American Civil Liberties Union Fund
of the National Capital Area
                                     
600 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E. Suite 301 Washington D.C. 20003 202-544-1076
                                     

Mr. William Thomas
c/o Winifred Gallant              May 10, 1983
1140 N Street N.W.
Washington D.C. 20005

Dear Thomas:

     As vou requested, thls letter states my
recollection of an event that occurred in July, 1981.
As I recall, you called me and told me that you had
been arrested by the Park Police on the White House
sidewalk and charqed with violating the regulations
prohibiting camping. You stated that you were not
camping but conducting a round-the-clock vigil.

     I then called the National Park Service
Solicitor's office and spoke with attorney Dianne
Kelley.  Asked her to look into the mater, bearing in mind the D.C. Circuit's decision in United States v. Abney, 534 F.2d 984 (1976). She said that she would look into the situation, and it is my recollection that I was later informed that the charges against you had been dropped.

                         Sincerely,

                         Arthur B. Spitzer
                         Legal Director