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ORegon 5-5990 ‘’ Weekly Bulletin #1583 ~ AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, 170 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK 10, N°Y. ROGER N. BALOWIN > ERNEST ANGELL "ARTHUR GARFIELD HAYS — ° China., Nef"! Comm. “ Chma. B'd of Directors , MORRIS L. ERNST. . PATRICK MURPHY MALIN Executive Director Counsel " ACLU ASKS PROBE OF POLICE BRUTALITY PACT IN NEW YORK crTy ACLU has asked for an investigation into the alleged secret pact between the! Justice Dept. and the New York City police whereby the FBI would observe a hands-off policy when charges of brutality against New York Policemen were raised. | ORES According to the New York World-Telegram and Sun, which disclosed the alleged agreement, investigation of such cases was to have been undertaken by the city police themselves, The paper charged that the arrangement had been made by Police Commis sioner George Monaghan and the former chief of the Justice Department's criminal : division, James P, McInerney, When it was made known to former Attorney General - acting commissioner. of police, the Chicago division of ACLU eskcd the court to dociare exposes them to co - FB Ginpm wager senvigg: James P,-McGrannery—in_January-,-said_the_newspaper,,—the—agreement-was—abrogated, In a letter to Attorney General Herbert Brownell, ACLU's executive director, = Patrick Murphy Nalin, said: "We, of course, have no way of knowing of the accuracy: of these reports, but the source is so well respected that it seems to us that this charge should immediately be investigated.....We urge that you ask the grand jury-2¢ soon to probe the brutality charge against the New York police, to investigate also. whether or not this agreement was in fact entered into and if so, whether it was‘ violation of federal law," = Malin's statement, joined in by the New York Civil Libertics Union, continued: "The World-Telcgram and Sun's disclosure only highlights what is a growing civil libertics problem in our city - police brutality. In 1950 the NYCLU investigated 40 different complaints; this total was doubled in 1951; the past year has seen marked reduction in the numbcr of cases coming to our attention, It is difficul obtain data relating to ponding civil damage actions against the city resulting f police brutality, false arrest, or other abuses of police authority; but a conse. tive estimate is that thcy amount to more than $3,000,000," a A wn ACLU is only one of many civil groups that has demanded an investigation o llcged pact, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is. nother organization seeking a federal investigation, So , ee tt r Meanwhile, a federal grand jury in New York has against New York police, .. Tae ¢ been reviewing brutality + . we Dose tae rs cays Aes "+ AGLU_IN CHICAGO PRESSES FIGHT AGAINST “THE MIRACLE BAN. >.< ~ ACLU has now gone into Cook County circuit court, to get clearance for showings in Chicago of the motion picture "The Miracle", «. ge eR ™ . - fate * oy = TM _. In a suit fi led against Kayor Martin H. Kennelly and" TMmothy’ J. o'connse: ~ pte ~ Tyee 1 unconstitutional the censorship provisions of the city's municipal codec, The Union together with Charles Liebman, had asked for a permit to show the film, but wero.” turned down by Commissioner O'Connor, A later appeal was rejected by Mayor K a EES Vee goth tte rows ACLU contends that parts of the municipal code violate both the state ¢ nstity tion and the First and Fourtoonth Amendments to the U.3. Constitution. The cod make: it unlawful to show any movie without a permit. And it says it is the duty of the = police commissioner to refuse a permit for any picture that is "immoral or obscene, portrays depravity, criminality, or lack of virtuc of a class of citizens... ntempt.....or tends to produce a breach of the PCACR as prowl tae < Seed This, ACLU maintains, is contrary to the law of the land;, nance deprives people of the frecdon of speech and of the Preps constitutional provisions, et Ey BS ry sok te.