Evening star., 1952-12-02
Dope Trial Continues
For 9 After Acquitta|
|0f Pearl Woodward

The Governments dope con-
spiracy case against Randolph
(Catf1sh) Turner and others was
cut to nine defendants late yes
terday, when Pearl Woodward, "a,
won an acquittal.
Charges against the girl friend
of Leon James, one of those being
tried. were dropped Immediately
after United States Attorney
Charles M. Irelan announced he
rested his case, begun three weeks
ago.
Evidence against the woman
showed she lived in a room at
the home of a third defendant,
Joseph (Peter Rabbit) Smith, at
1928 West Virginia avenue NE,
raided last February. Raiders said
they found one capsule of heroin
and hyopdermic needle. bearing
traces of the drug.
do you mean to oppose a di-
Irected verdict of not guilty against
all the defendants, including Pearl
Woodward" asked Judge David A.
Pine of the U. S. District Court for
the District of Columbia.
Apparently Buyer.
at appears to me from the evil
dence she was a buyer rather than
a member of a conspiracy" Judge
Pine observed.
II don't think in good conscience
the Government has made out a
prima facie case against her."
Mr.. Irelan agreed. II move she
be acquitted"
The woman, however, will not
go free. She was returned to Dis
trict Jail to serve out the re-
mainder of a one-year sentence
received recently for shoplifting.
Shortly before, the name of 1t.
H. H. Carper, suspended chief of
the police Narcotics Squad, who
has been indicted for conspiracy
to violate narcotics laws and
bribery. again was injected into
the trial.
Mr.. Irelan had announced he
would offer Detective Guy Hol-
comb as a witness. The prosecu-
tor said the detective would testify
that he went on the raid at Smiths
house.
His testimony, Mr.. Irelan added,
would be repititiouS.
Carper Not Offered.
Defense counsel did not demand
his appearance. but Attorney
James J. Laughlin interrupted to
ask, do I take it you are also
offering 1t. Carper?"
mo, I do not" the prosecutor
answered. 81 do not vouch for
1t. Carper's credibility."
Trial for the defendants, which
entered its fourth week yesterday,
terminated with the seven-man
defense battery moving for di-
rected verdicts of acquittals for
their respective clients.
They attacked the validity Of
the indictment, testimony by four
informers and testimony given by
a Treasury Department chemist.
James Young, who admitted he
could not tell whether drugs intro
duced in evidence were the natural
heroin or an opium synthetic.
The defense lawyers are T. EN-
mitt Mckenzie, Domestic Tesauro,
Mr.. Laughiin. Albert Ahern,
Joseph Lyman, Curtis Mitchell and
DeLong Harris.
: All But Harris Heard.
All but Mr.. Harris have been
heard and have been turned down.
Still on trial are Turner, Smith,
James, Edward Atkins, Warren
Williams, Allan (Turk) Williams,
Sam (One-Eye) Palmer, all col
ored, and Richard Manfredonia
and Lawrence Carrado, both of
New York City.
In addition, Paul Robinson
pleaded guilty and turned in
former. The indictment against
Esther Wright, also a Govern
Fment witness, was dismissed, and
Letha Simpson, a girl friend of
Turner, was absent because of Ill
health.
One other, Harry Tantillo. of
New York City, a reputed big
time heroin importer, has not been
apprehended.