European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 25, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday. August 25. 19b7 the stars and stripes Page 7 murderer executed claiming innocence Angola la. A an accountant who was convicted of raping and Mur Dering nil secrets by because he feared she would expose his embezzlement of $84,000 was executed Early monday in Louisiana s electric chair professing his innocence. Sterling Raull 36. Was pronounce dead at 13 16 a. M., c. Paul Phelps Secre tary or the stale department of corrections said. I would like the Public 10 know that they Are killing an innocent Man at this time Raull said before becoming the eighth person to be executed in Louisi Ana this summer and the 15th to be put to death in the stale since it resumed executions in 1933. "1 Pray that cod will forgive All those involved in this Matier. I personally Donot hold any animosity towards anyone though he said. Raull was visited on sunday by his Mother aider brother and sister in Law and an aunt sister Mary Rault a roman Catholic nun who was one of his Spiri Tual advisers. Another spiritual adviser the Rev. Ainu j. Mclellan also visited him Warden Hilton duller of he Louisi Ana state Penitentiary said. Butler said Rault ordered a final meal of Steak and Fried shrimp and then Matloc two last requests that he be allowed to Telephone his parents at 10 30 . An that he be permitted to read a final statement before he died. Both requests were granted. Rault was convicted of raping shoot ing and stabbing his Secretary Jane Eilun Francioni 21, of Slidell whose body was Hen doused with gasoline and set afire in a desolate Section of Eastern new or leans in March 1982. The new Orleans accountant was de Nied a seventh slay of execution Friday by the . Supreme court leaving his last Hope with gov. Edwin Edwards. But Edwards has refused to Stop executions unless Given indisputable proof of innocence. The prosecution claimed Rault kill d Francioni because she knew he had embezzled 184,000 from the Louisiana in  and development co. And was afraid she would expose him. Rault originally told arresting officers that he and Francioni were kidnapped by two masked men who raped and killed her. At one time he claimed two Long dead cousins appeared while he was in a self induced hypnotic i Ranee and killed the woman while he tried to Slop them. Later under hypnosis Rault said Francioni was shot accidentally when his dead Cousin appeared to rape the woman Slit Ner Throat drag her around with a Belt and Ihnn set her body afire. In Cyl another version Rault Lold his defense attorney that Francioni pulled Agun on him and was accidentally shot during a struggle. He said he tried to save her with a tracheotomy and when he realized she was dead he cremated her i accordance with previously expressed wishes. Lawsuit dilemma faces crash victims families new York a still numb with Shock rela Tives of victims m the Northwest airlines crash Are now confronting a difficult decision whether to accept Cash settlement offers or Tike the Carrier to court. Legal experts say the chances Are Good that families who successfully sue Northwest Are Likely to win sharply higher damage awards from a jury than whatever they might get from the airline s insurance Carrier. The people who wait it out for eight months or a year get twice As much said Melvin Belli one of the nation s Best known personal injury lawyers and coun Sel to at least four families who Tost relatives in the crash near Detroit. At least 156 people were killed in the Accident. Belli said in a Telephone interview that he always advises clients to reject settlement offers from airline insurance companies. He said based on past cases awards could run up to 15 million per victim depending on their earning Abil Ity number of dependents education and social Posi Tion in the Community. On the other hand Many relatives May be tempted to accept whatever Northwest offers and try to put the trauma behind them rather than risk protracted and Nasty Legal Bailies. More than a dozen lawsuits already have been filed against Northwest most of them handled by Well airline travel "-t1" -. To melt Ken of Piying. 318.8 441 1982 w -34 is tj6 in cart to Tim of my y ten will Eloura  known attorneys skilled in exacting Large negligence awards from big companies. At the same time a number of Complex Legal questions have Arisen including in what court to sue who is entitled to file a claim and who besides Northwest May be liable. Lawyers for plaintiffs generally demand Al least $1 million from an airline in crash suits said George Milko an attorney for halt a Washington base Legal Reform group thai has published a handbook for victims famines. Airline insurance adjusters Are reluctant to divulge settlement awards bul Milko said his impression is that they begin making offers Between 1100,000 and $600,000. New York attorney Stuart Speiser a wrongful death specialist who represents some families in the North West disaster said the main criterion for determining damages is