Evening star., 1952-11-15
Court Criticizes Law
AS Girl Involved in
Robbery Remains Free

block of Seventh street NV, to
serve from 20 months to S years
for a 81 holdup-robbery. The man
robbed, also colored, had been
lured into the alley by the girl, it
was testified.
The girl is under the jurisdic-
ton of the Juvenile Court. Judge
Holtzoff expressed the hope that
the law here will be changed to
conform to Federal law, which
gives a United States attorney dis
cretion to prosecute juveniles in
an adult court.
Under District law, Juvenile
Court must waive jurisdiction, if
a person under 18 is to be prose-
cuted in the District Court.
Probation in Theft.
In another case. a man who had
been indicted on a charge of
stealing $4.637. but who said he
returned all of it, was given a
suspended sentence and placed on
probation. He had pleaded guilty
to taking property without a right.
The man, Joseph r. Fera, SO, of
the 5000 block of South Sixteenth
road. Arlington, Va, was placed
on probation for two years by
Chief Judge Bolitha J. Laws. Judge
Laws suspended 6-month jail
sentence, but ordered Fera to make
restitution of an amount records
may show has not been recovered.
Fera, who had obtained the
money from the Navy Department
Employees Federal Credit Union
last June while he was a civilian
supervisor in the Navy Bureau Of
Medicine and Surgery. returned
all. or nearly all, of the sum, the
court was informed, after keeping
it for three days.
He wrapped the cash in a news
paper and placed it on the steps
of the Navy Department Building
at Nineteenth street and Consti-
tuition avenue NV. The money
was found there by a guard.
Shortage Issue Raised.
Judge Laws commented that he
understood there "is some claim
that all of the money was not
restored and that there was a
shortage of $780, He then
pointed out that Fera insisted he
had returned all of the money and
said the union has informed the
United States Attorneys Office
that the estimated shortage may
be due to lost checks.
In view of this Judge Laws or
dered Fera to turn over to the
union the N$188.96 or whatever
lesser amount the probation Off
Ger may determine is due the
union.
Judge Laws commented that
Fera had an excellent war record
and that he had been informed
that Fera's act had been prompted
by concern over financial revers-
es and illness in the family.
Narcotics Sentences.
Five persons. all colored, were
sentenced on narcotics charges.
One of them. George N. Basker.
vile, 80. of 200 block of v street
NV, a previous offender, was
given from 3 to 10 years by Judge
Burnita Shelton Matthews for
selling and facilitating the sale and
concealment of a narcotic.
Geraldine Miller, 26, of the 1900
block of Rhode Island avenue
NV, was given from 2 to 6 years
by Judge Edward A. Tamm for
making three sales.
The other three, all sentenced
by Judge Edward M. Curran, are:
John w. Leach. 20, of the 1900
block of Marion court NV, 2 to
8 years: Alfred Bond, "a, of the
1400 block of w street NV, 20
months to 5 years. and David A.
Duncanson, %. of the 3700 block
of Hayes street NE, 20 months to
5 years.
RObber Sentenced.
Judge Matthews gave John D.
Hutt, %. of the 510O block of
boulevard NV. from
to Is months for robbing a drug
gist of $84 last September. Hutt
held up the druggist. Alvin E.
Liptz, at the store near the de-
fendant's home and made the
druggist accompany him in an
automobile. police said.
In another holdup-robbery case.
Louis Raymond, 30, colored, of
the 1700 block Of Tenth street
NV. was given from 3 to 9
years by Judge Curran for an $82
robbery of a restaurant in the
BOO block Of x street NV.
Stanley M. Phelps, %, of Route
|, Clinton, Md. was given from l
to years by Judge James r.
Kirkland for robbing a Safeway
Store in the $500 block of North
Canito1 ctreot