Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-07
Caldwell Slayer Gets
18-Year Maximum in
Murder Conviction

The maximum sentence for sec
ond-degree murder-1s years in the
penitentiary-was the punishment
meted out yesterday to Thomas
Hall, 81, for killing Prince Georges
County Policeman Charles Cald-
well, SO, with three shots in the
back in Deanwood Park, Md, on
June H.
THAT punishment is less than
you deserve" Presiding Judge
Charles C. Marbury told the giant
colored man at the conclusion Of
his three-day trial before a panel
Of three Circuit Court Judges at
Upper Marlboro. Only by the mar
rowest of margins, Judge Marbury
said, did the court conclude that
he could not be convicted of first
degree murder, the penalty for
which Is death.
In a surprise move. Halls daughter
JAMIE Hall, 20, withdrew her pre-
viously granted motion for separate
trial and q change of venue and
asked TO be judged on the evidence
presented in her fathers trial The
father and daughter were indicted
jointly.
Daughter Acquitted.
The daughter was acquitted when
Judge Marbury announced that, al
though her struggles with police led
to the fatal fight, there was no
evidence to show she had joined her
father in his death battle with Pvt.
Caldwell.
She will be arraigned next week
on two charges of assault-one
against Pvt. Caldwell's partner, Pvt
Wallace Baker, and the other against
Willie Preston Digges. %, colored.
The girls alleged assault upon
Digges with butcher knife set in
motion the tragic chain of events
which led to the shooting of Pvt.
Caldwell and the death of her
mother, who was fatally injured
when she was struck on the head
with baseball bat. after rebuking
a neighbor for having called police
in the first place.
Hall, broad shouldered and 6 feet
S inches tall, told the court he over
powered the policeman, after he was
struck twice on the forehead with
a blackjack. He shot Pvt. Caldwell
with the officers own gun, when
Pvt. Caldwell shouted for Pvt. Baker
to draw his gun, Hall said.
States Attorney A. Gwynn Bowie
said he did not believe Hall was
telling the truth, but that if the
court believed him, he should be
acquitted. The State contended that
Hall threw Caldwell down and shot
him in the back as he lay on the
ground.
Self-Defense Unsubstantiated.
Judge Marbury said Halls con-
tention that he shot in self-defense
could not be substantiated. The
policemen had a right to strike him
with blackjack, if he was inter-
fering with their arrest of his
daughter, the jurist said. The court
concluded that Hall attacked Pvt.
Caldwell "in spirit of vengeful-
ness"
Judge Marbury warmly commend
ed Defense Attorneys j. Frank Lii
lard, jr., and Carlisle Lancaster of
Hyattsville, who had been appointed
by the court to defend Hall and
his daughter.
ITO these two gentlemen is due
great credit" Judge Marbury said.
They did not want this assign
ment, but in the performance of
their duty, they presented this case
from every advantageous view that
the court could think Of The re-
suits of their work are apparent in
our verdict"
The court also commended Prose-
cutor Bowie for his liable and emf
nently fair" presentation of the case.
Hall will be eligible for parole in
six Vearg