Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-22
Socicpothic Justice

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Everyone knows that Justice is
blind. But the case of Dallas williams
raises suspicion that justice. in WASH
ington, may also be suffering, fgura-
lively speaking, from a mental disease
or defect.
The best way to get into the case
OF Dallas Williams, who is a free man
In this city today, is to take a look at
his criminal record. The following is
from an opinion by the United States
Court Of Appeals:
The prosecutor told the court at the
opening Of the trial. This man
(Williams) has the worst criminal rec
ord for violence have ever SEEN" We
are Informed by the Government that
he was convicted Of attempted robbery
in 1888: twice Of assault and battery in
1884: Of manslaughter in 1886; Of assault
and battery with intent to kill In 1910
and in 1871: OF shooting with intent to
kill in 1912; Of assault with a pistol in
1914: Of assault in l945: Of assault with
intent to kill. assault with q dangerous
weapon and carrying q dangerous weapon
In 1919. In 1852. twelve days after he was
released on bail to await his second trial
for the present tthe l949l ofense he
threatened someone with a pistol and
was convicted Of that ofiense While on
bail before his fifth trial in 1856. he COM
mitted another crime involving a pistol
and was convicted Of that crime a month
after the present conviction. Williams
told one Of the court-appointed psychic
artists who examined him in 1888 that
he had spent about 20 Of his 80 years
IN jail.
But he is not in jail today. This
charming fellow is loose in Washington,
and he probably will remain free unless
or until he commits another crime.
How is 1t possible that a man with
such record is not either In jail or in
asmental institution? Well, it's long
story. but we'll try to tell 1t as briefly
as possible.
The case which has just resulted in
his release began when he shot a man
on September 26, 1919. He has been tried
fire times for that offense. Two trials
ended in mistrials and three in convic-
tiDns. For one reason or another all
three convictions were reversed on
appeal. The latest reversal came on
November l, 1857, when Judges Bazelon,
Fahy and Washington held that VIII
liams had been deprived Of his right
to speedy trial.
In all of this time there was a
serious question as to williams sanity,
and the appellate judges, although they
dismissed the charge against the man,
were not at all anxious TO see him re-
leased. So they suggested that the Gov
eminent might seek to have Williams
committed to mental institution in
civil, as distinguished from criminal,
proceedings.
United States Attorney Oliver
Gasch took the hint and asked Chief
Judge Laws of the District Court to
send Williams to st. Elizabeths Hos
pital. Judge Laws was sympathetic,
wanting to protect the public, and on
January he ordered Williams COM
n1itted pending a report on his condi-
ton from the Mental Health Commits
sion. However, there was one important
hitch.
Ten days prior to this the prose-
cutor, as he had to do, had asked two
Government psychiatrists to examine
Williams. They agreed that, as of that
time, the man was not insane. One OF
the doctors warned of the potential
danger" to the community II Williams
should be released. The other went even
further. He said: "At present there are
no symptoms, singly or In the aggregate,
which would justify hospital commit
ment for this man. However, 1t should
be kept in mind that he is potentially
definitely dangerous to others, and once
released, is likely to repeat his patterns
Of criminal behavior, including homi-
eide"
Judge Laws ordered a temporary
commitment. But Williams lawyers,
Nestor S. Foley and George Rublee II,
doing their duty as defense counsel,
went before Judge Keech to challenge
the legality of the commitment In the
absence Of an accusation that williams
was insane at the time, they said, he
could not be lawfully committed. Re-
luctantly, Judge Keech agreed, and
ordered Williams released.
The United States Attorney went
back to the Court Of Appeals, before the
same panel Of judges, asking that they
reverse Judge Keech. The appellate
judges refused, however, because there
was no verified allegation" that
Williams now is insane. They suggested
that the prosecutor might try all over
again, although they did not explain
how or why. For the United States
Attorney cannot accuse Williams OF in
sanity at this time II the Governments
own psychiatrists say that he is sane.
So this, In summary 9orm, Is the