European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 19, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday. December 19, 1986 the stars and stripes North s bizarre yarns discounted discussed kidnapping Kin of Iran s leaders Washington a Oliver l. North told White House colleagues a bizarre but unfounded Story about arranging to have relatives of iranian leaders kidnapped and held in cages in Europe until they could be traded Tor american hostages in Lebanon officials said we docs Day. Asked what j while House officials did when they heard about the alleged scheme presidential spokesman1 Larry Speakes said North ill bet  he suggested that no one took it seriously North a Marine lieutenant colonel who associates have said had a reputation for telling dramatic tales and hatching wild schemes was fired from the National Security Council last month Tor his role in the diversion of iranian arms Sale profits to rebels in Nicaragua. Subsequently. President Reagan praised him As a National hero confirming that North told a talc about kidnapping iranians White House Deputy press Secretary Dan Howard said yes some people we talked to heard  Speakes quickly added that peo ple heard the Story but there was no such thing As an actual Kidnap plan said Howard i just heard from individuals that he did Lell the  Speakes said the Only thing we know there were no plans in the Csc hat existed to put people in cages ail Over  one administration official speaking privately said he knew of Only one per son who heard the Story directly from North David major an anti terrorism specialist. However major recounted it to others on the Csc and it became widely discussed. The episode was brought to Light by the los Angeles times which said North old the Story to major on nov. 3, the Day the Beirut Magazine Al Shiraz revealed Hal Reagan s former National Security adviser Robert Mcfarlane had flown secretly to Tehran the previous May with a shipment of arms and spare parts. According to several sources. North burst into major s office and indignantly declared that the lebanese reports were disinformation being leaked from the Csc. And demanded an Fri investigation of the leaks the times reported. When major asked if the Story were True. North replied that he had undertaken a different program for gaining re lease of american hostages his friends were kidnapping the relatives of senior iranian government officials and were holding them in cages in Europe the paper said. Major subsequently used the Nusca secure in House computer to question North about his assertion a source told the newspaper. North twice ignored the queries. When asked a third Lime if he had ordered kidnappings he tapped out a one word reply  the times reported. An adminis Itilio official who insisted on anonymity said Hal major does not believe lieutenant colonel North kidnapped Iran  some sources told the times that North s impulse to try a cover up with n dramatic kidnapping talc would be Typ ical and that he has displayed a pen chant for wild schemes. North has told other stories thai Sug Gest a taste for the dramatic the paper said. One source said North told col leagues that his family dog in suburban Virginia was poisoned in retaliation for his support of the contras although the dog actually died of cancer and old age. New Bedford gang rope victim Dies in Miami car crash Boston a a 25-year-old woman who was gang raped on a Pool table at big Dan s tavern in new Bedford has died in a traffic Accident her lawyer said wednesday. Cheryl a Araujo was killed sunday when she lost control of her car and it slammed into a Utility pole near her new Home in Miami. Her two Young Daugh ters were injured in the crash and were treated at Miami children s Hospital and released tuesday. The cause of the crash was not known. Investigators said alcohol or drugs were not involved. Hostility in new Bedford Araujo s Hometown after the March 1984 convictions of four men who attacked her a year before prompted her to move to Honda said Scott Chamas a lawyer who represented Araujo during the widely publicized trial. Araujo was living in Miami with her daughters car Olyn 6, and Jessica 4, and the girls father her High school sweetheart in a Mobile Home Park. She had begun making a life for herself and she was reasonably Happy Charnas said. She was starting school to become a Secretary at the time that she  she was the bravest person i be Ever  he said. I think this was just the last tragic chapter of her life. At the time of the rape Araujo her daughters and the girls father lived together in a two Story tenement Down the Street from the tavern which closed shortly after the attack was reported. Araujo testified she had gone to big Dan s to buy cigarettes. She stopped to talk with a woman and show off pictures of her daughters. She bought a drink played a song on a Jukebox and watched two men play  she got up to leave Araujo testified she was grabbed from behind dragged to the Pool table stripped from the Waist Down and raped by two men while two others tried to Force her to perform Oral sex. Other patrons cheered like at a baseball game or something she said. Daniel Silva 30, Victor Raposo 26, and John Cor Diciro 27, Are serving nine to 12-year sentences while Joseph Vieira 30, is serving a six-10 eight year term Cheryl Araujo s body is covered with a Sheel it the or crash site in Miami where she died sunday. Their sentences arc being appealed. Two other defendants were acquitted. As she left the courthouse after the sentences Araujo despite being portuguese herself was jeered by members of the portuguese Community who rallied around the men now known As the big Dan s four. Community leaders claim the Case received Unwar ranted Media scrutiny and the men were Given longer than usual sentences because of their ethnic Back grounds a $10 million suit Araujo had filed against the Tav Ern owners was dropped when it became Clear the own ers had no Money to pay Chamas said. Robert Panoff a Florida lawyer and Distant relative who represented Araujo after her move said she received about $ 10,000 for Selling the rights for a Book and a movie. She would have made far More if either had been produced but plans were dropped. O Neal guilty of one charge cleared of second Annapolis my. A Griffin o Neal son of actor Ryan o Neal was cleared thursday of boat manslaughter in the death of Friend Gian Carlo Coppo la but convicted of negligently operating no Arundel county circuit judge Martin Wolff also acquitted the 22.year old o Neal of iwo charges of reckless to operation. But because the judge counts into one and found Bani Piui 01 Thal one count prosecutor Mio Mey f Fie were unsure o i Coppola 23, son of movie director Francis Ford Coppola was killed last memorial Day on the South River near Annapolis when a boat o Neal was operating went Between two others and a Low line struck Coppola in the head. Wolff presided Over a three Day non jury trial. The maximum Penally could possibly be up to 90 Days in jail and a 11,000 line depending on How the judge interprets Bis merger of the three negligence counts said Robb Cecil an assistant state s at Torney. Sentencing was Sel for feb. 27. The Misdemeanour manslaughter charge carried a maximum Penally of a s 1,000 Fine and five years in prison. The judge said he found no evidence that the defendant was drunk. He also said he believed o Neal operated the boat at an excessive Speed but i do Noi find in to be terribly excessive  we re thrilled Ryan o Neal said of the verdict. We re Ibri led that we won on five out of sin. Our hearts go out 10 the Coppola  said his ton. It was an Accident. I m very sorry that it had to  wednesday the younger o Neal look the stand 10 say he wished he had been the one killed in the Accident. He denied he was operating the boat dangerously or that he deliberately drove under the Low rope that struck Coppola throwing him to the deck of the 14-foot runabout and smashing his Skull. O Neal said be intended to Cross be tween the two boats connected by the rope and did not see the line until he Wai about 10 feet away. Al that Point i screamed what i could. 1 did what i could he said. He said be ducked to avoid the rope and did not see in hit Coppola