whether the victim had dependents. The value placed on Young children and the elderly generally is much less. Differences in damage Laws of each stale also will play a major role in where suits Are tiled. In the Northwest Case Many of the victims resided in Arizona which allows for punitive damages an recognizes the value of non economic factors such As loss of companionship in determining compensation Michigan Law also recognizes non economic losses but does not allow for punitive damages. For its part Northwest employees Are helping families with tasks ranging from transportation to funeral arrangements. The airline is paying All the costs. Som reports have suggested that the airline is attempting to assuage the families1 emotions and minimize Legal entanglements. Sole survivor of Detroit crash asks for her father Detroit a four year old be cilia Cichan the Only survivor of the Sec Ond worst air disaster in . History sunday asked for her father Hospital spokesman John Turck said. He said she remained in serious Condi Tion in the bum unil of University of Mich Igan hospitals in Ann Arbor where she underwent a four hour skin graft operation Friday five Days after Northwest airlines flight 255 crashed on Takeoff from Detroit metropolitan Airport killing her parents and brother and at least 153 others. She is having More periods of Alert Ness and being awake As they remove her from  Turck said. During one such period sunday he said Cecilia asked other family members about her father Michael 32, of Tempe Ariz. They gave her an answer that satisfied her for the moment Turck said declining to elaborate. But she docs no know he whole Story  doctors expect Cecilia to make i full recovery. In the weeks to come her relatives will have to decide when and How to Tell he about the crash and the loss of her family and will decide who will raise her. Family members and Counselor Art concerned about some of her initial re actions How they re going to talk with Cecilia when she regains a constant stale of consciousness Turck said earlier. Hundreds of gifts and messages have flooded the Hospital for Cecilia including donations expected to exceed $16,000 to a fund set up in Cecilia s name Turck said. Hospital officials also received the doll Cecilia has been asking for since re gaining consciousness Turck said but could t give it to her before firs deter mining that it posed no risk of infection. Cecilia was returning to tempt1 with her father and Mother Paula 33, and and her brother David 6, after visiting relatives in the Philadelphia area. Other family members hive flown to Michigan to maintain a bedside Vigil since the crash. Among the Well wishers was Singer Lionel Richie and his wife Brenda who sent a huge balloon bouquet. Inscribed on the Silver heart shaped Cen Ter balloon is Cecilia we a dance on the ceiling together when you re feel ing better one of he people who rescued Cecilia Romulus Volunteer firefighter Donald Daughenbaugh brought her Flowers Fri Day and talked with her family. He was among dozens of rescuers searching for summors in the wreckage. He found the Only one. 11 Hurt in Accident involving Wii Era plane West Mayfield a. A a world War ii Vintage by 7 bomber ran off the runway and into a deep Gully sunday at an annual air show injuring 11 people authorities said there were no reports of fatalities. Three people aboard the plane were listed in serious but stable condition with lacerations and inter Nal injuries Al an area bos Pila sunday night while seven others aboard the plane and two firemen were treated for minor injuries. Several thousand people looked on As the approximately 45-year-old Craft ran off the end of the Bea ver county Airport s main runway and plunged into a 90-foot Gully. Nine passengers and three Crew members were aboard emergency workers said. The plane according to  came Down awkwardly on its left wheel then bounced on its right and rear Landing wheels As it tried to slow Down before plunging Oul of View of spectators. Smoke was seen pouring off the wheels As the plane bounced Down the runway. I was standing beside a couple of buddies who arc pilots and they said right away there s no Roo for him to Stop " said Paul Hawthorne a Spectator from Industry a. As soon As the plane went out of View there was panic. Everybody started running toward the end of the runway. It was evident some thing was  after the evening Accident the remainder of the Beaver county air show was called off and spectators were asked to leave the Airport. The bomber was one of 40 classic planes taking pan in the air show Al the Airport located about 30miles Northwest of Pittsburgh. The plane was ferrying passengers who wanted an Aerial View of the air show. The injured were taken to the nearby medical Center of heaver co my for treatment. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette said authorities confiscated the film shot by one of its staff photographers but later returned the film. Hawthorne said police unsuccessfully attempted three times to seize color photographs he snapped