European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 16, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page the stars and stripes tuesday june t6.1987 court rules victim Impact statement can t be evidence in death sentence Washington a the supreme court in a major setback for the victims rights mov Mcm. Rule monday that the Impact of a murder an the victim s family May not be considered when a convicted killer faces a possible death sentence. The s-4 ruling struck Down the death sentence for Maryland Man convicted of brutally killing an elderly couple. One can understand the grief and anger of inc fam ily caused by the brutal murders in this Case Justice Lewis f. Powell writing for 1he court said. But he formal presentation of this information by the stole can serve no other purpose than to inflame the jury and divert it from deciding the Case on he relevant evidence concerning the crime and the  introducing the so called victim Impact statement As evidence creates a constitutionally unacceptable risk Hal the jury May impose the death penalty in an arbitrary and capricious manner Powell said. Miss Alabama gives up Crown Birmingham Ala. A miss Alabama gave up the Lille monday just two Days after Slie won it. Saying she wanted to gel on with my career and  Julio Hilt 25, a stud Cal Al the University of Ala Bama Al Birmingham did not attend the Neus Confer ence where the announcement was made. But a i cur from her was read try Nora Chapman executive director of the pageant. Hill said that although it had been her dim so Bemiss Alabama i have thought about what is required of me and 1 do nol feel thai i will i Able to to Voic a year of in life to serve As he  the Winner is required to make numerous Public appearances Model clothes and attend Charity functions. Chapman said she knew of no other motive for Hill s decision la relinquish the Crown the first time in the 66-year history of he pageant that i miss Ala Bama Winner has stepped Down for reasons other than to assume ilu1 miss America title. The Lille passed to runner up Kym Williams 21, of Slidell. La., a student in musical Ihu Ater at birding Ham Southern College. She will represent Alabama at the miss America pageant in september. Hill won the state pageant saturday in Competition with 51 other women. After winning Hill noted tha Islic had competed in several Oiler miss Alabama pageants. As Pri is miss Alabama receives a wardrobe a Gold watch Luggage and the use of a car. Hill won a enl honors Friday night singing Elvis Presley s trilogy a Medley including Baltic hymn of tin Republic and  he added that the Impact of the crime on a victim s family May be entirely unrelated to inc blam Worthi Ness of the defendant. U could subject someone o the death penalty merely because family members Are will ing and Able o articulate their grief Powell said. Moreover he said inc Only Way for the defendant to rebut the evidence would be to show the victim was of dubious moral character or was ostracized from his Fame  most states Permil the Impact of a crime on she victim such As emotional and financial effects to be considered in determining a. Defendant s sentence. Out Only some of those Stales allow victim Impact statements to be introduced when the defendant is accused of a crime Hal carries the death penalty. Such stale Laws Are intended to examine the Impact on both the victim and particularly in cases in which the victim is killed on family members. Monday s ruling applies Only 10 those cases in which the defendant faces possible execution. The ruling is a Victory for civil rights groups who argue that the statements in capital cases Are inflammatory and prejudicial but victims rights organi Anions said society has an important stake in meting out the harshest penalties in retribution for the harm done to families of those sided. Joining Powell in the majority monday were justices William j. Brennan Thurgood Marshall Harry a. Black Mun and John Paul Stevens. The dissenters were chief Justice William h. Rich Nuisl and justices Sandra Day o Connor Byron r. While and Antonin Scalia. In the Maryland Case John Booth was sentenced to die for robbing and killing Irvin Bronstein 78, and hit wife. Rose. 75, at thei r Home on May 18, f 983. Each victim was stabbed in inc Chesl 12 times an was bound and gagged. Police said Booth and an accomplice were looking for Money to buy heroin. The jury that sentenced Booth to die heard evidence of the psychological Impact on the Bron Slocins son daughter son in Law and granddaughter. House ahoy i up Toio Cypress Manor a 12-room mansion uprooted from us plat in wac Mico is. Sits snugly an a huge Barge being pushed by a tug across inc York rivet. Under new management the 21-gabled House is being relocated in Yore Futomi a. Who re it will become the watermen s museum. Keey criticizes Congress the press on his Way out fort myer a. A Gen. . Killcy retiring commandant of the Marine corps criticized Congress monday for relying More on the advice of ils own Slaff Inan on the military and for being cheap Whert ii comes to defense spend ing. Kelley retiring Al the end of the month levelled his criticism in remarks at a ceremony honouring him and retiring Gen. John a. Wickham jr., who is step Ping Down As the army s chief of staff. My first concern is with a growing Altitude in the Congress which places More credence in the views of Stair Mem Bers on matters dealing with National Security than in the views of the service chiefs Kelley said. This Altitude is driving a wedge Between the members of Congress and the nation s principal Mili tary  my nent concern is with a feeling among some members of our Congress thai you can buy the defense of our coun try on the cheap " Kelley said. The requirements for inc defame of the re Public arc dicta cd by external threats ind the satisfaction of these re quirk i ius should nol be i Nias fluted by some arbitrary and capricious budgetary meat  Kelley also took a parting shot Al the news Media which he Crivici cd As hav ing a Lynch mob  irresponsible sensationalism has no place among men f Honor and integrity he said. Vice Pri Sidoni George Rush defense Sciuti iary Caspar w. Weinberger and darn. William j Crowejr. Chairman of the join okie i of Stalf Ai ended inc ceremony at fort m or an army Post adjacent to Arlington National cemetery. Wickham has been army chief of Start since 1983 and was a negotiator in peace talks with the North vietnamese. Kelley has been commandant of the corps since i Msj. Dallas police ranked 1 St in use of deadly Force Dallas a Dallas police ranked no. I among inc nation s 11 largest cities in the use of deadly Force in 1986 for the second year in a Row according to a Tiney of police departments. Police officers in Dallas killed 1.03 people per 100,000 population and wounded 1.95, the Dallas times Herald reported  Diego was second with 0.83 people killed per 100,000, and los Angeles was i hard Willi 0.71 deaths the newspaper so id per capita Dallas police last a fit kick to about fair limes As Many people a police in Philadelphia. Halli More. Phoenix Anil new York and twice As Many As in Chicago Houston san Antomo and Detroit according to the newspaper. Dallas police of Nikiti Shoi and killed 10 people a nil wounded 19. The City s Force Julio Ronki d no. I in yi5 on Sli i i i pit 10 1.000 population with nine i Ople killed and nine mounded. While Ilie Stati pics use in , inc numbers in most of the other major cities declined of did nol change the newspaper said. The Dallas police  plans to spend $-5,000 for a consultant n study ils deadly Force policy Ami training methods