Evening star., 1946-01-28
Appeals Court Asked
To Intervene and Bar
Vinci as Witness

III Iurtner euort TO blOck the
appearance of Joseph Vinci as a
Government witness against Ray
mond Connors, on trial in the trailer
murders of Edward Barker and Pany
Casbarian, Attorney James j.
Laughlin today asked the United
States Court of Appeals to inter-
vene in the District Court proceed
ings.
Mr.. Laughlin's motion contended
intervention by the higher court was
necessary on the ground that Trial
Justice David A. Pine had departed
from the law in permitting Vinci,
alleged accomplice of Connors, to
testify. The defense counsel also
has a motion before Justice Pine
for reconsideration of the ruling that
Vinci could testify, despite the fact
that his name did not appear on a
lpretrial list Of witnesses submitted
| by the Government.
At the same time, Mr.. Laughlin
called as witnesses three officials
and reporter of the Washington
Post. Those summoned by the court
at the attorneys request were Eugene
Meyer, editor and publisher of the
paper; Alexander F. Jones, managing
editor; John Riseling, night city
editor, and Al Haley, reporter. The
four were directed to appear at 10
am. tomorrow, when the court will
hear testimony on Mr.. Laughlin,s S
motion.
Conspiracy Charged.
Spencer Gordon, attorney for the
Post, asked what the appearance of
the newspapermen might have to do
with the issue. Justice Pine then
read from an AFFIDAVIT signed by
Connors and attached to the motion
| for reconsideration. The affidavit
charged that there was conspiracy
between Inspector Robert j. Barrett,
chief of detectives, and the Post
men to interfere with the civil rights
of the defendant Connor and to
deny to the defendant Connor fair
and impartial trial as guaranteed
by the Sixth Amendment of the Con-
stitution."
| The affidavit further alleged that
"as a result of the conspiracy
there was published in the WASH
ington Post on January 10, l946,
elaborate quotations from the pur-
ported confession of the said Vinci
and that Barrett, Meyer, Jones,
Riseling and Haley we'll knew that
lit was improper and could not be
received in evidence at that time. -
Connors and Vinci were indicted
by the grand jury in September on
| six counts of murder and robbery
in Staying of Barker, Fourteenth
street used-car dealer. and Cas-
barian, his gin-rummy companion
| in the auto trailer office of Mr..
Barker on February %. Both VIC
TINS were bound hand anf foot and
shot through the head
Challenged on Trickery.
Connors was under arrest when
the grand jury returned the indict-
ment. Vinci was at large. He was
not arrested until after the trial
started.
Mr.. Laughlin quoted Justice Pines
ruling that if there had been any
showing of trickery on the part OF
the prosecution he would mhesi-
tatingly rule that Vinci could not
testify.
Charles B. Murray. assistant
United States attorney, prosecuting
agreed that the ruling should be
reversed if there, was ,anycshow OF
ftrickery. Let him show ito sand
Mr.. Murray belligerently.
Justice Pine then decided that Mr.
Laughlin should produce witnesses
to uphold the defendants AFFIDAVIT
One of the charges in the affidavit
was that Vinci was kept under cover
until the trial started, then produced
as surprise witness.
1t was then that the newspaper
men were called.