Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-11-20
Capital Charges
Dropped inf Case
OF Bride
Payne Pleads Guilty
To Abduction; 8-Yeor
Term Is Maximum

The prosecution withdrew two
capital offense charges against
William Robert Payne, Is, today
as he pleaded guilty in Arlington
Circuit Court to lesser charge Of
abducting a young Navy bride.
Trial of Payne's companion,
John Robert Polk, on a kidnap-
ping charge. was interrupted to
permit Payne to enter his guilty
plea.
Maximum Is Eight Years.
AS the plea was entered, Com
monwealth's Attorney Denmon T.
Rucker announced he had nolle
pressed charges against Payne Of
burglary and kidnapping. each Of
which carries a maximum penalty
of death. The charge Of "abduc-
ton of a female for purpose Of
defilement" carries a maximum
penalty of eight years imprison-
ment.
Judge Walter T. Mccarthy de-
layed imposition Of sentence on
Payne until November % when he
will receive a probation report.
Polk. 10, likewise faces the three
characterization, kidnapping
and burglary.
Both, Polk and Payne pleaded
guilty in Fairfax County Circuit
Court last month to the capital
offense Of rape. Polk was given a
35-year sentence while Payne
was sentenced to II years.
Driven to Fairfax.
They were accused of forcing a
19-year- old bride from her first
floor apartment in Colonial Village
in Arlington at gunpoint the night
of June rs. They were accused Of
driving the young woman into
Fairfax and assaulting her several
times. The young woman made
her way to house and called for
help later.
| Polk has been held in the State
Penitentiary in Richmond since
his conviction in Fairfax County
while Payne has been held in the
Arlington County Jail. Mr.. Rucker
had said that the long terms i'm
posed in Fairfax would not in
fluence the prosecution of the
cases in Arlington.
Extortion Charge Hit.
| At today's trial, Folks attorney.
Edward c. Hall, told the jury he
would prove that Polk was not
guilty of kidnapping for the pur-
pose of extortion He said he
was surprised that Common
wealth's Attorney Rucker did not
mention in his opening statement
the fact that Polk had pleaded
guilty to rape in Fairfax County.
He said he would prove Polk &C
complished his purpose in alb
Quoting the woman for the pur-
pose OF raping her.
1--WE have played fair in this
whole case Mr.. Hall said. 1--WE
pleaded guilty to rape in Fair
fax County, but we refuse to plead
guilty to crime which my client
did not commit. I would not be
doing my duty if I permitted my
client to plead guilty to this
charge" -,
Mr.. Rucker had told the jury the
evidence would show that Polk abb
Quoted the woman for the purpose
Iof raising money. He said Polk
and Payne had visited taverns in
Washington before the KIDNAPPING
and had run out of money. He
said the evidence would show that
Polk was out to get more money
by rolling some one"
Says Ransom Discussed.
Mr.. Rucker said that during the
time the bride was being held bv
Polk and Payne. her life was
Threatened and Polk discussed ask
ing $1,000 ransom. He said the
evidence would show that the vic
tim told Polk that her husband did
not have $1,000, but he could raise
lit. He said that when Polk let the
young woman out of the car in the
vicinity of Glebe road and Wash
Ilngton boulevard he told her. IF
you look at this Car you're a dead
pigeon"