Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-11


teacher and wounded two others
in a shooting spree at Maryland
Park Junior High School last
May 4.
Assistant States Attorney
John Mitchell said he would
present the case to the jury
after the case was waived in
Juvenile Court yesterday by
Judge Nita S. Crane.
The 14-year-old. who was ex-
PEELED from a Raleigh IN. c.
school for threatening to kill a
teacher only six weeks before
the Maryland shootings, sat
calmly in the Upper Marlboro
courtroom yesterday, as wit
nesses recounted the 5 min
utes of terror, which left 80
year-old Frazer Cameron dead
of a chest wound and Francis
Daniel Wagner, IS, and Robert
w. Hicks, 81. wounded.
Three fellow students told
Judge Crane Of seeing Mr.
Cameron shot twice as he was
grading spelling papers in his
eighth-grade classroom.
Defense Fights Transfer
A bricklayer from a nearby
project told how Billy Ray gave
up the rifle calmly and then
police officers said he told them
what happened"
Wilmer D. Pyles. the youths
defense attorney, failed in his
arguments that Judge Crane
must find that young Prevatte
actually committed the crimes
alleged before she could waive
juvenile jurisdiction.
This boy of IA ought not to
be tried in an adult court" he
told the judge.
No relatives Of the youth
were present in the courtroom
yesterday. and Mr.. Pyles said
there was little possibility the
money could be raised to free
Billy Ray on bond if and when
It is set on the murder charge.
Judge Crane set bond at 500
each on the two charges of as
Sault with intent to murder Mr..
Wagner and Mr.. Hicks.
The Circuit Court would set
bond on the murder charge
against the slight. dark haired
youth. who was dressed in a
dark blue suit, white shirt and
grey and pink tie for the juve-
nile hearing.
Pleads Not Guilty
Actually, Judge Crane waived
the murder charges to the
grand jury after the juvenile
proceedings and then went
through the formality of re-
converting the court as a pre-
liminary hearing before waving
the other two charges.
Billy Ray sat slouched, his
head to one side during most of
the testimony. He answered
loudly mot guilty" when asked
how he pleaded on each charge.
During recesses he smoked
cigarettes and talked briefly with
police officers.
He is being kept in the county
Jail at Upper Marlboro, where
he was returned last week after
doctors at Spring Grove State
Hospital announced he is sane
and able to stand trial.
Throughout the day, Mr.. Pyles
pressed his argument that Judge
Crane had to find Prevatte had
committed crime punishable
by death or life Imprisonment
before she could waive the case.
Mr.. Mitchell said the only
question left was that of pre-
meditation on the youths part
and, He was at school in the
morning and something hap
pened-we don't know quite
what-and he went home and
came back with a rifle. Three
men were shot, one fatally"
Wagner Tells of Shot
Mr.. Wagner, a physical educa-
ton teacher who lives at Green
belt, said he saw Billy Ray in
the principals Office at the
school shortly before noon on
May a. He said the youth had
the rife at his side.
Il said Boy, what you going
to do with that gum He pointed
it at me, few seconds passed
and he pulled the trigger" Mr..
Wagner said.
Il put my hand up to my side
and there was a hole in my
shirt. 1t didn't hurt right away,
but l felt the impact and said
My God. I've been shot,"
He said he didn't see Billy Ray
again for few minutes, and
then the youth was brought back
to the Office where he said Mr..
Warner, I didn't mean to shoot
you"
Mr.. Hicks, who also lives in
Greenbelt, said he was conduct
ing a class on an upper floor
when he heard a commotion
down the hall. He said he went
out to close the door and saw
the youth coming down the hall
with a gun.
He snapped shot at me and
kept going" Mr.. Hicks said. 1T
hit me in the thumb"
One of Billy Rays fellow stu
dents, l3-year-old Capitol
Heights boy, said Mr.. Cameron
was working at his desk, and
Il was talking to George" when
he heard a shot, and there he
was in the door Billy Pre-
waite"
Tells Of Second Shot
A 14-year-old girl said she
was in the same class and heard |
q shot, and Mr.. Cameron
started to fall over, and he
shot again"
Another girl told of the shoot-