Evening star., 1946-01-30
Vinci on Stand Briefly;
Court Again Upho|ds
Him as Valid Witness

Joseph little Joe) Vinct was
placed on the witness stand in Dis
trict Court today in the absence of
the jury in defense effort to con-
vince Justice David A. Pine that he
should not be allowed to testify
against his alleged accomplice, Ray
mond F. Connors, in the Barker
Casbarian murder trial.
Directly after Vinci had testified,
Justice Pine again overruled defense
objection to Vinci appearing as a
prosecution witness. Vinci is ex-
pected to testify later today.
Vinci revealed that the police Just
missed him when they arrested Con-
nors. "As I was going to his (Con-
nors) house" Vinci said, IT saw
car draw up and five or six men
Jump out and 60 into his house.
Naturally thought there was some
trouble so I just kept going right
ahead"
Took Another Name.
ConnorS was arrested August I.
sometime after both Connors and
Vinci were indicted in the double
murder of Edward Barker, used car
dealer, and his friend, Pany Cas-
barian, on February %. Both men
were found bound hand and foot
and shot through the head in an au-
tomobile trailer which Mr.. Barker
used as an Office on his used car lot
at Fourteenth and N streets NV.
Vinci testified that he went home
and the next day went to Engle-
wood, N. j., where he lived under
the name of Nick Blanda at the
Palisades Hotel until arrested jan
uary 16.
The trial was already under way
when Vinci was arrested. James j.
Laughlin, defense council, protested
use OF Vinci as witness by the
prosecution because his name was
not on aslist of witnesses required
TO be served on the defendant two
days before trial 1t was in connec-
ton with Mr.. Laughlin's protest that
Vinci was called to the stand today.
At the conclusion of Vinci's testi-
mony Mr.. Laughlin said he had no
more witnesses on this issue of the
case, which has held up progress of
Connors' trial since Friday.
Reporter on Stand.
Earlier, j. Theodore Crown, police
reporter of The Star, was asked on
the stand whether Inspector Robert
j. Barrett, chief of detectives, had
ever made any bets on the outcome
Of the case with him, or with any
others in his presence. An objection
to the question was sustained and
Mr.. Crown was excused.
Connors was called to the stand
yesterday in the absence of the jury
to support his affidavit that Vinci
had been kept in hiding until the trial
was started. Connors, who is over
6 feet tall with broad shoulders and
weighs more than 200 pounds, spoke
with a marked Eastern accent. He
denied the information in his affi-
davit came from Mr.. Laughlin. Con-
nors said it came to him in a
ieIIdn from MS vile.
Another part of Connors' AFFIDAVIT
charged that a purported confess
sion of Vinci was allowed to leak
to the press ''in the hope that IL
would come to the eyes and ears of
the jury"
Two Post Employees Testify.
After Connors left the stand two
members of the editorial staff of
the Washington Post were called
for testimony only on statements
Connors made in his affidavit. The
f1rst was reporter, AL HALEY. Held
to yes-or-no answers, he answered
in the affirmative when asked if he
had talked to John Reisling, night
city editor. before writing a 'front.'
page story on the purported con-
fession of Vinci. Mr.. Reisling fol-
lowed him on the stand. He an
swered questions yes or no until
asked if he had talked to Daniel
Maher, one of the assistant United
States attorneys and a former en-
oloye of the Post.
Mr.. Reisling said he would "rath-
er not discuss it."
"As a matter of fact, 1t was Mr.
Maher from whom you got informa-
tion," shouted Attorney Laughlin.
Although practically directed by
Justice Pine to make an objection,
Assistant United States Attorney
Charles B. Murray would not take
that course because the question in
volved his own office.
Finally Justice Pine ruled that
Mr.. Reisling need not answer it.
6l n