The Press: Case Dismissed

When Chicago Sun-Times Reporter Ray Brennan got hold of some secret testimony before the Kefauver crime committee, his story was a heavy blow to the Democrats. It cost "Tubbo" ("richest cop in the world") Gilbert the election for sheriff, and it helped defeat the whole Cook County Democratic machine in the 1950 elections, including Senator Scott Lucas, Democratic floor leader. A federal grand jury indicted Brennan, charging that he had impersonated a federal employee (TIME, Sept. 22) to get the secret testimony. The Government's first attempt to prosecute Brennan was thrown out of a Washington federal court two months ago because of "material defects," e.g., failing to say clearly whether the transcript was Government property or belonged to the stenographic service Brennan got it from. Last week the case against Brennan collapsed completely. The Government admitted in court that the weight of evidence against Brennan was "questionable," and the case was dismissed.