Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-03
First Degree
Verdict Given
In n Minutes
BY RICHARD RODGERS

Convicted yesterday Of first
degree murder, Billy Ray Pre-
waite was sentenced to life i'm
prisonment.
He cannot be paroled euntil
1871 at the earliest, so he faces
q minimum of more time behind
bars than the IA years he has
already lived.
Three women and nine men
Jurors found him guilty in Prince
Georges Circuit Court after de-
liberating only II minutes and
taking one ballot. They put a
rider on the verdict excluding
the death penalty. That made the
life term mandatory.
But Prevatte will be eligible for
parole after Is years.
Appeal from the sentence is
not expected.
Judge j. Dudley Digges ordered
papers prepared to transfer the
boy as soon as possible from
Maryland penitentiary to the Pa
tuxent Institute for Defective De-
linquents. He will be examined at
the institution to determine
whether his case is mental, de-
serving treatment there instead
Of in Jail.
The judge ordered the young
murderer removed to the Upper
Marlboro lookup to await the
trip to the institute.
Faints After Sentencing
Since his trial opened on Tues
day, Prevatte had been solemn
and stole. But leaving the court
room yesterday, he began to
stumble. then toppled forward in
o dead faint.
His mother was shaking with
sobs. Outside the courtroom, his
younger brother Jimmy shrieked
Historically.
Six months ago tomorrow, Pre-
waite, then barely past his 18th
year, committed the crime that
led him to prison.
Prevatte was a troublemaker at
Maryland Park Junior High. On
May 4. he was reprimanded by
teachers. He stormed out of the
school and went home. He re-
turned with .22-caliber rifle,
killed his home-room teacher,
Fraser K. Cameron, and wounded
two other instructors.
In testimony on Wednesday
and Thursday. States Attorney
Blair H. Smith labored to erect
an iron-clad case against the
laconic boy.
Motive Proven
One big problem was proving
Prevatte had a motive in killing
Mr.. Cameron and that he killed
him. only after generalization.
Prosecutor Smith proved it with
q string of schoolmate witnesses.
1t was brought out Prevatte
had grudge against Mr.. Cam
eron because he said the teacher
threatened to tell a girls father
Of the boys widely known in
timacies with her.
Attorneys Wilmer Pyles and A..
Gwynn Bowie were appointed by
the court to defend Prevatte.
Summing UP yesterday. Mr.. Pyles
made q moving appeal.
He argued that Prevatte killed
Mr.. Cameron in a blind insane
rage. There was no intent to kill
the man. the attorney shouted.
He said Billy was out instead
to kill the school principal, John
Hrezo. According to Mr.. Pyles,
Mr.. Cameron's tragedy was that
he came into the line Of vision Of
the temporarily insane boy, de-
scribed as being maddened by his
failure to track down the prin-
eipal.
Mr.. Smith demanded q ver-
dict Of first-degree murder.
HE deserves the death pen
atty" Mr.. Smith said. But I
cannot find it in my heart to
ask it. Look at him. He's a
kid. That's the only reason"
Mr.. Bowie called for one of
two verdicts; not guilty by rea-
son of insanity or manslaughter.
Still outstanding are two
charges of assault with intent
to kill, in connection with the
two teachers the boy wounded.
These counts will be dropped
as. soon as the four-day period
passes for an appeal from yes
terday's conviction and sentence.