Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-09-02
Privute Shot
Youth Near
Senate Building

A Federal grand jury today
refused to return an indictment
against a Capitol Police private
who shot a 16-year-old youth
early August Is near the Senate
Office Building.
The jury announced its find
ing after an intensive investiga-
ton and presentation of evil
dence by the United States At
torney's office.
Involved in the investigation
was Pvt. Gregory M. LaCoss,
80. In a swift followup of the
shooting Of Henry Allen Tucker,
of 5000 Eighth street NV,
a District coroner's jury later
the same day ruled the shoot
ing "justifiable homicide in the
performance of duty"
The Washington branch Of
the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
promptly announced it intends
to seek action from the Civil
Rights Division of the Justice
Department and Chief Robert
Pearce Of the Capitol police.
Finding Is shocking"
Eugene Davidson, head of the
local NAACP Office. announced
the follow-up plans after learn.
ing of the grand jury decision.
Mr.. Davidson stated:
THE finding of the grand
jury that a fleeing 16-year-old
youngster had to be shot in the
back of the head to protect the
life of a policeman is shocking
not only to the NAACP but to
all fair-minded people.
I'VE are convinced that had
the policeman been a civilian,
the United States attorney
would have obtained an indict-
ment. The present development
is strange. We propose to pur-
sue justice in this case through
the administration of the Cap
itol police and through the
Justice Department and by any
other legal means"
! The youth was shot in the
back of the head as he fled
from Pvt. LaCoSs on the Capt.
toll grounds near First and D
streets NE. During the coro-
ner's hearing testimony varied
as to whether the boy had
threatened the policeman with
a knife just before the shoot
ing, shortly after midnight on
August ID.
Principal Assistant United
States Attorney Edward P.
Troxell launched his investi.
J cation Immediately after the
coroner'S jury decision.
Disturbance in Park
Testimony at the inquest dis
closed that Pvt. LaCoss had
responded to a call that there
was a disturbance in the park
near the Senate Office Building
In which a man appeared to
be forcing a girl to accompany
him. With Pvt. LaCoss when
ne reached the scene were Pvt.
Harry Myers and Sergt. Ed.
ward Paiamara.
Pvt. LaCoSs got out of the
squad car and approached
Tucker. who was struggling
with a 16-year-old girl. The
girl said later Tucker was a
"part-tim boy friend of hers
and that the group had been
returning from a dance. When
the policeman neared the
couple, he said, the youth re-
leased the girl and began to
run.
The policeman said he or
dered the youth to halt. He
said the Tucker boy turned
around and had an object in
his hand with which he made
a threatening gesture toward
Mr.. LaCoss. Thereupon Pvt.
LaCoss fired one shot just as
the Tucker boy turned around.
so that the bullet struck him
in the back of the head, the
policeman said. He fell fatally
wounded on the sidewalk.
Pvt. LaCoSs said the boy
was clutching a pocket knife
with a 4-inch blade when he
got to where young Tucker was
lying. Juvenile officials later
said the boy had been arrested
seven times.