8 FRIDAY, April 28, 2000 Judge rejects request to postpone Lockerbie trial since last June, ruled the trial will begin May al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah, had 3 as scheduled. already spent 416 days in pretrial custody, an "I should feel obliged to refuse the unprecedented period in Scottish law. CAMP ZEIST, Netherlands A Scottish request," Sutherland said after a heated ses- The defendants are charged with the mur judge noting the defendants already have sion in which prosecution and defense attor- ders of 270 passengers, crew and residents of been held for 416 days rejected yesterday neys blamed each other for missing dead- Lockerbie, Scotland, killed when the New prosecutors' request for an eight-week delay lines for submitting witness lists and evi- York-bound Pan Am jumbo jet was blown out in the trial of two Libyans accused in the 1988 dence exhibits. of the sky Dec. 21, 1988. Among the victims Lockerbie bombing. "It's useless to blame each other for what were 189 Americans aboard the plane. Prosecutors had argued they need more has gone wrong," said Sutherland, a Scottish Sutherland's ruling was welcomed by the time to review 119 new witnesses and addi- High Court judge. "Parties should endeavor families of the Lockerbie victims, who are tional evidence submitted by the defense last to cooperate fully." eager for the trial to begin. Week. The judge, Lord Sutherland, who has The judge noted the defendants, alleged "I am relieved that the trial is not going to granted two delays sought by the defense Libyan intelligence agents Abdel Basset Ali be delayed," Jim Swire, spokesman for By Anthony Deutsch ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER Miami mayor fires city manager By Rachel La Corte ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER MIAMI -- Miami Mayor Joe Carollo fired the city manager yesterday, just days after he demanded the man dismiss the police chief for failing to warn the mayor about the raid to seize Elian Gonzalez. Carollo had asked City Manager Donald Warshaw to fire Police Chief William O'Brien, saying he "lost all confidence" in the chief for not telling him federal agents were about to raid the Gonzalez household early Saturday. Warshaw refused. Carollo insisted yesterday that Warshaw's firing had nothing to do with "little Elian." Carollo said Warshaw has been criticizing him, lying and trying to turn department heads against him. The seizure of the 6-year-old Cuban boy has plunged City Hall into political turmoil. Only the city manager can fire the police chief, and Warshaw's refusal set the stage for the confrontation at a City Commission meeting last night. Warshaw, who preceded O'Brien as chief, shook his head with a look of disgust as Car ollo spoke. The city commission can overturn Carol- Government report says higher beer taxes reduce STD rates among young people changes in gonorrhea rates to changes in alcohol policy in all states from 1981 to 1995. In years following beer tax increases, gonor- ATLANTA Cheap beer is a leading con- rhea rates usually dropped among young tributor to the spread of sexually transmitted people. The same happened when the drink diseases, according to a government report ing age went up —as it did in many states that says raising the tax on a six-pack by 20 during the 1980 s. cents could reduce gonorrhea by up to 9 per- "Alcohol has been linked to risky sexual cent. behavior among youth. It influences a per- The Centers for Disease Control and Pre- son's judgment and they are more likely to vention study, released yesterday, compared have sex without a condom, with multiple By David Pitt ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER THE Congratulations to the newest staff members of the Business Division. You worked so hard all semester and we are really proud of you! And the Trainees of the Semester are... _ ne s. # ard Ga ohnson and Mike Ta or Elian Gonzalez waves to supporters of his Miami relatives April 21 outside their home. lo's decision if four out of five commissioners vote to do so. Hours after Elian was taken from the home of his Miami relatives, Carol lo said of O'Brien, "If I had that power ... I would fire him." The police chief had an hour of advance notice of the 5:15 a.m. raid, but has said he didn't want to tip off the mayor, who unlike 5111 ) COLLEGI, You made it! Luz (Milly) Bigay Kate Boneck Neisha Coleman Jennifer Dempster Jason Friske Danielle Gumbert Vikki Guariglia Amy Hibbard Gary Johnson Eric Lilligard Mike Laskowski Sandra Prestilio Mike Raak Pete Scanlan Jackie Sitch Pete Stewart Mike Taylor Jon Teeple Bridget Tygh Con NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL O'Brien is Cuban-American and had openly sided with the Cuban boy's Miami relatives. "This was a police issue, not a political issue," O'Brien has said. The mayor had also demanded O'Brien's firing for letting the police department's sec ond in command, Maj. John Brooks, get involved in the raid. Brooks rode in the van that whisked Elian away. Police said Brooks did