Evening star., 1954-06-16
Jury GetsCase
In Shooting by
Puerto Ricans
Donohue Says U. S.
Has Not Proved
Intent to Kill
Bv Jock Jones

By Jock jonas
The case of four Puerto Rican
terrorists charged with shooting
and wounding five Representa-
tives in the House last March /
went to a Federal Court jury at
1902 pm. today.
The four, accused of assault
with intent to kill and assault
with a dangerous weapon, are
Mrs. Lolita Lebron, 81; Rafael
Concel Miranda, Is; Andres
Figueroa Cordero, %, and Irving
Flores Rodriguez, 81.
Attacks Prosecution.
F. Joseph Donohue. court
appointed defense attorney,
urged the jury to disregard the
charges of assault with intent to
kill. He said the Government
had not proved that the four
intended to kill any one, and
attacked the Government for not
offering expert testimony that
each of the guns carried by the
woman and three men had been
fired. Mr.. Donohue admitted,
however. that his clients had
violated the law.
Despite the unusual cooper
alton on the part of these four
defendants, three are some in
teresting questions which are still
unanswered" he said, "Who hit
whom? At least one and
possibly two of the guns jammed.
When? Before or after any shots
We're f1red?"
During the trial, each of the
defendants had described the
shooting as a demonstration for
the independence for Puerto
Rico. In his charge to the jury
Judge Alexander Holtzof of the
u. S. District Court for the Dis
trict of Columbia told the jury
today that it should not take
into consideration any alleged
zeal for the independence of
Puerto Rico"
Yesterday United States At
torney Leo A. Rover termed the
shooting a design for murder"
Speaking to the jury yester-
day, Mr.. Rover declared:
1--WE are dealing with one of
the most vicious, one of the
most serious, one of the most
deadly attacks that has ever
been perpetrated in the Capital
of the Nation. :. Call it dem
onstration if you want to. call
it a design for murder"
Close to Murder.
AT He pointed to the defendants
and said:
...a, 'It is only by the grace of
God that they are not seated
at that counsel table today
charged with first-degree mur-
der. Who would ever have
thought that Representative
Alvin Bentley would ever survive
that murderous attack that all
but ripped his body apart?"
He directed much Of his sum-
nation at Mrs. Lebron, who had
testified, 81 love you. I love the
world. love God. What I did
/ did for my country"
Mr.. Rover called her declara-
tions "sacrilegious."
81 think she told more false
hoods on the witness stand than
the other three defendants. She
would have you believe that she
loves everybody. She is part
of this crowd that packed these
loaded guns and came here to
make this so-called demonStra-
ton. -.
Cites Use of Bullets.
"They didn't use blanks, be-
cause blanks don't kill. They
used bullets because they wanted
to kill"
He asked the jury for verdict
that would ''let them know that
there is no place in Washington
for this kind of gunf1re and that
they can't come here packing an
arsenal and shoot up our legis-
latorS.
"It is a terrible thing when
people can walk into the gallery
and NOV down our legislators, ="
he added. "If this goes, the SEN
ate is next, and it is not a very
long step from the Senate to
the White House. It is about
time these people, and people like
them, learn that this country is
. country of law and order"
When Mr.. Rover finished his
argument. Mrs. Lebron, whose
face had paled as Mr.. Rover
spoke, turned to Miranda and
whispered:
1--WE could face God"
Her New York attorney, Con-
rad j. Lynn, later told reporters
that Mrs. Lebron had told him
that after Mr.. Rover's talk, she
could face anything"
Only four witnesses were called
by the defenSe-the four ac-
cused. The Government called
S3 witnesses, including the five
wounded Representatives. Bent
ley, Republican, of Michigan;
Fallon, Democrat, of Maryland;
Jensen. Republican. of Iowa;
Roberts, Democrat, of Alabama
and Davis, Democrat. of Ten
neSSee.
Rrovh;II Nuo nkIun>koon