9/18/57

O'Kasick to Be Freed for Sons' Funeral

Michael O'Kasick will be released from Hennepin county jail today for the funeral of two of his sons, Roger. 26, and Ronald, 24Accompanied by armed guards, O'Kasick, will visit a third son, James, 20 who is in critical condition at General hospital with a self-inflicted bullet wound. Then the 58-year-old father, arrested Monday for a possible parole violation, will go to private services at Kapala mortuary for the two sons shot down by authorities in Anoka county Saturday.

THE THREE brothers shot and killed Minneapolis patrolman Robert Fossum and critically wounded patrolman, Ward Canfield Aug. 17. Roger and Ronald will be buried in Crystal Lake cemetery today. A sister, Joyce, 22, will be unable to attend the funeral. Arrested Saturday soon after the shooting, she had escaped from the women's reformatory at Shakopee. SHE WAS transferred yesterday from city jail to the state hospital at St Peter, Minn., where she will undergo psychiatric examination Clara Thune, reformatory superintendent, said another inmate revealed yesterday that Joyce escaped after saying she suspected her brothers of the Fossum-Canfield shooting.

It was revealed yesterday that Ronald went after gasoline for the fugitives' stalled car Saturday. Ronald was picked up by Anoka county deputy sheriffs, who offered to drive him to his car. WHEN HIS actions aroused their suspicions, they handcuffed his hands behind his back. James and Roger then opened fire on the deputies. James told Minneapolis police from his hospital bed. During the wild flight across country roads, James said, Roger blasted the chain on the handcuffs with a shot from his 45-caliber pistol.

The Hennepin county grand jury yesterday returned three indictments against James: for first degree murder, first degree assault and kidnapping.