so so that other police officers on duty at the house would realize that it was an official action. Officers on the scene had only a moment's notice of the raid. Days before the raid, the mayor had declared that Miami police officers would not help federal agents remove the boy from the Little Havana home. Tony Gutierrez City Commissioner Tomas Regalado sided with Carollo in calling for the police chiefs firing, saying: "He has lost his ability to direct the department." City Commissioner Johnny Winton, who supports both O'Brien and Warshaw, said: "We have a mayor running around here pouring fuel on the fire instead of providing leadership to our community. It's a very, very sad statement for all of the citizens of our community." partners or with high-risk partners," said Harrell Chesson, a health economist with the CDC. Beer industry lobbyists, however, said recent statistics show young people are already drinking more responsibly, thanks in part to efforts by brewers. "Excise taxes have little or nothing to do with alcohol abuse in society," said Lori Levy of The Beer Institute in Washington. "I think that our members understand the impor- British relatives, told Britain's Press Associ ation. "I am pleased and impressed with the way Lord Sutherland dealt with the case." Prosecutors wanted the delay in the trial at this former U.S. air base to review 119 new witnesses and additional evidence submitted by defense lawyers on April 20. The new wit nesses are from Libya, Malta, Sweden, Ger many and the United States. "We simply haven't had the opportunity to assess the documents," Chief Prosecutor Colin Boyd told the court. But defense attorney William Taylor coun tered that prosecutors previously inter- Cancer may out of run for N.Y. By Timothy Williams ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER NEW YORK Mayor Rudolph Giuliani disclosed yesterday that he has prostate cancer and acknowledged that while the disease was caught early, it could spell the end of his Senate run against Hillary Rod ham Clinton. Appearing upbeat and energetic at a City Hall news conference, Giuliani, 55, con firmed speculation that started Wednesday evening when he was seen entering a hospi tal and leaving three hours later. "I was diagnosed yesterday," Giuliani said. "It's a treatable form of prostate can cer. It was diagnosed at an early stage." The Republican mayor said he would con tinue his Senate run for now, but would make a more definitive statement in two to three weeks after he decides on a course of treatment. He still plans campaign appear ances in Saratoga and Buffalo today and tomorrow. "I really need to know what the course of tance of educating young people about how came up with the estimate that 20-cent to make responsible choices once they're old increase per six-pack would lead to a 9 per enough and they put a lot of money and effort cent drop in gonorrhea rates. into those programs." Chesson cited the example of a 16-cent per Gonorrhea, one of the most common vene- gallon about 9 cents per six-pack tax real diseases, was examined in the CDC increase in California in 1991. Gonorrhea study because long-term statistics are avail- rates in the 15 to 19 age group dropped about able and the disease is more evenly spread 30 percent the following year. Drops in other among states. states were not as dramatic. The CDC analyzed the drops in gonorrhea During the study, various states raised rates following different tax increases and beer taxes 36 times. viewed 31 of the witnesses and already "had 11 1/2 years to investigate this case." The judge acknowledged the defense material was submitted at a late date. But he said prosecutors should have enough time to continue preparations in the opening stages of the trial, before any witnesses are called. In December, prosecutors gave notifica tion of their own list of 1,172 witnesses, including intelligence agents from several countries. The trial was initially scheduled to begin on June 7, 1999, but Sutherland twice acceded to defense requests for more time to prepare. Giuliani push Senate treatment is going to be before I can evalu ate," he said. "And then, after I determine that, then I will figure out does it make sense this year or doesn't it or whatever." Treatment of the cancer would almost certainly require as much as several weeks away from City Hall and off the campaign trail. The first lady, who was campaigning in the upstate village of Penn Yan, spoke briefly by telephone with the mayor and wished him "a speedy and complete recov ery," said Clinton spokeswoman Karen Dunn. Clinton did not even obliquely criticize Giuliani, as she has done at many of her recent campaign appearances. Aides said that given the news of the mayor's health, even a veiled political attack would have been inappropriate. Rep. Rick Lazio, who has considered challenging Giuliani for the GOP Senate nomination, issued a statement offering his prayers and support, adding that health issues transcend politics.
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