Evening star., 1947-11-20
Jury DEGREES Death
For Sex Offender in
Assault on Girl, 3


John H. Hall, 80, of the 1200 block
Of Union street S.W., today faces the
electric chair for sex offense
involving an 8-year-old girl.
Hall, who Is colored, late yesterday
was convicted by q District Court
of three women and nine men Of
carnal knowledge involving a colored
girl. The jury recommended the
death penalty.
Assistant United States Attorney
Edward Molenof, who prosecuted
Hall, said 1t was believed to be the
first death penalty ever recon-
mended in the court for sex offense
involving a child. Mr.. Molenof also
said it was the first death penalty
recommended for any sex offense in
a number of years by a local jury.
Penalty in Jury's Discretion.
The death penalty in rape or
carnal knowledge case is imposed
only on the recommendation Of q
jury but Is mandatory when that
recommendation is made.
The jury had deliberated about an
hour and 40 minutes when it re-
turned its verdict before Justice
Richmond B. Keech, who presided
at the trial.
The offense against the girl, Mr..
Molenof said, was committed before
Hall had been apprehended for a
similar sex offense involving another
child. He now is serving sentence
of from 10 to 80 years for the other
offense.
Hall attacked the 8-year-old girl
in October, 1946, when she was re-
turning from a store near her home,
which is in the 600 block of Kenil-
worth avenue NE. The girl testi-
fled Hall had choked her before at
tacking her.
In his argument to the jury As
sistant United States Attorney
Molenof described Hall as a sex
fiend," and urged the jury to rec
ommend the death penalty.
"Carnal knowledge" is statutory
offense in the District, involving
any girl under the age of Is. 1t is
tantamount to rape, whether or not
the girl has given her consent.
Meanwhile, in Municipal Court,
four other sex cases were being tried.
A jury convicted Romanus G.
Stitely, 36, of Cottage City, Md, for
indecent assault on 36-year r-oid
married woman seated next to him
on a streetcar. The complaining
witness told the jury the offense
occurred last August as the crowded
vehicle neared Fifteenth and H
streets NV. Stitely will be sentenced
Saturday by Judge John P. Nc
Mahon.
In the other cases, all of which
involved small girls, the following
actions were taken:
Russell Alonzo Sellers, 80, identi-
fled by sex squad detectives as vice
president of the Premier Cab Co.,
was held for grand jury action un-
der $4,000 bond on charge Of
carnal knowledge involving a 12-
year -old girl. Sellers, who lives in
the 300 block of Thurman avenue,
Hyattsville, Md, waived preliminary
hearing before Judge Almond w.
Scott and pleaded not guilty.
School Janitor's Trial Set.
A janitor for the Birney School,
in the 2400 block of Nichols avenue
Sc, awaits Municipal Court jury
trial December 18 on three charges
Of indecent exposure before three
11-year-old colored girls in the
school basement. Charles E. Diggs,
81, colored got the first block of @
street NE, pleaded not guilty to
the charges before Judge Scott, who
placed him under $1,000 bond.
A miStrial was declared in the
case Of Charles Edward Cook. 70,
colored, of the 600 block of Park
road NV, on charges he indecently
assaulted two 4-year-old girls under
the back porch of a home in the
1900 block of Kenyon street NV.
Judge Thomas D. Quinn made the
ruling when he learned a court
attache had handed the prosecution
the defendants alleged police record
while the trial was in progress be-
fore a jury. Defense counsel
charged the jury may have been
prejudiced against his client by the
sight of the paper.
A new trial date was set for De-
cember 10 before another jury.