Evening star., 1946-03-25
Driver Goes on Trial
In Death Of Boy Sitting
On Curb Last June

Waving his right to a jury trial,
James Torrance Connell, 54-year-
old accountant, today went on trial
before Justice Henry A. Schweinhaut
in District Court on manslaughter
charges in the death last June %
of 9-year-old boy killed by an au-
tomobile.
Through his attorney, James F.
Reilly, Connell decided to be tried
by the court. The defendant is
charged with being the driver of an
automobile which struck and fatally
injured Donald Raymond De Vol,
who was hit as he sat on a curb
folding newspapers for his 12-year-
old brother, Robert. to deliver.
The trial moved swiftly today,
with the Government calling 10
witnesses in an attempt to show Mr..
Connell had been drinking before
the accident:
The Government charges that
Connell drove the car that struck
the boy as he sat on a grass plot
at River road and Ellicott street
NV.
Reported Unsteady" on Feet.
Prosecutor George Mcneil called
several witnesses to the stand who
testified that they smelled liquor on
the defendants breath after the
accident and also saw him "weav-
ing" and unsteady" on his feet.
Pvt. Stephen D. Beach of the
Traffic Department said he arrived
on the scene shortly after the acci-
dent and questioned the defendant.
He said he smelled liquor on the
defendants breath, and asserted
that the defendant had trouble
forming words and was weaving on
his feet.
Another witness. Joseph o.
Graham of 3l15 Mount Pleasant
street. said he was driving home
from work when he noticed the &C
cident. He said he saw Connen
with Comdr. Stanley Livingston
Wilson, who was said to be a pas
senger in .Connell's car.
Mr.. Graham said he smelled liquor
on the breath of both men.
"Mr. Connell was crying on the
Navy officers shoulder and said, My
God, why did it happen?'" the wit
ness declared.
On cross-examination, Mr.. Reilly
showed the witness the reports of
the coroner's inquest June "a in
which Mr.. Graham said he didn't
smell liquor on the drivers breath.
Mr.. Graham replied that "all I know
is that he had been drinking"
Another witness at the scene, j.
c. Ruddy, an attorney, testified that
Connell's gait was a little un-
steady and that he staggered a
little"
Mr.. Reilly asked, Did you smell
alcohol on his breath?"
mo, I did not" replied Mr.. Ruddy.
The short, gray-haired defendant,
attired in blue business suit,
listened closely to the testimony.
The dead boys parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. Harry Denald De Vol, were
in court.
Bert Lopatin of Alexandria said
Connen appeared hyster!cal after
the accident.
Tells Of Accident.
"Connell kept saying, I killed him,
I killed him, he's dead over and
over again." the witness said. Mr..
Lopatin said the defendant was
"swaying back and forth" at the
scene.
Ernie Rich, II, of 4431 Garrison
street NV, who was a carrier boy
at the time of the accident, told the
court that he saw Connell's car 60
ing down River road at fairly
fast" speed a few seconds before the
accident. The boy added that the
car was travelling in a "sort of siz-
gag" way, but said it was not enough
to be very noticeable.
Mr.. McNeill said he expected the
case would end by tomorrow night.
The defendant has been out on bond
since the accident.