Another Watts Murder

Leonard veadwyler, a young Afro-american father-to-be, was driving his pregnant wife to Los Angeles County General Hospital on the night of tay 7th. Perhaps he was hurrying: men often do when their wives are in labour, Had they been white and rich, they might have had a siren blowing escort to speed them to the hospital, But to the police, a black man driving in a hurry must be a thief. A patrol car started chasing them through the Watts area, the scene of last year's uprising. Mr.Deadwyler drove on: his wife had to ~et to hospital and he probably was in no mood to be stopped and harrassed by policemen, The police chased the counle for two or three 1iles at high speeds, Finally Nr. Deadwyler stopped his car. Out of the patrol ear jumped a cop with his gun drawn. He ran to the other car and fatally shot the young husband in the chest. An accident, said the killer, who had claimed the victiths halted car had lurched foward, causing the revolver to go off.