Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-06
Attorneys Studying
Moves for Defense
OF 4 Puerto Ricans

Court : appointed counsel for
four Puerto Rican Nationalist
who shot up the House chamber
Monday were considering today
a raft of defense motions in
behalf of their clients.
The group, selected by Judge
James w. Morris Of the u. s.
District Court for the District Of
Columbia at an arraignment
hearing yesterday. includes:
F. Joseph Donohue. chief
counsel. and Myron Enrich,
Abraham s. Goldstein and Ben
Paul Noble. associates. They
will serve without pay.
Mr.. Enrich said today he
would most certainly, take
some action next week. He said
the battery of lawyers have sew
eral motions in mind.
Motions Considered.
Among them are:
A request for a change Of
venue. moving the trial to an
other jurisdiction remote from
Washington.
A lengthy delay of trial ten
tatively set for April S, on
grounds it will be practically
impossible" to find an impartial
jury here.
A request for a sanity hear
ing for the four members of
the small but fanatical Nation
alist group. As
A request for stable reduce
ton in the current 100000 bond
which the four have thus far
been unable to post.
Plead Not Guilty.
The Puerto Ricans, whose wild
fusillade from a visitors gallery
wounded five Representatives,
pleaded not guilty yesterday.
The routine proceeding was
complicated by a language bar
rier. None Of the defendants, at
first. seemed to understand what
Judge James w. Morris of the
Judge Morris was asking them.
do you wish to enter a plea?"
he asked Lolita Lebron, 34-year-
old divorce and admitted leader
of the group.
In a barely audible voice she
answered: II wish to be charged
with aiding my country"
Two Nod Assent.
Immediately. Rafael c. Mir
anda. Is. and Irving F. Rod
riquez. 81. nodded their heads
in assent.
Andres F.. Cordero. 90. how
ever. looked up at Judge Morris
and spoke rapidly.
He seems to be saying" the
judge told United States Attor-
ney Leo A. Rover, that he did
what he did for his country. .
Judge Morris swore in Harry
Hastings, a Secret Service agent
stationed in Puerto Rico. as an
interpreter.
Through Mr.. Hastings, he told
the Puerto Ricans he was enter
ing not guilty pleas in their
behalf He also said he was
appointing counsel and told
them they could obtain counsel
of their own choosing later. if
they cared to do so.
''Ncw tell them this" he in
structed Mr.. Hastings. I'm view
of what have just said, do
they plead not guilty?" All
aSsented in their native tongue
Judge Morris, on his own,
brought up the question of bond.
He asked Mr.. Rover if he thought
the present 100000 was reason
able in view of the circum-
stances.
Four Called "Transients."
The prosecutor described the
four as "transients with no roots
here"
I'm fact" he said. they don't
seem to have roots anywhere. "
He followed his remarks with
a scathing description of all
four, "aS types from what in
formation I have received. who.
If free on bond. are likely to 60
the same thing all over again "
They were remanded to Jail in
lieu of the 100000 bail for .
trial tentatively set for April S.
Each is charged with five
counts Of assault with intent to
kill and five of assault with a
deadly weapon.
They face a maximum penalty
Of rs years on the first five
counts and so years on the sec
ond.
All the Nationalist, residents
OF New York. have admitted fir
ing into the crowded House
chamber.