Evening star., 1952-03-22
Greens Cleared
In Police Fight
AT House Fire
Arrest Brutality
Accusations Yet
To Be Heard

family have been cleared Of dis
conduct charges. growing
out Of a fire and a fracas at their
Southeast home, but still unsettled
are their accusations of police
brutality.
Municipal Court Judge Armond
w. Scott yesterday acquitted
James Green. l8; his wife. Dolores.
18, and his brother, Alexander
Green, jr., 10. All are colored.
ALI three were charged by Police
Pvt. Leroy Espeut, 80. colored, Of
the Fourteenth Precinct. with
fighting in the street and using
profane language. In addition,
James Green was accused of in
terferring with firemen fighting
a blaze in the Green home, 5206
Bass place Sc. and his wife was
accused Of interfering with q
police officer maintaining an ar
rest.
FbA investigating Case.
These three Greens and four
other members of the family later
charged that during the fracas,
Pvt. ESpeut called for help, and
all members Of the family were
subject to a beating. This issue
was not gone into in the court
case.
The FBI is making an investi-
cation Of the case to see If civil
rights were violated. Also. Police
Inspector Robert Pearce is look
ing into the matter for the police
department. He sat through the
trial as an observer.
Inspector Pearce said no official
complaint against the police had
been filed by the Green family,
although the police had asked for
a formal statement from them.
Defense Attorneys Frank Reeves
and E. Lewis Ferrell said a formal
complaint had been delayed to
await the outcome Of the disor-
derly conduct charges and the
FBI investigation. The family
hopes to decide on the next step
within q few days, Mr.. Reeves
addeo.
Started With Fire in House
The whole thing happened on
March l, when firemen responded
to put out blaze at the Bass
place address, the home of Mr..
and Mrs. Alexander Green, ST.
Pvt. Espeut said he arrested
James Green in the hallway when
he refused to get out of the way
of firemen. He said the two BROTH
ers and Mrs. Dolores Green at
tackled him in the yard while he
was trying to maintain the arrest.
He denied striking anyone.
At yesterdays session. two fire.
men testified they saw Pvt. Es-
peut strike Mrs. Dolores Green.
And these two firemens and q
third one said Pvt. Espeut did not
arrest James Green, but another
man, then identified as James
Stephens, Of 1913 Fourth street
NE.
Mr.. Stephens testified it was he
who was arrested in the hallway.
He said Pvt. Espeut put him in
the scout car and left his partner.
Pvt. Frederick E. Gray. to watch.
When the scuffle started outside
the car, Pvt. Gray got out. and
MIR. Stephens said he got out. too.
In the confusion, he testified he
got into his car and drove away.
Deny Striking Policeman.
The two brothers admitted ap-
preaching Pvt. Espeut but denied
they struck him or attempted to
interfere with him. At that time,
they said, he had Mrs. Dolores
Green by the hair, dragging her
to the scout car.
Judge Scott declared this type
of case ''engenders some feeling"
but it had to be decided on the
basis of whether the Government
had proved the defendants guilty.
He declared:
There is q sharp conflict in
the teStimony-either in peoples
or their veracity."
Judge Scott said the only bit Of
evidence not disputed is that James
Green pulled on his wife's hand"
while Pvt. Espeut had her in GUS
tody. He said he felt the Govern
ment had not proved its case and
found the defendants not guilty.
The policeman in trouble" call
was put in by Pvt. Espeut after the
disorder in front of the scout car.
From here on the stories differ
widely. The family said rein-
forcements arrived and they were
all beaten. The police deny this.
Testifies Blackjacks Used.
On the stand yesterday. James
Green declared he saw Pvt. Espeut
beat his brother with a blackjack.
He said he was beaten by two Of
ficers with blackjacks also. Later
at the precinct station house.
James Green said he saw Pvt.
ESpeut beat his brother again.
Alexander Green also stated on
the stand that he was beaten with
a blackjack at the home end later
at the precinct beaten again. He
said his eyes had been affected ty
the beatings. He wore dark glass
es in court.
Pvt. Espeut's muddy uniform
was introduced by Assistant
United States Attorney Clark King
to show how the officer was thrown
to the ground. The defendants
denied he was on the ground and
even that there was that color mud
in front Of the house.
Mr.. King said he will ask the
FRI to check the mud on the uni
form to find out where it came
from.
Cancer Drive Heuds Named