Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-11-11
bowling Probes
Prisoner Killing
By Patro|man
Officer Suspended;
Prosecutor Promises
No Whiiewashine'

Patrolman Marvin Straith, who
wounded fellow officer and killed
a prisoner early Sunday. was
temporarily suspended today by
Inspector James Hoye of Trumbull
station, as Prosecutor William E.
Bowling conducted a double in
vestigation into the killing, with a
promise there will be no white
washing"
Also figuring in the investiga-
ton are charges that Straith and
Patrolman William DAILY. the
wounded officer. severely beat two
musicians during a recent night
club inspection.
CALLS 1T DELIBERATE
Intensifying the investigation
are the statements of several wit
nesses, one of whom termed the
Sunday shooting of IN police pris-
oner "a deliberate killing"
DAILY himself was wounded by
Straith early Sunday when
Straith fired four shots through
a side window of his scout car
at Oscar Rahanian, 35, with whom
DAILY. a former University of De-
troit track star, was supposedly
fighting for his life.
The bullets missed Rahanian,
but two struck DAILY in the hip and
he is now in Receiving Hospital.
TELLS OF SHOOTING
According TO both Straith and
DAILY. Rahanian. beer garden
cook with no police record, was
about 10 crush Days head with
a sledge hammer when Straith
fired.
When the shots missed. he re-
leased DAILY and leaped out of
the car door. Stfaith, a crack
shot, then fired twice and both
bullets struck Rahanian in the
chest.
Dowling's investigation was In
tensified by the statements Of
various witnesses, one of whom
termed the killing of Rahanian de-
liberate. The witness. whose
identity was not disclosed. said he
was fixing his car near the scene
when he saw Straith pull a>man
from the police car
DRAGGED OUT OF CAR
"The policeman dragged the
man out Of the car, stood back
and fired two shots Mt him." he
said. 1T was n deliberate kill
Ing"
Another witness, William Lingo.
a Waterman for the Engineering
Service Company. on the second
floor OF 3445 Fort street. said he
had heard some one shouting from
the car. Police. officer, police"
at seemed funny to me a man
with q policeman should call for
one" Lingo said Then I saw
the car start to rock back and
forth. l started TO the phone TO
call police when heard
siren.
FIRED FOUR SHOTS
81 ran back to the window
and saw a man In blue macki-
nav, Straith, run toward the
car. He fired four shots through
the window Of the car. ran
downstairs and found Rahanian
lying dead between the car and
the curb"
Lingo told police that when he
first saw Rahanian walking on
Fort street toward Straith "he
was walking fast. like man
heading for home" Rahanian lived
only 100 yards from the scene of
the shooting. IT later developed.
Explaining Why Rahanian,s &C.
tons may have seemed peculiar
10 the two policemen. Nazar Toro-
sian, for whom Rahanian worked.
said Rahanian had been attacked
last August by two men and two
women whom he had caused 10 be
brought into court. They had
threatened Rahanian, Torosian
said.
CASE STILL PENDING
Trumbull station records re-
vealed Rahanian had been a COM
plainant I'm an assault warrant
against two women and two men
and that the case against the two
men still is pending in Recorders
Court.
Complaints against the two Of
ficers in thes beating case were
made as police officials and Dowl-
ing were conducting an investiga-
ton into the shooting.
The charges were brought by
Ralph w. Jewell. an attorney for
William Stegmeyer. "a. of 1884
Balfour road, and Daniel Doyle.
p, 1891 John r. StreetF
ACCUSES POLICEMEN
Stegmeyer and Doyle claim that
Straith and DAILY beat them in an
alteration at the Ash-TrumbullI
Club. 144l Ash street. early last
Thursday morning and Stegmeyer,