Evening star., 1953-04-03
Senate Kills
Gag on Press
CriimeNeWs
Maryland Bill
Loses, Is to II,
After Switches
By . Stuff Correspondent. Of III. s.ar

nt oosou SoTresPonoenf Of The SfoH
ANNAPOLIS. Apr. s.-A bill
aimed at preventing States at
torneys and police from giving
crime news to the press was de-
feated by the Maryland Senate
Is to IL. yesterday after a Bit
ter battle.
Senate President George Della
relinquished his gavel to take
the floor against the bill. He
said it was unnecessary because
a Judge can hold in contempt
any prosecutor, policeman or
neWsman who goes too far.
Senate Majority leader Louis
L. Goldstein, who has led the
fight against the measure since
it first came before the Senate
last week, charged it would
strike a blow against Americas
free press.
I'VE all know what happened
in Argentina. Germany and
Russia. where the free press was
muzzled," he said.
Sponsor Disgruntled.
After the unfavorable vote, the
bills sponsor, Senator Francis
K. Dippel, Democrat, of Balti-
more City. declared in a bitter
tone:
'The power of the press is
far greater than the power of
the Legislature in its individual
conscience"
All IL Senators who voted for
the bill are lawyers. Five of
them are former States at
torneys.
Three Senators who voted for
the bill when it was approved on
second reading Monday, IA to IL,
switched to the opposing side
yesterday. They are Senate
Minority Leader Robert B,
Kimble and Senators James B.
Monroe, Republican, Of Charles
County, and Leroy Preston, Dem
ocrat, of Baltimore City. In
addition, Senators Anders r.
Lofstrand, jr., Republican, of
Montgomery, and Bernard S.
Melnicove, Democrat, of Balti-
more City, who were absent on
the first vote, supported the op-
ponents yesterday.
The opponents lost only one
vote from Monday. That was
Senator M. Mason Shehan, Dem
ocrat, Of Talbot County, who
was absent because Of illness.
Sparked by Baltimore Murder.
Senator Dippel said he put in
the restrictive measure as the re-
suit Of criticism by several Balti-
more Judges of pre-trial publ
city in the Baltimore murder
case last year Of George Edward
Grammer. His bill would have
prohibited prosecuting and law
enforcement officers from discus
sing criminal cases "for publi-
cation" while they were pending
in the courts.
Senator Della maintained, how
ever, that Grammer, who was
convicted Of Staying his wife and
is awaiting sentence in Baltimore
city jail, did receive a fair trial,
despite the tremendous publicity
as result of public interest in
the case.
Il think the man committed
the murder and he got a fair
trial." the Senate leader stated.
Senator Preston, in explain
ing that he intended to vote
against the bill, said he believes
Senator Dippel deserves credit
for spotlighting this problem"
The introduction of the bill,
he added, will have a Salutary
effect"
How They Voted.
Others who voted against the bill were
Senators Hubert P. Barton, Democrat Of
Baltimore City; Edgar T. Bennett. Re-
publican Of Wicomico; John r. Fletcher,
Republican Of Prince Georges; Louis T.
Hofferbert, Democrat of Baltimore City;
John r. Jewell, Democrat of Kent; Ralph
Mason, Democrat OF Worcester: Louis
N. Phipps, Democrat of Anne Arundel;
Harry T. Phoebus. Republican Of Som.
erset; Jacob r. Ramsburg. Republican of
Frederick, and Mr.. Goldstein.
Voting for the measure, besides Mr.
Dippel were Senators Paul j. Bailey,
Republican Of st. Marys; Omar D. Gro
thers, in Democrat. Of Cecil; Neil c.
G. Hot. Republican of Carroll; Frederick
c. Malkus, jr:.. Democrat of Dorchester;
D. K. Mclaughlin. Republican of Wash
inston; D; Paul McNabb,, Democrat of
Har1ord; Layman J; Redden,, Democrat
3crat Of Howard; John Grason Turnbull,
ward Turner, Democrat of Queen Annes