January 27, 1975

Ministerial conf ends in Algiers on Jan 26; heads of state to meet in Feb or March; meeting illus (M)

Gene Littler won the Bing Crosby National pro‐amateur golf tournament at Pebble Beach, Calif., by four strokes yesterday with a final round 73 and a 72‐hole total of 280, eight under par. Page 33.

James Turner, arrested in machete murder of brother‐in‐law Dwight Dees in Mumford, NY, suspected in 6 other murders for ins money

NY Times study of all homicide indictments in ′73 in NYC finds that 8 of every 10 defendants plead guilty to a reduced charge and are freed on probation or receive prison term of less than 10 yrs; of those receiving maximum 10‐yr term, most will be eligible for parole in 3 yrs; typical disposition of case detailed; study encompasses 685 murder indictments handed up in ′73; another 641 homicide arrests that yr are still unresolved; study finds that homicide sentences in city are apparently less severe than those imposed elsewhere in state; dist attys contend they are at disadvantage because of huge backlog of murder cases and their inability to try more indictments, which compels them to accept pleas to lesser charges; judges maintain they have little discretion in sentencing because of plea arrangements made by prosecutors and defense lawyers; defense lawyers argue that prison terms are often much too severe because many murders are consequences of domestic quarrels and murderers seldom repeat their crime; Penna Univ criminologist Dr Martin E Wolfgang holds sentences are lighter in NYC because ‘sheer volume’ of cases alters judges' perception of crime; NYC ct admr Justice David Ross attributes reduced indictments and lower prison terms to jury attitudes; Bronx Dist Atty Mario Merola believes lack of courtrooms and staff to try more murder cases contributes to lighter sentences; Queens Dist Atty Nicholas Ferraro says appellate cts often reverse sentences as excessive, leading trial judges to leniency in sentences; Manhattan Dist Atty Robert Morgenthau maintains light sentences are result of case backlog; Legal Aid Soc official William J Gallagher comments; chart compares disposition of ′73 homicide indictments and maximum sentences by boro (L)

NYS Sen leaders are predicting quick passage of bill that will force state's ins cos that write personal liability policies to participate in pool to provide med malpractice ins coverage; Sen majority leader Warren M Anderson comments; Assembly Ins and Health Coms will hold joint hearings throughout NYS to hear arguments from drs, lawyers and ins indus about proposals for insuring against malpractice claims by June 30 deadline; Argonaut Ins Co, which writes about 80% of present malpractice ins, to cease offering policies after July 1; Argonaut officials have refused to testify willingly before State Sen com looking into malpractice ins problem; NYC Bar Assn pres Cyrus R Vance announces assn will investigate problems arising from soaring cost of malpractice ins; Assembly Ins Com chmn Leonard Silverman says com will subpoena Argonaut owners if they do not testify willingly; adds that Sen bill, sponsored by John R Dunne and Tarky Lombardi Jr, is only stopgap measure that will assure availability of malpractice ins but will do nothing about its escalating costs (M)