Evening star., 1955-03-06
Fuller Denies KILLING
Patterson, but Gets
Crossed Up on Stand
BY the Asseeioied Press

Albert Fuller cllmaXed MS
murder defense today with a
firm denial that he killed A. L.
Patterson. but he got crossed up
three times on major points in
his testimony.
The defense rested its cas-.
after the former chief deputy
sheriff at Phenix City ended a
stay OF Az hours on the stand,
but announced it would call the
States star witness for further
cross-examination Monday.
Chief Prosecutor Cecil Deason
then began presentation Of re-
buttal testimony aimed at coun-
teracting the stories OF Fuller
and six other witnesses who said
the defendant was in the Coun-
ty Jail at the time the vice cru
sading Mr.. Patterson was slain
last June 13.
The first four rebuttal witnesses
for the State we're Birmingham
.Bs ptist minister, who formerly
was pastor Of a church in Phenix
City, and three Phenix City resi-
dents. who all testified Fuller's
reputation is bad" They said
they wouldn't believe him on
oath.
Seeming Contradictions.
Fuller's testimony included
these seeming contradictions:
that. he worked for Mr.. Patter-
son in Mr.. Patterson's successful
campaign for attorney general
of Alabama last spring, but didn't
vote for him.
That he suffered from severe
leg injury and couldn't run from
the murder scene as prosecution
witnesses said he did, but that
he ran out of the Jail when he
heard about the shooting and
ran across the street when he
arrived at the murder scene.
That he didn't remember being
sentenced TO seven years in pris-
on for bribery several weeks ago,
but did remember parts of the
trial, especially that he didn't
have a lawyer just after he was
called into court.
Fuller was one Of the defend
ants convicted in the vice clean
up trials which followed Mr..
Patterson's death. He was
charged with taking payoff
money to let a bawdy house
operate unmolsted.
Changes Statement.
When Mr.. Deason asked about
that today the husky. 35-year-
old defendant said he didn't re-
member being tried.
But as Mr.. Deason continued
to question him. Fuller said he
remembered parts of the trial
vaguely" and that he did tes-
tify on his own behalf that he
hadn't taken a bribe.
Then in response to another
question he changed the bribe
statement, explaining, that's
what I was told"
A few minutes later, ques-
toned by Chief Defense Attorney
Roderick Beddow, the witness
said he was taking drug injec-
tions for a back injury at the
time of his bribery trial. 1t was
then that he became specific
about what Mr.. Beddow called
unfair conditions" about that
trial.
Fuller insisted he supported
Mr.. Patterson in the attorney
generals race and that MI Pat
terson was his personal friend"
He said he asked many people
to vote for the crHsading attor-
ney who had promised to wipe
out vice and racketeering in
Phenix City.
But he said he didn't vote for
Mr.. Patterson.
Two Await Trial.
The ex-chief deputy is one of
three men the State contends
killed Mr.. Patterson because the
former State Senator had pledged
to smash the multi-million dollar
racketeering empire in his home
town.
The others, still awaiting trial,
are Arch Ferrell, prosecuting
attorney in the vice-ridden COM
munity. and former Alabama
Attorney General ST Garrett,
whom Mr.. Patterson would have
succeeded.
Fuller gave a lengthy account
of his activities on the day Mr..
Paterson was slain.
One point concerned whether
he could have run from a va
cant lot near the murder scene
and jumped into a waiting car
as a prosecution witness had
testified.