Evening star., 1953-06-29
President Signs
Crime Measure
For District
a Years in Making,
1t Gives More Tools
To Prosecutor, Police
By Miriom Ottenberq

President Eisenhower today
signed the Districts big crime
bill, giving police and prosecutors
more law enforcement tools and
generally making things tougher
for the underworld.
The new law-nearly four
years in the making-fixes mini
mum sentences for some crimes.
increases maximum penalties in
others and plugs dozens of long,
existing loopholes in District law.
In the view of Corporation
Counsel Vernon West, the new
law signs the death warrant for
the after-hours clubs-long
ranked as breeding places for
crime.
Among the laws targets are
armed robbers, pistoEtoters.
abortionists, sex offenders. gam.
blers, burglars. habitues of dives,
fences" repeaters and District
employees who plead self-incrim.
nation when called to testify.
Creates Enforcement Council.
AS continuing watchdog on
crime and punishment here. the
law sets up permanent Coun-
Gil on Law Enforcement which
must report to Congress at the
beginning of each session.
The law stems from two Dis
trlct crime and law enforcement
Investigations here-one by a
House District subcommittee
headed by Representative Davis,
Democrat, of Georgia, and the
other by Senate District sub
committee. headed by Senator
Nicely, Democrat. of West Vir.
ginia.
Here are some of the major
provisions:
Second offenders convicted Of
assault with intent to rape or
armed robbery must be sentenced
to at least two years in prison.
Second offenders convicted Of
rape must get at least seven
years. Second offenders convict
ed of assault with a dangerous
weapon on police officer, illegal
possession of pistol, or possess
sion of other implements OF
crime must be sentenced to at
least one year. These are the
mandatory minimum sentences
that represented the only con-
troversial section of the bill.
Must Explain Presence.
- Any one found in a gambling
Joint, narcotics pad" or illegal
whisky establishment and who
knows it is that kind of a place
faces up to year in Jail, or a
fine Of $500 or both, unless he
can give good explanation of
his presence there. Employees of
such places face similar PEN
alties.
After-hours clubs must be IL
censed. and since the rules for
getting a license are strict, the
bottle clubs are virtually out
lawed.
The laws covering sex offenses
are broadened to cover such Of
fenses occurring anywhere in
the District, instead of Just on
public space. Maximum punish
ment for indecent proposals or
acts are increased from the pre-
vious $3.50 fine or 80 days i'm
prisonment to $500 fine or 80
days imprisonment or both.
Offenses committed in the
presence of child are increased
from $500 fine or six months
imprisonment to $1,000 fine or
one years imprisonment or both.
The maximum fine for soliciting
prostitution is increased from
$100 to $3.50.
AbortioniSts face a maximum
penalty of 10 years instead Of
the present five years and,
where the death of the mother
occurs, the maximum is raised
from 20 years to life imprison-
ment for .second-d degree murder.
Pistols Restricted.
Drug addicts, felons, persons
convicted of keeping a bawdy
house, vagrants and persons
convicted of illegally selling pis-
tolls are forbidden to possess q
pistol. It is also against the
new law to keep a pistol for a
person forbidden to own one.
Second-o offenders face a maxi
mum of 10 years in prison. Pis-
tolls may not be sold to persons
under 81, instead of the previous
age limitation of 18.
Switch-blade knives are out.
lawed. 1t is against the law to