Evening star., 1952-03-11
Police Suspend
Private Pendinq
Assault Trial
Case of PutroImun
Accused by Prisoner
Goes to Court Mar. 28

ing the wrist OF a prisoner was
suspended today after he was
charged with assault.
In Municipal Court. Pvt. Fran
els x. McFadden, Of No. 8 Pre-
cinct. asked for a jury trial and
it was set for March 28. Judge
George D. Nelson set bond at
$500.
Inspector Howard v. CoveH, who
announced the suspension, said it
would be in effect pending out
come Of the trial.
Mass Meeting Held.
In another brutality accuse
tion, the National Association for
the Advancement Of Colored Peo-
pie urged, during a mass meeting
last night, "a concerted and con-
tinaeus program aimed at the
elimination Of the use of needless
violence by members of the Police
> Department"
Pvt. McFadden was accused Of
striking Andrew j. Cook, 80, COL
ored, a parking lot attendant at
1713 DeSales street NV. Mr.. Cook
had complained that the police
man struck him several times with
his nightstick on February 18 and
that a blow in No. 8 Precinct Sta
ton broke the prisoners wrist.
Arraignment Expected.
II. Clifford Alder. attorney who
represented Pvt. McFadden, said
the policeman testified, during
the closed hearing, that the blow
came when Mr.. Cook ignored an
order to remove his hand from
his pocket Pvt. McFadden said
he later found a knife in that
pocket.
Before the Cook arrest on the
disorderly conduct charge, Pvt.
McFadden had arrested him on a |
charge Of passing a red light. The
policeman testified that, when he
later went to the parking lot in
search Of another man, Mr.. Cook
cursed him and the arrest was
based on use of profanity in pub
lie.
Lack Of License Charged.
The other man was identified
as Winston Tillman, Is, celored,
Of the 700 block of G street Sc,
arrested on a charge Of being an
unlicensed attendant. Pvt. Nc
Fadden returned to the lot, he
said, because he had heard that
Tillman was going to attempt to
work again without a license.
It was while he was searching
for Tillman, he said, that the
Cook incident occurred.
The NAACP mass meeting last
night in st. Lucille's Zion Church,
Fifty-f1rst street and Astor place ,
Sc, was called to discuss police
brutality In general.
A resolution adopted during the
meeting declared that There is,
again. a rising incidence Of police
brutality here in the Nations !
Capital.
Remedial Action Urged. h
1--WE not only deplore these acts
but urge that immediate remedial
measures be taken to restrain our
police force" the resolution con-
tinued. eve also urge that i'm !
mediate independent disciplinary
action be instituted against those
policemen who participated in the
attack on the Green family, and in
every other case of police bru-
tality."
The resolution was adopted, fol- !
lowing q discussion of a case in +!
which police were accused Of beat
ing five members Of the Green
family during a fracas at their
home, at 5206 Bass place Sc. The I
incident followed a fire at the le
home. III
The District Commissioners to-
day turned down request of the L
District Federation of Civic Asso- Ii
Citations for meeting to discuss Il
recent cases of reported police Is
brutality here. The request was
made in a telegram from John B. 10
Duncan, federation president. who It
said his organization was particu- r
larry interested in a conference C
concerning the Green family case. |.
Investigation Under Way.
The Commissioners pointed out =
that a three-way investigation is ;,
at present being conducted by :,
Metropolitan Police, the Federal q
Bureau of Investigation and the ?
civil rights section Of the Justice !,
Department.
Pvt. Leroy Espeut, 80, colored,
said two men attacked him in the
Green home. He called for help.
and other police rushed to his aid. :
Treated for injuries following the :
tussle were Mrs. Dolores Green,
10, and her husband, James Green, !
18: Alexander Green. jr., 10; Nina
Green. II. and Bertha Green. 20.
All are coIored.
Inspector Robert Pearce, who is $
Investigating for the Police De-
partment, yesterday questioned e
firemen who responded to the !.
alarm at the Green home March
/. He took statements at engine =
company q, at 4201 Minnesota
avenue NE.
The NAACP has called another
meeting at its headquarters for
tonight to discuss the case further.
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