Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-08

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the courts that has been going
on ever since.
On November /. williams
reached q milestone in his long
legal trek. The u. s. Court Of
Appeals for the District Of Co
lunbia found that his five trials
two mistrials and three con-
victions on an assault with. o
dangerous weapon charge
were all nil.
The opinion. written by
Judge David L. Bazelon and
concurred in by the two other
judges Of the three-judge panel.
said williams didn't get q
speedy trial and reversed the
final (l956) conviction. Judge
Bazelon blamed the delay on
prosecutors for resisting efforts
of Williams defense attorney
to try to determine the bad
Mans" sanity at the time Of
the crime.
Hidden Ace Produced
Yesterday Principal Assistant |
United States Attorney Edward |
p. Troxell presented the appel !
ate court order to Judge Laws.
calling for dismissal Of the !
charges against williams.
But Mr. .Troxell had an ace |
up his sleeve. suggested to the |
United States Attorneys once
by the appellate opinion.
The ACE" was q petition ask |
ing that Williams be sent to st. |
Elizabeths Hospital. pending q
mental examination by the Dis |
triet Commission on Mental /
Health.
Mr.. Troxell called attention |
TO the suggestion made in the |
appellate court opinion. It read: 1
1T Is open to the Govern /
ment to proceed for a civil COM |
mitment (under District lawl. !
II IL considers that. with VIII !
liams at large in his present |
state. the rights Of persons and |
Of property win be teopardized |
or the preservation Of public
peace imperiled and the COM
mission Of crime rendered prob
able"
Flaw Pointed Out
But there was one catch to |
this legal straw grabbed to keep
Williams in custody.
After q mental examination /
December %. Mr.. Troxell told |
the judge. two st. EliZabeths /
psychiatrists reported Williams
shows no evidence Of active
mental illness" i
However, they agreed the
bad Man" is potentially dan
gerous to others and might
commit homicide.
They also pointed TO VIII 1
liams' long criminal record. his
refusal to accept responsibility /
for "the numerous crimes Of |
which he has been convicted"
In effect. they said the tall. 4
powerfully built. 43 year old !
Williams might cause more I
trouble. II he's let loose.
Considering this. Judge Laws /
asked Mr.. Troxell just what |
the psychiatrists meant by this.
do they say he's Just mean. or !
WHAT" he asked.
He than accepted the APP
pelate court order dismissing ]
the charge against Williams.
and the first step was out Of !
the way.
Then came the crucial Sec
ond step. /
Overrides Objection
Judge Laws brushed aside
objection Of George Rublee II,
Williams attorney. that there
was no authority in law to send
Williams to st. Elizabeths.
Mr.. Rublee emphasized the
pSychiatrists had said his
client has no symptoms to
Justify hospital commitment.
But. said the judge, Il am |
going to look through the form /
and go right ahead to the sub |
stance"
1T may be that he will |
liamS) just has an arrested
disease. Unless they (the pSy-
chiatrists) come in and tell me
his being dangerous has
nothing TO do with his mental
condition, I'm signing the
(commitment) order"
The judge also said he will
order the Mental Health Com
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