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_ FD-350 (Rev. 7-16-63) a ae aed (Mount ‘Clipping in Space Below) Cite-Non-La. ime Needs In Rights Cases: Two New Orleans la ers, have testified in federal that there is a need for aatl ; of-state attorneys to handle! : Louisiana civil rights cases. | ers - tarneys who added t This was the testimony yes-| terday of Benjamin E. Smith! and John Nelson, white at-| "fave been harassed in}connec-! ’ tion with their ha ' . THE TWO were tes' civil rights cases. the case of Richard Washingtoi;, tive in civil righis work here for the past year and a half? Sobol has been staff counsel for, the Lawyers Constitutional De- fense Committee, a civil rights, group. j Sobol is attacking on consti-: tutional grounds the Louisiana! Jaw governing Jegal practice,’ alit-ts“stfhg Plaquemines Par-; ish: officials to prevent being’ prosecuted on a charge of prac-| ticing without a license. A SPECIAL three-judge court,’ composed of Judge Robert A.; Ainsworth Jr. of the United: States Fifth Circuit Court of: Appeals and District Judges; Frederick J. R. Heebe and Fred: _Cassibry, is hearing the case. t Plaquemines officials had ar-; rested Sobol last January as, he left the parish courthouse. : The attorney had been confer- ring with Judge Eugene Leo of the 25th Judicial Distric about an appeal. for Gary Dun-; can, a Negro conyicted, of sim ple battery. a SMITH TOLD the court yes-! a that he and hit-ferttiy have been harassed by hate tet- “fers and crank phone calls. He; ‘also claimed that Negroes and; whites who. are active in civil -Yights are generally unable to! obtain competent legal aid in| rural communities. He. testified that many Ne-! groes distrust white lawyers, | : Mentitying them with law en-, ; forcement and management in-; terests. | “ §MITH SAID that he has! handied civil rights cases since’ 1954 in Alabama, Louisiana and ' Mississippi, adding that he is not licensed to practice in Ala- bama or Mississippi. Nelson concurred with Smith's remarks and both of the men said that there is a need for Sobol’s work in Louisiana. The court recessed yesterday end will resume Monday. The js expected io continue through next week*—————*, \ ord | TLS (Bt!leT- ee 1 Fes 5 1568 Tele. Room—__——- Miss hejm23.—— Miss Gancy. ewes rent ren ne eee ert wr tee eer _ 7 (Indicate page, name of newspaper, city and state.) —__ PAGE 14 STATES~ITEM NEWORLEANS , LA. Pa mn et y, : fi} oo: ¢f —_—_— of Date: 1-25-68 Edition:F LNAL Author: Editor: GEORGE. W opHEALY rites RICHARD BS“SOBOL eat ee Character: - : CR or Classification: he . Submitting Office: N.O., LA, Ci Being Investigated