European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 31, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 me stars and stripes thursday March 31.1988 Reagan augments1 claim cites medals won by North Washington a president Reagan on tuesday hedged his assertion that Oliver l North is hero with the president confining his continuing Praise to the Marine s combat record. Reagan also mid he believes North a former while Louse National Security aide charged with conspiracy in the Iran Contra arms and Money affair has 1 go1 ten the Benefit of a Tair trial before being presumed guilty Keagan saying he wanted to augment comments he made last week after North s criminal indictment said to think i was Loo Short in my  the president was referring to his defense of North As a hero and his prediction that the Marine lieutenant colonel will be found innocent of ran Contra charges along with retired rear adm. John m. Poin Duxler the former National Security adviser to the president an North s Superior a clean did not reiterate hat prediction but head Lui cd Hii definition otworth s hero ism. " should have augmented that and said Why an that is look at the record and at the honors and the medals that have been awarded to him for bravery in  Reagan said in a while House interview with regional reporters. I in pc 10 say those were heroic actions and he is a valid hero the president said. North who intend to retire from the Marine corp sin May. Received a Silver Star and two purple hearts in the Vietnam War. Reagan said the allegations about North and pain Deiter raise a Tare Point Wilh me about a lot of thing that have been going on with regard to people in our administration someplace along the line Many of us have forgot ten thai you Are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt the president said. What has happened i think in the Case of North and Poindexter is it s just everyone is accepting guilt on the basis of accusation Reagan said. "1 say they be got a right to be presumed innocent until someone proves them guilty Rotthe  North and Poinan tar were named March 16 in Federal indictment accusing them of defrauding the government in the Sale of . Weapons to Iran and the diversion of profits to the Nicaragua contras at a time when . Aid to the rebels Wai banned. To addition to North and Poindeter several other past or present members of the administration including some of Reagan s closest confidants have been accused of improper behaviour. Former aide Michael Deaver was convicted of per jury regarding his lobbying activities and Reagan s former political director Lyn Nofziger was found guilty of illegal lobbying. Attorney general Edwin Meuse Iii has been the subject of Independent counsel investigations. Men has continually denied wrongdoing. Really scary says cameraman who was beaten up in Panama Miami a two network journalists beaten at their hotel in Panama by plainclothes police flew her tuesday and one said he would t believe Hii experience it an ind seen it in a movie. I be never seen anything like in in any other coun try grabbing people like that said Ignacio Medrano a cd cameraman who limped in a stoop As be was helped off a chartered private Jel at Miami International Airport if we d seen in in a movie i would Esaid they were  Medrano was admitted to mount Sinai medical Center in satisfactory condition tuesday night Wilh broken ribs a Hospital spokeswoman said. Before being taken there by ambulance he said a rays i Panama had indicated no broken Bones but his ribs had turned purple and his legs ached from a beating with a Nightstick. At least 10 foreign journalists and 10 opposition leaders were arrested monday when troops raided the Marriott hold in Panama City. Most were released by tuesday. Medrano said he came to the Aid of Abc camera Man Domingo Rex of Mexico City who said he suffered a broken nose when punched by a plainclothes Security agent. The officer broke his wrist throwing the punch. Res said. He tried to grab my camera and we started fight ing Fie got real mad said re whose nose was Cov ered with Gauze and tape. At this Point Ignacio me drano tried to save me and they beat him too it is really scary.,. They arc looking for the  were after them Rex said adding that he paid a $365 Fine to be released from jail returned to his hotel and left the country. Al one Point i was really scared a lot scared about leaving this place alive said Rex who had been in Panama for 17 Days. I decided it was time to  f photo Gucia Mednus is helped off a night at Miami by an unidentified medic left and Domingo Rex. Stateside state farm to offer Auto insurance discounts Washington up state farm insurance mid it will offer discounts of up to to per cent to insure automobiles equipped with air bags and automatic scat Bell systems. In an announcement tuesday from compan Headquarters to Loei minion til. Slate farm said the discounts Are to reflect the amount of Protection offered motorists by the two safety systems can with front Seal automatic seat belts will gel a 10 percent discount cars with Driver Side air bag trill get 20 percent can wits Driver and passenger Side air bags Wilt get 30 percent and Carl with full front air bags and automatic belts will get 40 percent the insurance company said. State farm a longtime proponent of air  the discounts will be made available As soon Asil can get the program filed and approved by the states Man killed in shoot out with Calif Border police san Ysidro Calif. A . Law enforcement officers shot and killed one Man and wounded three others in a confrontation near the mexican Border san Diego police said tues Day. A group of Border crime prevention officers were patrolling the fenced urea near Monument Road monday evening when five hispanic me approached them police sgt. Ron Brown sold. One of the suspects pointed a gun at the officer who in turn opened fire on the suspects wounding three and killing one Brown said. A Firth Man fled and was still at Large he said. Brown said the five were apparently intent on robbery when they confronted the american group. Authorities had not identified the dead Man. Said san diced county Deputy Coroner Jerry Hillbrand. Brown said the nationalities of the five had not been determined. Lawsuit seeks $5 million for teen Hurt in food fight new York a the Mother of n teen Ager has filed a is million lawsuit charging Thatcher son was paralysed by injuries suffered when he was hit by an Apple during a cafeteria food fight an attorney said. Francisco Bellaro. 14. Of the Bronx was minding his own business As he ale lunch ocl.23 a Junior High school 143 while a Rood fight went on around him Tor 15 or 20 minutes Ailor Ney Kevin Concagh said tuesday. Shortly after he was struck Beluan collapsed when a blood vessel broke in his head said con Cash who was hired by the boy s Mother Aida Garcia. In a lawsuit tiled March 13 in . District court against the Board of education Concagh said Biliran has required to brain operations is paralysed on his sen Side and suffered severe brain damage. Concagh contends school employees tailed to Slop the food flight even though i had gone on for some Lime and food fights had incurred on other Days. Engineer in fatal train crash gets 5-year term Towson my. A an i con tilt Engineer sentenced 10 five years in prison for causing 16 deaths in Amtrak s worst Accident might not have been High on marijuana at the time but he de serves the maximum punishment his judge said. Rick l. Gates 13. Of Essex. Md., de Servo the sentence for causing the indescribable tragedy that killed the 16 peo ple Jan. 4, 1987, near Chase md., Baltimore county circuit judge Joseph 1. Murphy said tuesday. He is fortunate that 1 am powerless to increase the sentence Murphy said in sentencing Gates to five year and a 11,000 Fine. Gates pleaded guilty to one Misdemeanour manslaughter count under a plea bargain on feb. 16. Gates admitted in a statement of facts to smoking marijuana on the train and failing to make several safety Check that might have prevented him driving the three linked engines into the pain Al the am Trail Pusc Nger train. I would like you to know 1 accept full responsibility i will never be Able to for get said Giles who wept along with relatives of the dead when excerpts of five victim Impact statements were read in to thu record the violent death of our daughter Ceres is the most terrible event experienced by our family or. Roger Horn wrote. Our hearts were crushed along Wilh be  Gates was taken into custody immediately after sentencing. He could be eligible for parole after serving about 18 non los said Sandra o Connor the chief prosecutor and Baltimore county slate s attorney More than 17i people were injured in the crash when Gates missed a track Sig Nal and drove three linked Conrail Loco motives in front of the 660-Passcngcr Amtrak train travelling about 120 Mph. Blood samples from Gates and Brace Man Edward Cromwell tested positive Tor drug use Cain was unhurt in teens and Cromwell who Wasj granted immunity from prosecution suffered a broken leg