Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-03-17
Invitation to Crime
ACCOMPLISHMENTS MoyNeed
Series OF Cases, Judges Agree
ZAP Photo.

I see no reason for piling up a
lot of indictments. But if the
Judge cannot give an adequate
sentence, more indictments
should be fled"
He said he had always I'M
derstood that the prosecutor
thought a prisoners sentence
was adequate before recon-
mending dismissal of the other
cases against him.
This compares with the COM
ment of the prosecutors that
they recommend dismissal of the
other cases because they know
the judges will give concurrent
sentences and the man will
actually receive no more pun
iShment, regardless of the num-
Der of offenSeS he has COM
mitted.
AS for sentencing on the basis
of cases on which the prisoner
has not been convicted. Judge
Laws said he could not sentence
on a pattern of crime so long as
only one case against the de-
PENDANT was before him for
sentencing.
Between the United States
attorneys Office and the court"
said Judge Laws, "they should
be able to be assured that the
man has been given adequate
sentence, and if he hasn't, other
indictments against him should
be fled"
Suggestion for Police.
Several judges wanted to know
what happens to the rest of the
cases when police accuse a de-
PENDANT of many crimes, but
indictments are returned on only
a few cases. In that connection,
one judge suggested that police
should ask for warrants in every
provabSe case. Then. he said,
there would be some public rec
ord of the cases and their dis
position.
One judge said there should
be no more than one reduction
Of cases. If the police have IL
cases and the assistant United
States attorney wants to choose
the six best ones to present to
the grand jury in the interest of
speedy justice, he said, that
should be the end of the process
of elimination. Thereafter, he
declared, the prosecutor should
stand firm and not agree to dis
miss half the remaining cases.
He said the prosecutor should
point out to any defense attorney
interested in a deal" that his
client already has had a break.
Judges also suggested a written
policy by the United States at
torney to give all his assistants
a clear-cut idea Of approved
procedure in handling multiple
crimes charged to one defendant.
Two judges with a reputation
for giving stiff sentences said
they made sentences concurrent
because the first sentence they
handed out took into conSidera-
ton the fact that the defendant
had pleaded guilty to several
crimes.
Would Make ID. C. Hot"
One of these judges COM
mented, however, that in view
OF the current wave of armed
robberies. the United States at
torney should seek indictments in
all armed robbery cases charged
to a defendant, and the judges
should consider consecutive SEN
fences for their psychological eff
feet on the underworld.
Professional criminals, another
Judge declared, should be made
to feel that Washington is "hot,"
that if they get caught they will
get the limit of punishment.
1.-THE professionals" said this
veteran jurist, work it out on a
percentage basis. If they know
they will get no more than a one
to-three-year sentence, the
games worth the candle. But
if they know each offense will
be punished and they're liable
to draw 10 to 80 years, they'll
stay away from Washington"
Asked If he thought indict-
ments for each ofense would
Jam the dockets and slow down
justice, this justice replied:
mo, it won't jam the dockets. |
We won't have the business"
Tomorrow: The case Of the |
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