Hearst's ‘missing year'

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34085, 24 February 1976, Page 15

Hearst's ‘missing year'

(N Z. Press Assn —Copyright) SAN FRANCISCO, February 23.

Judge Oliver Carter is expected to hand down two rulings today which [will have an important bearing on the course of Patricia Hearst’s trial ;for bank robbery.

I He has said that he will decide whether the publish-ing-empire heiress, who is 22, must answer questions from prosecuting counsel about the “missing year” of her life as a fugitive, and I that he will also rule on the admission of a tape recording made in a San Mateo County Prison cell when Hearst was visited by a friend shortly after her arrest.

Heart's counsel (Mr F. Lee Bailey) has so far succeeded in keeping out of the trial any evidence about the period between Hearst’s return from the east of the; country in 1974 and her arrest last September in San Francisco. He contends that this period has nothing to do with the bank robbery for which she is on trial. If the judge allows counsel for the prosecution (Mr James Browning) to inquire into the "missing year,” it could result in Hearst’s implication in another bank robbe r y, or tn a conspiracy to rob a bank: although not charged with the crime, she is a suspect in a bank holdl up at Carmichael California, I in which one person was i killed and for which Steven Scliah, a close friend of Hearst, has been charged. Mr Browning wants to introduce the tape recording made in the prison because lit would tend to discredit Hearst's testimony that she was an unwilling particioantl in activities of the Sym-I bionese Liberation Army. I

In the tape, made secretly and released by the Government during Hearst’s early court appearances, the defendant told her friend that she was still devoted to Soliah, and was concerned about raising bail for him.

William and Emily Harris, who helped to kidnap Hearst and who lived with her afterwards, are quoted in a “New York Times Magazine” story as saying that Hearst could have escaped often, and was once helped out of trouble by park rangers without identifying herself. The Harrises are also quoted as saying that after they watched on television the killing of six fellowS.L.A. members, Hearst wanted to retaliate.

The Harrises, and Hearst, are facing 11 charges of kidnapping, robbery and assault in Los Angeles.

“Actually, after the shooting Patricia was very much for retaliating in the first few days — the kind of thing sfie had in mind was an eye for an eye,” William Harris is quoted as saying. “It’s not like Patty was bloodthirsty. I think it was mor-e a position of aggressive naivete. She wasn’t a silent follower. She’s an individual who shows a lot of initiative.’

I The Harrises say in the [magazine story that one day they and Hearst were walking on a beach outside San Francisco when they came to a cliff area. “Hearst was climbing the cliff while they stayed below, and, suddenly, at the top, we saw these rangers from the Emergency Squad . . . put down a rope and scramble down to help her,” William Harris is quoted as saying. “Pattie was wearing a wig and wasn’t recognised. She plaved it real cool, thanked them, and then just walked a wav.”

The Harrises are quoted

as saying that immediately after her kidnapping, Hearst was kept in a cupboard, but had a light, so that she could read; that she was never sexually molested; and that the S.L.A. censored some of the harsher language out of her communiques. “The last thing the S.L.A. wanted was Patty telling horror stories about the conditions she was held under, which was why she was treated extra-humanely” William Harris said.

“She joined the S.L.A. of her own accord. “It was her own decision, and it was political as well as personal—not the result of any coercion.” Emily Harris is quoted as saying that the robbery of the Hibernia Bank was “to get money and to verify that Tania (Hearst) had indeed stayed of her own free will. “As a matter of fact, she was supposed to fire a round

into the ceiling and say, “This is Tania!” as soon as the bank cameras started rolling,” Emily Harris said, “but the bullet had become jammed in the rifle. ■ “She took a lot of care after that to make sure she didn’t have any problems with her piece (rifle). “She was never covered by anyone else’s weapon,”