Evening star., 1962-09-11
VinsonIndicfe
Slayer Of
YoungGo|dfein

John c. Vinson, jr., I7-year-
old Fairfax County youth, wa,
indicted yesterday on a charge
of numbering a former school
mate. Lewis Goldfein, and COM
mitted for mental observation
On motion of the Common
wealth, Fairfax County Circuit
Court Judge Paul E. Brown or
dered Vinson to Southwestern
State Hospital at Marion. Va,
after the grand jury indictment
was returned in the fatal shoot
ing of young Goldfein, also II.
Vinson pleaded not guilty to
the murder charge after the in
dictment was returned.
Wilson's attorney, Philip N.
Brophy, asked the court to ap-
point a one to three-member
commission which would ex-
anime his clients mental
competency to stand trail on
the charge. However, Judge
Brown ruled in favor Of Com
monwealth's Attorney Robert
C. FltZgerald's motion that Vim
son be examined at the States
institution for the criminally
insane. He had been examined
there in 1861, and found COM
petent in connection with an
other case, but was never tried.
Committed In 1861
Under State law, Vinson may
be held at Marion for an indef-
mite period while State officials
attempt to determine If he is
competent to stand trial.
Vinson, who repeatedly has
an 10 Of 165, was committed
at his own request to Eastern
State Hospital at Williamsburg,
Va. in August, 1861, after being
brought before Fairfax Juvenile
Court in a juvenile case. He and
another youth escaped from
the institution two days later.
They were accused Of stealing
a taxicab at knifepoint and at
tempting to lock the driver in
the trunk Of the cab.
AS a result Of the episode,
which ended with their arrest
two hours later. both youths
were charged with robbery and
kidnapping. Vinson was sent to
Marion at that time for OBJ
servation. In February, 1862.
doctors at Marion decided that
he was competent to stand
trial, but he never did. Some
how, the warrants on file
against him we're overlooked
and he returned home.
The Goldfein youth was
found early September in
the back yard Of his home in
Fairfax County, shot three
times. He died shortly after
wards.
County police said Vinson ad-
the shooting in a signed
statement. According to police,
vinson said Goldfein surprised
him in the act Of peeping into
the Goldfein home.
Other True Bills
The vinson indictment was
one Of 10 true bills returned by
the county grand Jury yester-
day. Among other cases re-
ported upon:
/. Phillip La Force Hutchin-
son, 10, of Arlington, was in
dicted on a charge of armed
in the robbery Of
$20,870 from the Mount Yer
non National Bank last month.
In arraignment proceedings,
Hutchinson pleaded not guilty.
Judge Brown also ordered him
committed for mental observa-
ton at Marion.
2. Robert Lee LaFon, 80, ac-
cused in the bludgeon death of
Raymond Lee Glaspell near
Chantilly July 16, was indicted
on a murder charge. LaFon
pleaded not guilty, and trial
date was set for October "a.
Bond Of $4,000 was continued.
8. Larry Wayne Fox, Is, of
Mclean. was indicted on a
burglary charge, but the grand
jury returned no true bill on
a charge Of arson lodged
against the youth earlier.
He had been accused in the
$4,000 blaze that broke out
early August 4 in the home
Of Charles Baxter at 5814
Chateau court, Mclean.
Fox was released on $2,500
bond to await a court-ordered
probation report, due Novem g.
ho,.