OCR Text |
Show was the political trial of the decade, d the confrontation between FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and the Catholic Left. Father Philip F. Berrigan and six other antiwar activists stood in the dock at Harrisburg, Pa., accused of conspiring to vandalize draft boards, blow up government heating tunnels in Washington, and kidnap Presidential assistant Henry It by Martin B. Margulies long-awaite- A. Kissinger. But when the jury returned after a weeks deliberations, it convicted just two of the defendants on relatively minor charges of smuggling letters out conof prison. On the it was hopelessly dispiracy counts, vided. Several jurors threw up their hands and admitted that they didn't understand the law of conspiracy. Neither, defense attorneys contended, did the judge. Elusive concept Small wonder that the jury was con- fused, for conspiracy is surely one of the most elusive, open-ende- d concepts in criminal law. Yet it has become a favorite of prosecutors across the country. In Los Angeles, Anthony Russo has been indicted for conspiring to help Daniel Ellsberg release the Pentagon Papers. Teenaged activist Leslie Bacon was indicted for b a Manhattan conspiring to In trial in New York celebrated bank. a Anglo-Americ- Sister Elizabeth McAlister and Father Philip F. Berrigan (brought from prison in shackles) were tried on conspiracy charges but found guilty only of letter smuggling. fire-bom- City last year, 13 Black Panthers were of conspiring to murder acquitted policemen. The Chicago Seven were charged with conspiring to incite a riot. Why the popularity of the conspiracy charge among prosecuting authorities? To understand that, one must know a little of its background. 700 years old Conspiracy has had a long and not always honorable history. It was first mentioned in an English statute just 700 years ago, but it is probably even older. In the first half of the 17th century, it was used often by the dreaded Court of Star Chamber, which served the Stuart kings in their quest for absolute power. It was during this period that it assumed its present form. Over the following three centuries, men have been convicted for conspiring to commit seduction, hiss actors off the stage, lay false accusations of paternity, and raise the price of beer (in order to incite the people against the tax collectors, who were wrongly blamed for the increase). And in 1809, i.i London's newly rebuilt Covent Carden Theater, theatergoers blew horns, shook rattles, rang bells and sang "Rule Britannia" and "Cod Save the King" during the performance, to protest a rise in ticket prices. To be sure, said the court afterward, the audience was entitled to ex- - Things change. Even good things. Like Hush Puppies shoes. They started out with just a few basic styles. And they grew to be classics. Now you can find that same classic styling and comfort in the new generation of Hush Puppies. Exciting color combinations. The dressy look. The casual look. Theres something for everyone. Even better, they still feel like Hush Puppies. Try on a pair. Youll see. From about $14. nteyVe mors than shoes. They're Hush Hippies 1972 HUSH PUPPIES 18 FOOTWEAR, Rockford, Michigan 49351 a Division of 3AWW Wolverine PKADr World Wide. Inc. MAY 21, 1972 |