Arresting Officers Testify In Avatar Vendors' Trial

The obscenity trial of 32 Avatar salesmen, including seven Harvard students, got underway yesterday in Middlesex Superior Court before the Hon. Samuel T. Tisdale. All defendants waived a jury.

In all but five cases, the defendants signed a stipulation admitting the sale of a particular copy of Avatar on a specific day. The five exceptions, which are being tried in full, involve the sale of obscenity to minors. Witnesses for the prosecution yesterday consisted of arresting officers and several minors, who were instructed by Cambridge policemen to purchase Avatar.

When the trial resumes at noon today, Joseph S. Oteri, chief defense counsel, is expected to call upon Howard Zinn, professor of government at Boston University to testify. Defense may also call the following witnesses under subpoena: Cambridge Mayor Walter J. Sullivan, city councillors Daniel J. Hayes Jr. and Alfred E. Vellucci, and former city manager Joseph A. DeGuglielmo '29.

The Charges

Accusations against the other defendants include six charges of "selling an obscene thing," 18 charges of "selling or distributing obscene literature," and 10 charges of "selling an obscene thing to a minor." The prosecution is basing its case on Chapter 28 of the Penal Code of Massachusetts, which prohibits the sale of obscene literature.

Harvard students involved in the trial are Jesse L. Kornbluth '67-4, Stephen D. Lerner '68, Jacob S. Egan '68, Gordon R. Foote Jr. '70, Jared Rossman '71, and Lewis S. W. Crampton, a graduate student on leave from GSAS, who is chairman of the Avatar Board. Two charges were also made against Wayne M. Hansen, who dropped out of Harvard three years ago to become editor of Avatar.