Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-06
Arguments Heard
As 'Sniper' Murder
Trial Nears Jury
Government Counsel
Defends Science
Of BuIIistics

Defense counsel in the murder
trial of John Eugene Eklund, rs,
has attempted to discredit the
entire science of ballistics through
a Law person who was shot at while
he was asleep" Assistant United
States Attorney Charles Murray
contended today in the Govern
ment's closing argument to the jury
in District Court.
Mr.. Murray was referring to testi-
mony yesterday by Percy McKinnie.
another colored victim in the chain
OF "sniper" shootings. McKinnie
testified he was shot in the jaw and
shoulder by a man he believed to
be another colored man. The de-
Tense contended the bullets from
McKinnie's body match the ones
taken from the body of Hylan Nc
elaine. II, for whose Staying Eklund
is on trial.
In asking the death penalty, Mr.
Murray declared the defense had
tried to refute ballistic evidence
with the words of a shooting victim
whose immediate purpose for sew
eral seconds was TO get away and
save his life"
Cites Expert Testimony.
Calling attention to the testimony
of Police Capt. John Fowler and j
Harry Fitzgerald. inspector for the
Colt Arms Manufacturing Co., Mr.
Murray said:
There has been no attempt to
attack the ability or the credibility
of these expert witnesses"
Replying for the defense. Attorney
James Kirkland called the testi-
mony of Mckenzie "a superior quail
ity of testimony" because it repre-
sented direct identification of the
sniper as a colored man.
To accept the Government S
version of the series of events
chronicled in its evidence would be
coming to the conclusion the de-
PENDANT was "a maniac" which none
of the testimony established, Mr.
Kirkland declared.
Closing arguments followed ques-
tioning during which both Capt
Fowler and Mr.. Fitzgerald said they
were positive" all IL bullets offered
| in evidence by the Government
came from the same gun. The
bullets were those recovered from
| the bodies of four colored men, from
a post near the spot where two met
their deaths, and from tree near
the restaurant in which Eklund
once worked.
Defendant Challenges Witness.
Justice James M Proctor in.
formed the jury of this expectation
at the close of yesterdays session
during which the defendant cleo
trified the packed courtroom by
jumping from his seat and saying
to Government witness:
II wish you would tell the truth
on. that stand"
Eklund was restrained by deputy
United States marshal and his at
torney, Mr.. Kirkland.
He made the remark Immediately
following an assertion from the
witness stand by Policeman James
w. Garland that Eklund, while
locked up at No. 3 precinct. hao
once cursed a colored cellmate who
had been shouting he wanted 6
cigarette.
Pvt. Garland quoted Eklund as
saying to the man. I wish
YOU had been out of here a month
ago. I would have given you g
| cigarette In the back
Under REORGANIZATION, Pvt
Garland said the colored prisoner
had been extremely boisterous fol
some time prior to the incident.
Denies Any Connection.
Before his outburst, Eklund spent
almost an hour on the witness stand
with little, if any, show of emotion
calmly denying any connection with
the murder of McClaine or that ne
ever owned a gun like the prosecu-
ton alleges was used in the fatal
killing.
Both he and his mother, Mrs
Sadie Mechanic, Government en-
ploye, said he was at home prac-
ticing on a stereotype machine the
night of the Staying.
Eklund also gave testimony con-
trary to many of the details of evil
dence presented by the prosecution
denying that he ever engaged in
target practice by shooting at tree
near a restaurant or that he ever
carried newspaper clippings on the
series of "sniper" Sayings here
The Government has produced bull
lets taken from the tree which. &C.
cording to witnesses, match others
! taken from the body of Mechanic