News stories from Sunday April 28, 1974
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- John Mitchell and Maurice Stans were acquitted in New York of all charges in their conspiracy case, ending the first trial of former cabinet officials since the aftermath of the Teapot Dome scandal in the 1920's. A jury of nine men and three women deliberated 26 hours over a period of four days.
The jurors voted to acquit the two former cabinet officers of all criminal charges because, they said, they could not believe the testimony of crucial government witnesses. Again and again, the jurors, when speaking about testimony of those witnesses after the verdict was announced used the words "incredible" or "unbelievable".
[New York Times] - The acquittal verdict heartened the White House, virtually eliminated the key issue in the House impeachment inquiry, and underscored the importance of tape recordings in other criminal and impeachment proceedings related to Watergate. The reaction in the White House, which is apparently preparing a counteroffensive against impeachment proceedings, was probably understated. [New York Times]
- The acquittal of Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Stans does not end their legal problems. Mr. Mitchell has been indicted in Washington on six counts in the Watergate conspiracy case, and he is said to be a target of the investigation in two other cases being prepared by the special Watergate prosecutor. Mr. Stans' problems are considerably less severe, but the special prosecutor reportedly is investigating whether he solicited illegal corporate contributions to President Nixon's re-election campaign. [New York Times]
- President Nixon, who was at Camp David preparing to step up his campaign against impeachment, is directing his appeal increasingly to the minority conservative bloc in the Senate. The strategy is being pursued on two levels -- first, on policy and legislation, and second, on public appearances and speeches across the country. [New York Times]
- Recent interviews with workers around the country indicate that most of them are worried about what the impact of the removal of wage and price controls, due to expire at midnight on Tuesday, will have on the already skyrocketing cost of living. Many of them can look forward to increases in wages and fringe benefits negotiated through collective bargaining this year, and unions, freed from the controls, are expected to push hard for substantial contract improvements. [New York Times]
- Secretary of State Kissinger arrived in Geneva on his way to the Middle East and talked with Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, hoping to obtain Soviet help in his efforts to persuade Israel and Syria to compromise on a troop separation agreement in the Golan Heights. [New York Times]
- Israeli and Syrian forces continued to spar with small-scale air strikes and sporadic shelling along their front lines. With Mr. Kissinger on the way to the Middle East, many Israelis believed that Syria might attempt a more serious military attack to make a future agreement seem to be the result of Syrian initiative. But there was no sign of this. [New York Times]