Evening star., 1957-08-20
Watson Ruling
Prompts Call
By Republicans

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Watson today prompted two
leaders of the
House Judiciary Committee to
demand immediate congress
sional action for a new arrest.
arraignment law. =
In reversing the first degree
Watson case. the appellate
court said it was bound by the
Supreme Courts ruling in the
Andrew r. Mallory case that a
suspect is not to be taken to
police headquarters for the pur-
pose of being questioned. The
highest court ruled that NAL
lory was held too long between
arrest and arraignment.
The Supreme Court threw
out the Mallory confession and
without that, the Government
could not proceed and Mallory
was released. In the Watson
case, the appellate court threw
out Watson's oral confession,
his re-enactment of the rape
murder of Alyce o. Taggart
and the pants he said he tore
in making his escape.
Demands Renewed
The Watson decision
brought renewed demands by
Representatives Heating, Re-
publican of New York, and
William c. Cramer, Republic
can of Florida. for legislation
to correct what Mr.. Cramer
called the "justice-crippllng
Mallory decision.
A House Judiciary subcom-
mittee, headed by Representa-
tive Willis, Democrat of Louisi-
ana, which has been holding a
series of hearings on the eff
fects of the Mallory decision,
expects TO wind up its hearings
Thursday with testimony by
Assistant Attorney General
Warren Olney. head of the
Justice Departments Criminal
Division.
Mr.. Olney has made it clear
that he feels the Mallory deci-
sion should be clarified through
legislation as a present threat
to Federal law enforcement
and a future threat to the
states.
Mr.. Keating, who introduced
a bill later joined by Mr..
Cramer and others to provide
that delay in arraignment alone
should not invalidate confess
sions called yesterdays Watson
decision another shocking ex-
ample Of how convicted GRIM
inals are going to go scot free
unless corrective legislation is
enacted Immediately by Con-
gress."
The Court of Appeals" he
a d d e d. has not only been
forced to reverse the conviction
of this confessed rape killer just
as we had feared would happen
under the Mallory ruling. It
has also broadened the appli-
cation of that decision to in
clude not only confessions but
all types of evidence obtained
while a suspect is being de-
tanned.
This ruling will clearly make
doubly difficult the task of our
policy already handcuffed by
the Mallory rule. can think
OF no single measure now be-
fore Congress more vital to the
safety of our citizens than my
bill and others like it which
would allow the use of evidence
voluntarily given by the ac-
cuSed. This would take the
handouts off our law enforce
ment officials and put them on
the guilty.
For protection OF the Ma
tion'S Capital, as we'll as the
protection of the Nation as a
whole, legislation must be en-
acted without undue delay"
Rep. Cramer. ranking Repub-
lican on the Willis subcom-
mittee, said the Watson reversal
demonstrates graphically the
need for immediate congress
Sional action. He said he
intended to press for early con-
cluSlon of the subcommittee .
hearings so a report can be
made to the full committee and
brought to the House before
Congress recesses.
Fears Substantiatcd
Il have long contended. he
said, that the Mallory decision
would be extended to rule out
all evidence. although otherwise
voluntary, including physical
evidence as well as confessions
and statements acquired DUR
ing the period between arrest
and arraignment.
MY worst fears have cer-
tainly been substantiated by
this latest Watson decision.
Law enforcement will be
brought to an abrupt stand
still If voluntary evidence
given by the accused is per-
mitted to be ruled out under
the Mallory decision solely be-
cause Of delay in arraignment
as in this Watson decision. .
Mr.. Cramer said he believed
legislation to clarity the Mall
lory decision is just as import
ant as proposals to protect
FBI files which is still Ian
gushing in the Rules Commit
tee Of the House after being
reported some six weeks ago
by the Judiciary Committee. i"
Perhaps this-another oc-
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