Evening star., 1963-01-24

Of these offenses" Of concealed
weapons and will prosecute
them to the limit of the law" !"
Mr.. Acheson pointed out that
under the District code the
crime Of carrying a concealed
weapon is q misdemeanor but
a second conviction is a felony
with q maximum sentence Of
10 years.
Mr.. Acheson added:
1T is vitality important, and
1t is our policy, to secure con-
victions in first offenses wher-
ever possible, so that the felony
punishment can be imposed for
subsequent offenses. ! join Mr..
Tobriner in expressing the hope
that very heavy penalties may
be imposed by the judges in
concealed weapons cases, and
that full use be made Of the
felony provisions for repeat Of
tenders"
ITO avoid any misunder-
standing, however" Mr.. Ache
son said, II want to make II
clear that the prosecutor doe;
not have any permissible func-
ton in recommending SEN
tences."
Court Must Decide
ION the contrary" he said,
''In the United States District
Court the prosecutor has been
explicitly forbidden to recon-
mend sentences, the function of
sentencing being one entirely
entrusted the court"
He added that he hoped sen
tences in concealed weapons
cases will reflect the extreme
hostility that the community,
including my own office, has to
these offenses, a hostility which
I have no doubt that the judges
share"
Mr.. Acheson said his office
had mo difficulty" prosecuting
concealed weapons cases pro-
viding there was a lawful
search or arrest based on prob
able cause.
He said the Police Depart
ment had not reported to hi,
office any particular problems
in justifying concealed weap.
ons' arrests.
However, Mr.. Acheson point
ed out that he considered
concealed weapons offense;
serious because the weapons
could be used in crimes oi
violence.
Items taken into considera.
! ton when justifying the ar.
resting officers probable cause
! are. among other things. in.
! formation given to the officer
: that the arrested man was car
rying a weapon: the outline Of
a concealed weapon under thC
suspects coat; or a prior con-
/. viction for carrying concealed
J weapon.
! Mr.. Tobriner said that whilC
! the Commissioners consistently
: have advocated tight restric.
: tions on sale Of firearms, HI
has been told that guns arr
readily obtainable in thu
"black market" He added tha
l none Of the men in the arrests
{ he cited had licenses to carr!
1 firearms.
5 Mr.. Tobriner said that of thu
six persons arrested, five haC
previous criminal records
/, which made them ineligible h
buy guns through lawful chan,
nels under the city's existinI
firearms statute.
Trials Continued
I Police said the cases Of thl
five persons charged with car,
rying dangerous weapons havt
|, been continued In Municipa
= Court until a later date. Tit
i7-year-old youth charged will
; carrying a concealed weapor
was turned over 10 the You'll
Aid Division and his case 4
being processed there.
Chief Murray pointed ou
J that all OF the men charged
with carrying concealed weap.
ons we're arrested on another
charge first. except in the in,
! stance OF the man police saw
J chasing another with the tilt
; knife. In the other concealed
! weapon cases, the weapons wert
J discovered while the men were
being searched following theii
, arrests on another charge
! Chief Murray emphasized.
} Chief Murray said the vicin-
, ity Of Eighth and H street,
NE. is considered a trouble
!. spot because several places In
5 the area are open during late
) night and early morning hours
E II also is a busy bus transfer
n point