The Sidney herald., 1961-11-01

@0W FaueAkUAAuCS
Active Assistance
The attorney general of the
united States has made the fol-
lowing release relative to new
Federal legislation, according to
information received from w. w.
Bromwell, special agent in charge,
f'Bl, in Butte, Mont:
Following the signing of an
amendment to the Fugitive Felon
Act by the President on October
4, 1861, Attorney General Robert
F. Kennedy announced that he
and F'BI Director J. Edgar Hoover
heralded the enactment of this
important legislation as a great
step in combating the ever-in
creasing crime problem.
MIR. Hoover explained that the
amendment to Section 1913, Title
IL, United States Code, which
now becomes law, is merely an
extension of the present statute.
The new law authorizes the FBI
TO give active assistance to local
authorities in the apprehension of
any fugitive who has crossed state
lines after committing any felony.
Previously, the FBI could only
come to the aid of local police in
the apprehension of fugitives who
had crossed state lines to avoid
prosecution, custody or confine-
ment after conviction for murder,
kidnapping, burglary, robbery,
mayhem, rape, assault with
dangerous weapon, arson punish
able as a felony or extortion ac-
companied by threats of violence
or attempts to commit any of these
offenSeS.
This new law, which will per-
init the FBI to extend even more
cooperation to police agencies,
provides a penalty of $4,000 or
Imprisonment of not more than
five years or both for any fugi-
tive who fleeS across state lines
to avoid prosecution, custody or
confinement after conviction for
a crime or an attempt to COM
init a crime punishable by death
or which is a felony under the
laws of the place from which the
fugitive flees. The new law, as
did the old, provides the same
penalties for fleeing across state
lines to avoid giving testimony in
cases involving crimes covered.
AS IN the past, all the F'BI needs
IN order to further assist local
law enforcement in locating a
fleeing person charged with a fell
ouy is an indication he has fled
the state where he is charged
with the felony, a request from
local authorities for the FBI to
locate him and warrant author
lied by United States Attorney
to seek such an Individual.
Attorney General Kennedy said
the new law is the fifth new law
recently passed by the Congress
and signed by the PreSident in
the Attorney Generals legisla-
tive anti-crime program. An ex-
tension of the Federal Firearms
Act was signed by the President
last Tuesday and three anti-gamb-
ling laws were signed by him
September 13.
The Attorney General made t
clear that the Fugitive FelIn Act
does not SuperSede nor is it in
tended TO provide an alternative
for state extradition proceedings.
Its primary purpose is to permit
the Federal Government to a
siSt in the location and apprehen
sion Of fugitives from state juris-
diction. He said past procedures
will continue to be followed ex-
cept that it will now be necces-
Sary for him or an Assistant At
torney General to give formal APP
proval in writing before prosecu-
tionS can be commenced in Fed
eral court. In accordance with
present procedures, the FlBI will
Turn over the fugitive to LEGAL
authorities promptly after arrest
SO that he may be returned thru
normal exradition proceedings to
the state from which he fled.
The Attorney General, who said
he does not anticipate a great in
crease in the number of Federal
prosecutions under this statute,
noted: During the past ten years,
Federal prosecutions have been
undertaken in only 48 instances
in a total of 9,O98 apprehension ms
under the old law. Federal pros
ecutions have been authorized on
" under unusual conditiCnS, such
as the inability of state authori-
ties TO effect extradltion or in
extremely aggravated circums.an-
ces."
MIR. Hoover, who has frequently
appealed for greater efforts IN the
battle against organized crime,
welcomed the broadened juriSdic-
ton which will enable the FBI
to assist local law enforcement
ageucies TO an even greater eX-
tent than in the past. In fiscal
year 1861, the FBI, operating un-
der the Fugitive Felon Act, as
sisted local authorities in locating
lab fugitives. The new law, Mr.
Hoover estimated, may result IN
doubling the number of unlaw-
ful rngnt cases handled by the
F'BI and will greatly curtail or
gauized crime.
SIDNEY BAND MOTHERS
DINNER