The trial of George Lincoln Rockwell, self-styled leader of the American Nazi Party, charged with disturbing the peace on July 3 and July 24, was resumed in a municipal court here today and will continue tomorrow, when the verdict is expected to be issued. Seven of Rockwell’s supporters are also on trial on charges resulting from the July. 24 affair.
United States Park Police officer Cornelius Vermillion testified that, on July 24, he heard Rockwell ordering his followers to attack people who heckled him at a meeting. The officer told the court that, as a result of Rockwell’s order, his storm troopers attacked hecklers. He witnessed one trooper striking a spectator on the chin, he said.
Detective C.W. Shoemaker told Judge Mildred E. Reeves, who presided, that Kenneth Morgan, Rockwell’s deputy commander, shouted anti-Jewish epithets, taunted, and provoked.
Reporter George Clifford, of The Washington Daily News, who infiltrated undercover into the Nazi gang, testified that Rockwell said, prier to the July 3 melee, that “the Jews here are too cowardly. We’ll have to agitate them.” Mr. Clifford said that Rockwell sent troopers into the audience to cause trouble.
Rockwell’s own defense witness, T. Sutton Jett, associate director of the National Capital Parks, testified that, on July 3, he observed Rockwell pointing to individuals in the audience and saying “Jew, Jew, Jew” in a provocative manner. Mr. Jett told the court that his office was “unhappy over the American Nazi Party rallies on the mall.” He said “you cannot tie up 15 to 20 percent of your men (park police) every Sunday during the busy season” without being distressed.
Judge Reeves denied a motion to quash the charges against several of the Nazi troopers, and another to quash a charge against Rockwell. Against the advice of Judge Reeves, Rockwell acted as his own attorney. He cross-examined Government witnesses.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
