port continued, we suggest as a
possible solution that the County
Court Act be amended to provide
for justices of the peace to issue
warrants"
The Grievance Committee con-
sisted of Allen c. Adams, chairman;
Miss Anna Hedrick. sister of Judge
Hedrick, and James E. Simmonds.