A coroner’s jury exonerated Patrolman William Garrett of wrongdoing in the recent shooting death of Rick Dowdell. The inquest had been closely supervised during the proceedings and there were no disturbances reported. Afterwards, Lawrence passed through its second night of relative calm after the five nights of violence.

About 250 persons were pictured marching alongside a pony-drawn wagon bearing the coffin of Rick Dowdell as it traveled from the Bowser-Lee Mortuary to St. Luke A.M.E. Church. The KU student had been the first of two killed by gunfire during the past week.

Charges of criminal defamation were being considered against the persons who printed and circulated the latest edition of Vortex, a local underground newspaper. The front page of a recent issue had shown a picture of Lawrence Patrolman William Garrett, along with the phrase “wanted for murder.” An expurgated version of the paper, with the word “murder” inked out, was still being distributed on the KU campus.