Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-13
Partial Victory
Won by Bryant
In Staying Trial.
Defense Permitted
To Study Police
Reports on Case
By Richard RODGERS
Stor Stuff coFyespondent

IS "
ELLICoTT CITY, Md, July
13.-Eugene Elmer Bryant's de-
Tense lawyer won a partial vic
tory here today when the How
ard County Circuit Court per-
mitted defense examination Of
reports by police who talked to
Bryant up to the time he con-
fessed the murder Of his sweet
heart.
Twice before. in preliminary
hearings in Prince Georges and
Howard Counties, Attorney How
ard Vogei lost moves to examine
the Prince Georges police file.
Judge James Clark would not
give him the entire file today,
But the court did release written
statements from IL police Of
f1cers and one civilian detective,
Girl Slain in April.
Bryant, 81, of Hillside, Md,
shot and killed Joan Marie Ruzza
last April. The 17-year-old Suit
land High school drum major
cites body was found near her
home, 813 Forty ninth street,
Capital Heights, Md.
Mr.. Vogel contends Bryant was
insane when he put five .38 cal
iber bullets into the body of the
girl who returned his ring.
The trial went into its second
day with the all-male jury locked
out of court while both sides
disputed admissibility of the
confession.
The defense is trying to prove
it was obtained wrongfully.
Testimony was to resume after
Mr.. Vogel studies the thick sheet
Of police reports used as a basis
for the prosecutions chronology
Of events.
Police said Bryant's confession
said, IF I couldn't have her
nobody could"
The trial was moved to How
ard County at the request of the
defense.
Mr.. Vogel spent much of yes
terday in sharp exchanges with
Judge James Clark in Howard
County Circuit Court. Court re-
cesSed shortly after 10 pm.
Carlyle j. Lancaster, Prince
Georges County States attorney.
who has more than 80 witnesses.
yesterday laid most of the foun-
dalton for his case. bringing in
d number Of Prince Georges
County policemen to testify how
Bryant led them to the murder
gun, g. s.38-caliber dve-shot
nickel plated revolver.
IS Found in WO0ded Area. III
The oficers recovered the gun
hidden In q clurnp of honey
suckle in q wooded area about
six-tenths OF a mile from where
the girls body was found
An FBI ballistics specialist
told the jury the gun was the
one used in the staying.
DR.. James /. Boyd. deputy
medical examiner in Prince
Georges, testified Miss Ruzzs
was three or four months preg.
.nant when she was slain.
Victims Parents Testify.
The defendant sat iHapassive
through the testimony thumbing
through photographs of the
girls body and scanning detec-
tive magazine accounts of the
killing.
The victims parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. Mario Ruzza, both testified
their daughter was terrified Of
the sutton whose ring she re-
turned. In March Bryant was
convicted Of attempting to run
over the girl with q car after she
refused to get in it with him.
The death gun was identified
by Joseph H. Higgs Of Hillside
as being his. He said his friend,
Bryant, knew where the gun was
kept In the Higgs home. Mr..
Higgs said he discovered the
weapon missing the day after the
killing.
Other Witnesses.
Other prosecution witnesses
included:
Miss Loretta Ridgley, trial
magistrates clerk in Upper
Marlboro. who verified records of
Bryant's automobile assault trial.
Mrs. Florence Harrison. 4O8
Forty-ninth avenue. Capitol
Heights, who discovered the
body.
Mrs. Jane Virginia Clark, 418
Forty-ninth avenue, Capitol
Heights. who told of hearing
what appeared to be a car back
firing on the night the girl was
killed.
Detective Sergt. Earl j. Huber.
who recovered the revolver.
Detective Sergt. j. P. Kearns,
who said Bryant gave him the
signed confession.