Evening star., 1953-11-03
Woman Is Acquitted
InHusband's 'sS|aying;
SeIf-Defense Ruled

A jury ruled last night that
Mrs. Grover c. MilStead, so,
acted in self-defense last June IA
when she shot and killed her 61-
year-old husband after he
threatened her life in their home
at Camp Springs, Md.
The bullet Mrs. Milstead ad-
mitted firing ended 38 years of
married life, which she said had
been happy until her husband
became infatuated with another
woman about a year before the
shooting. The Milsteads had no
children.
Her husband wanted a divorce
and she was willing to give it to
him, even though he had no
grounds for such an action, Mrs.
Milstead said. But she testified
that she refused to accede to his
demands that she sign papers
saying that they had not lived
together as man and wife for
three years because the state
ment would have been untrue.
Acquitted of Murder.
Mrs. Milstead was acquitted Of
murder charge by nine men
and three women jurors. The
panel deliberated for 2 hours and
Is minutes after an all-day trial
in Upper Marlboro Circuit Court.
Deputy sheriffs secured the
courthouse, and adjoining streets
for veniremen before the jury
box was filled.
Judge Charles C. Marbury re-
cejved the jury's finding at 9:58
p.m., while the physically handi-
capped defendant stood with the
Stoical calmness which witnesses
had said was one of her charac-
teriStics Several members of
both families and a group of
friends were in the courtroom.
Mrs. Milstead testified she
fired one bullet from a .22-cali-
ber target pistol into the back
Of her husbands head while he
sat at the breakfast table in
their house at 5000 Auth road.
Eo Hiod iTocf af1u
States Attorney Carlyle j.
Lancaster contendeds that she
was motivated by jealousy. De-
fense Counsel Frank M. Hall and
former Democratic Representa-
tive Sasscer, aided by Attorney
Lansdale G. Sasscer, jr., argued
that Mrs. Milstead fired because
she believed her life was in dan
ger.
It was the former Representa-
tive's first appearance in a GRIM
inal case since he became a
member of Congress some Is
years ago.
Mrs. Milstead said on the wit
ness stand that her 6-foot tall,
240-pound husband was man
of exceptional strength, strong
determination and violent tenn
per. Several witnesses corrob-
GRATED this statement.
Another Woman.
Trouble, in the form of the
other woman-a married woman
started in July, 1852, she tes-
tilted. Anonymous telephone calls
informed her Of her husbands
extra marital affair. Once, she
followed him, she said, into
Charles County and found he
had registered at a motel with
the other woman.
She made no issue of the affair,
Mrs. Milstead testified. but on
June of this year, he told her
he wanted a divorce. Two days
before the shooting, she testified,
he consulted an attorney and was
told that he had no grounds for
such action, but that a divorce
might be obtained if both par
ties declared they had not CO.
habitated for three years.
When she refused, Mrs. Mil
stead said. he told her he would
kill her within "a hours, she
testified, if she did not agree to
sign.
"He pounded the table with a
knife. His face was livid and
there was a strange look in his
eye" Mrs. Milstead said. II be-
lieved it was him or me-"
Mrs. Milstead said she walked
to her husbands bedroom, got
the gun, fired and then called
police.