Evening star., 1953-05-13
Two Witnesses
Are Freed After
3Days in Jail
Check Discloses
Rooms for Purpose
Are Never Used
By ChorIes 6. Brooks

By Charles 6. Brooks
Two men, held in jail as ma
terial witnesses for the Govern
ment since last Saturday, were
heading home today, after their
attorney threatened to obtain a
writ of habeas corpus.
At the same time, District
Commissioner Renah F. CANA
lier declared that persons or
dered held as material witnesses
may be kept in witness rooms
supposedly provided for that
purpose at Police Precinct Sta
tions Nos. S, 6. II and IL.
A check revealed however,
that the witness rooms there are
never used in such instances.
Freed by Judge.
Judge James r. Kirkland of
the U. S. District Court for the
District of Columbia, freed Leslie
P. Burnett. AZ, Lanham, Md,
and Raymond A. Aalta, "a, of
Denton, Mass, after they gave
their personal bond to return to
a trial June 4.
The action involves a pander-
ing case in which police charged
Charles E. Hunter, colored, of
the 900 block of Twelfth street
Sc, and Christine M. Evans,
Jacksonville, Fla. A grand jury
already has returned an indict-
ment holding Hunter on a pro-
curement count, but the jury
ignored charges against the
Evans woman.
After Attorney Edward T.
Kehoe arranged for their release.
Mr.. Aalta and Mr.. Burnett de-
clared they were confined in the
District Jail's maximum security
ward, although they had been
charged with no crime.
After the arraignment hearing
of Hunter and Miss Evans before
Municipal Court Judge Thomas
c. Scalley last Saturday, Mr..
Aalta declared a marshal told
them "they would be accom-
modated as material witnesses" +"
Protest Of Treatment.
But" said Mr.. Aalta, I'VE were
handcuffed and hauled to the
Jail. We kept protesting to every
body. but each person we talked
to merely said he was following
orders.
Burnett was in a cell with a
man accused of attempted mur-
der. The coffee was so terrible,
we both vomited."
On Monday afternoon. Judge
Kirkland ordered the men re-
turned to the marshal's custody
when it developed the grand jury
would not hear the pandering
case until yesterday. The men
were returned to Jail.
'The Judge wouldn't let us say
anything about it," Aalto as
serted.
No Solution Offered.
Nobody in the District has
come up with an answer to the
problem of what to do with ma
terial witnesses who cannot put
up bond to insure their appear
ance in court.
The District Code says the
Commissioners shall provide suit
able accommodations - not ir
penal institutions.
The current District Appropria-
tions Act specifically spells out
Gallinger Hospital as the place
where they are to be held. But
DR.. Phillip A. E. Stebbing, super
intendent of the hospital, de-
clared yesterday he had never
heard of such a thing and would
protest strongly" if any one at
tempted to send material wit
nesses there.
Witness Rooms Described.
Commissioner Camalier agreed
And then he told about the
witness rooms in the four pre-
cinct stations. But at No. s.
there are two wood bunkS-never
used for overnight detentions
At No. 6, there is no detention
room. At the No. II, there is nc
furniture in the witness room
And, at No. IL, there are two
beds, but they are never used to
detain material witnesses.
United States Marshal Bruce
Matthews declared late yesterday
that he could not say how many
material witnesses have been
jailed pending their court ap-
pearanceS. His Office might have
handled one a year ago. or five
years ago, he declared and
wouldn't say more.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Aalta doesn't
know if his new job in Denton
is still waiting for him, and Mr.
Burnett says he's been fired as
| a mechanic here