Smith goes on to describe the day-to-day relations between police and blacks in the county: "As it is, the black community has a great deal of negative feelings, fear and fright of the police. Harassment such as police stopping for imaginary traffic violations and then offering the option of jail or a ticket is commonplace."

The Committee Against Racism (CAR) voice stronger feelings about the local police, claiming the existence of a "Court-Cop-Klan Alliance." Pointing to past shootings of blacks by P.G. policemen, CAR literature states, "Given the racist history of these P.G. cops, it's not Terrance who should be on trial; these cops should be on trial for racist murders. Indeed, the P.G. cops have such a long racist history of murder and terror against workers in P.G. that, besides the county government, the only organized support they have is from the Ku Klux Klan."

Many black residents of P.G. County sympathize with Terrance but are reluctant to speak out about the couny officials or the police. Of those willing to discuss police-black relations, Henry Moore seems to sum up the prevailing attitudes.

"The police are very gun-ho; they carry .357 magnums and I don't know much about guns, but I know a .357 is hard to survive," he says. "I give the police the 'yes sir-no sir' treatment to try to avoid trouble."

He adds that "you can see racism all over the county; most blacks just know which restaurants and places to avoid. Cross-burning and name-callings are typical. There's no way that boy (Johnson) could ever get off, but even if he did, he would never survive in this community."

Other people in P.G. County see the Johnson case as a simple matter of a black man killing two white policemen, a crime for which he must pay. The latter group includes mainly colleagues of the slain policemen and many white residents of P.G. County.

John E. Brennan, a retired government worker, says, "I think our police are the best in the state, if not in the country, and that boy shouldn't get away with shooting two police officers."

Joseph Jackson, a white resident, says, "We have very fine policemen and I think justice will be done if it's in P.G. County."

The publicity surrounding the Johnson trail has focused a lot of attention on the character and practices of the P.G. police force.

Defence attorney Mundy filed a request with the court to obtain previous records of brutality charges against Claggett or Swart and any evidence that might show they belonged to the Klan. Judged Levin denied the request.

Three years ago Claggett was cleared of a charge of "excessive force" in the beating of a black man over a $10 traffic ticket.

Mundy said later, "The police are going to be pluperfect in their behavior until this trial is over."

Most P.G. policemen resent the attention the trial is casting on their department. They feel they are being unfairly scrutinized and see themselves as victims of bad press and an uncooperative black community, the target of instigators looking for a cause.

Sergeant Robert Law is a 22-year veteran of the P.G. police force currently working in the public relations department. He says his department's reputation for brutality and racism in due to a few isolated incidents which were magnified for political reasons.

"The higher tensions we have now are due to the recent pro-Johnson demonstrations. Most P.G. residents aren't even aware of racial tensions until they read it in the newspaper," says Law.