Evening star., 1951-01-02
Charmed Existence Of Gamblers
In D. G. Hit in House Report
Criticizing Enforcement Of Law
Bill Provides Sitter
Penalties; New Police
Pay Scale Urged J..

A bill designed to help Wash
ington police catch more GRIM
inals and to insure sitter punish
ment for offenders was intro
duced today by Representative
Davis. Democrat, of Georgia.
Mr.. Davis was chairman of the
special District crime-investigat-
ing subcommittee which simultan-
eously released its findings.
The subcommittee chairman said
he intended also to introduce
bills revising the pay scale of all
Metropolitan policemen and fixing
the salary of the United States at
torney at $4,000, the United
States commissioner at $4,000
and the United States marshal at
$4,000.
The crime-curb bill, while
sweeping in its provisions, is toned
down from the earlier drafts.
Among other things, the proposal
to imprison habitual criminals for
life has bee i .deleted.
Arrest Powers Broadened.
The bill attacks the problem of
more severe punishment by in
creasing maximum penalties in
some cases and fixing mandatory
minimum sentences in others.
It gives the police broader ar
rest powers, attacks the breeding
places of crime and sets up new
machinery to insure a regular flow
of criminals records.
Following are some of the ma
jor provisions:
Police would be allowed to make
arrests without a warrant if they
had probable cause to believe a
person was carrying burglars
tools, lottery tickets, a dangerous
weapon or stolen property worth
less than $50. Under present Law
most of these are misdemeanors
and police cannot arrest unless
they see a crime actually being
committed.
Gamblers money. autos and
any other personal property used
to violate gambling laws would
be subject to confiscation.
Assault Penalties Increased.
Any one assaulting a policeman
in the course of his duty could be
fined UP to $4,000 or imprisoned
up to five years or both, and if
the offender used a deadly weapon
in the assault he could be impris-
oned up to 10 years. The mini
mum sentence would be one year
At present the penalty for as.
saulting a policeman is two years
imprisonment or $500 fine.
Any one guilty of an illega.
abortion which resulted in death
Of the mother would be guilty o1
second degree murder. At present
the maximum penalty is 20 years
Any one found in a gambling
establishment or a place where
drugs are dispensed Illegally would
be subject to up to year in
prison. a fine of $500, or both
unless he could give a good ac-
count of his presence in the dive
After-hours clubs would be de-
clared nuisances and banned from
operating.
Forfeitures Restricted,
Sex offenders, ranging from In
decent exposure to prostitution
would be barred from forfeitine
collateral. If they failed to ap-
pear in court, they could be given
double punishment for the crime
of which they were charged.
Any one found guilty of assault
with intent to rape. robbery by
force and violence or housebreak-
ing at night would have to be
sentenced to at least three years
in prison and If the offender had
been previously convicted of q
crime of violence, the minimum
sentence would be five years.
Any one convicted of rape would
be sentenced to at least five years
and, if previously convicted of q
crime of violence, the minimum
would be 10 years.
Any one found guilty a second
time for illegal possession of q
deadly weapon or found guilty OF
carrying tools of crime after g
previous conviction for a felony
would be sentenced to at least
one year in prison.
Other Penalties Increased.
The bill also:
Increases the penalties in se1
and disorderly conduct cases.
Makes numerous changes in the
dangerous weapons act to in
sure that information about 9
(See LEGISLATION, Page A-4.)