European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 06, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes Friday. October 1989 judge dismisses claim Calif underpaid women san Francisco a a Federal judge on wednesday dismissed the Core of the nation s largest comparable Worth lawsuit a claim that Californi deliberately underpaid thousands of women in female dominated state jobs. . District judge Marilyn Hall Patch ruled that the California slate employees association had failed to prove deliberate sex discrimination in state salaries. She allowed the association to submit new arguments on a claim that state policies had the effect of illegally holding Down the salaries of female state employees. But that Type of lawsuit without proof of intent has been made much More difficult to prove Bya recent supreme court ruling. The association sued in 1984 on behalf of 60,000 or More pas.1 and present secretaries clerks nurses and other people in predominantly female state jobs. The lawsuit contended that those jobs had been deliberately underpaid for decades because the employees were women. It sought hundreds of millions of dollars in Back pay. The Union described the lawsuit As a sex discrimination Case and resisted the Label of comparable Worth the doctrine that jobs of equal skill Effort and Rispon 6 Miami cops linked to killing of drug dealer Miami a six members of Miami s Street narcotics unit were indicted wednesday on charges they allegedly chased Down a drug dealer and beat him to death after an Anonymous tip indicated he had a Mur Der contract on one of them. The Federal indictment charged the officers wit civil rights violations resulting in the dec. 16 death of Leonardo Mercado. Two of the officers also were accused of Healing Mercado about six weeks before the fatal attack. And All six were charged with attacking Mercado s Stepson Jose Solo on the night of the kill ing. State attorney Janet Reno would not respond when asked if her department was pursuing state charges. A Federal magistrate ordered the six officers who were relieved of duty after Mercado s death to Post $200,000 personal surety Bond and appear for arraign ment oct. 16. The six entered court manacled to each other amid applause from relatives and friends outside. If convicted each faces possible life imprisonment and a$750.000 Fine. We re saddened by the experience but we must gout and perform our duties in a professional manner and continue to serve the Community said police chief Perry Anderson. The indictment alleges that about six weeks before the fatal attack officers Pablo Camacho and Andy Watson beat Mercado 35, at a game room near his apartment. It also states that All six officers were on their Way to a drug sting on dec. 16 when they allegedly act Purd to Mercado s apartment and attacked him and his Stepson. Mercado died hours later. The accused officers and their experience with the department arc listed As Camacho 42, 13 years Char lie Haynes 30, 10 years Ronald Sinclair 46, seven years Thomas Trujillo 31, nine years Nathaniel veal jr., 31, eight years and Watson 32, nine years. Sivility deserve equal pay. But the Case has been generally described As a com parable Worth lawsuit because it is based on pay Dis parities Between different types of jobs rather than claiming that women were paid less than men in the same Job. The state denied discrimination and said any differences in pay Levels reflected Market rates. Lower pay for female dominated jobs based on prevailing Market Levels was declared Legal in 1985 by the 9th . Cir Cuit court of appeals. The crucial Issue in wednesday s ruling was whether the state deliberately discriminated against women inthe 1930s, when state pay Scales were revised. The association contended that the effects of unequal pay Levels for men and women in those revisions persist today. But Patel ruled that documents from a 1931 salary revision containing staff comments suggesting lower pay for some female dominated jobs failed to prove deliberate and systematic discrimination and that the effects of any Bias were largely eliminated in a further reclassification in 1937-38. Hit Gas line the burned out Hulk of the fishing vessel Northumberland sits in the Gulf of Mexico this week after it hit a Gas line sparking an explosion tuesday three crewmen died three were injured and eight Are missing. The coast guard on wednesday culled off a search for the missing. Stateside vow of America to pay Fine for discharging pollutants Pittsburgh up a Federal judge has approved 3 consent decree requiring Volkswagen of America inc. To pay $600,000 in fines for clean air violations at its now closed Westmoreland county Plant. The settlement was approved wednesday by .district judge Donald Zig scr. It comes two years after the Federal government tested Volkswagen for discharging pollutants in Viola Tion of Federal and state Laws at its new Stanton  facility closed in july 1988. Steinbeck Book dropped from school Reading list i Ine Bluff Ark. A John Steinbeck s office and men a Story about hired farm hands for years read by Sophomore English students at Watson Chapel High school has been ordered dropped by the administration. A memo from principal Charles Daniel ordered teachers not to assign the Book and requested them to collect any copies they May have passed out to Stu dents. Daniel would not comment wednesday about the decision. Teachers said profanity was cited for drop Ping the Book. Two years ago the Book was classified As non required Reading material at the urging of a Small group of parents. Superintendent Charles Knight said the latest order did t ban the Book. The teachers arc allowed to make reference to it and the students have Access to Itin the Library he said. An editorial in the school newspaper expressed out rage at the order and said teachers should be Able to teach any Book. Early morning police Chase ends in Man s bedroom St. Paul Minn. A a Man was awakened when a stranger jumped into his bed and police Fol Lowed to yank the intruder out. Basically i think the Guy was just trying to hide said officer Tim Mccarty. Officer . Winger stopped the Man s car for Speed ing Early on monday. When the Man was unable to produce a Driver s License or identification the office asked him to step into his squad car. Instead the Man  gave Chase and Mccarty saw the Man trying to enter the House. He grabbed at the Man but the Man pushed his Way into the House Mccarty said. The woman who owns the House said the stranger ran through several rooms before charging up a Stair Case and into her 20-year-old son s  Man was arrested on a charge of burglary be cause he entered the Home without permission Mccarty said. Starry eyed republicans drop Flag sticker idea Denver a Colorado republicans had decided to capitalize on the Flag burning Issue by using a Flag theme in a fund raising letter but the project backfire because the Flag they used had 54 stars on it. Recipients of the letter noted the Flag s Field of costars somehow had grown to 54. The american Flag stickers had been mailed out to 14,000 potential do nors. The executive director of the Colorado Republican party Larry Dye said the party s direct mail firm pre pared the stickers using a drawing from a  More will be mailed he said. Demotion struck sour note lawsuit indicates Athol mass. A the former chairman of the High school music department in Athol has sued claiming he was demoted because the ban played Willie Nelson s romantic bal lad always on my mind in a Tow memorial Day Parade. Robert j. Harris was teaching wednesday and could not be immediately reached for comment. He con tended in his Superior court lawsuit constitutes Gunlaw coercion and a that his demotion Ful intimidation,rassment." Harris is suing for Back pay and restoration As chairman. Brian Riley an attorney for the Massachusetts teachers association which is representing Harris said the dispute stemmed from Harris Choice of the Ballad for the 1988 memorial Day Parade. He was criticized at the time by school officials As the tune was Felt not to be appropriate military March ing music Riley said. We Felt it was appropriate music and this reprisal violated his rights to academic  superintendent of schools James , whose memos criticized the selection As an embarrassment did not return Telephone Calls to his of fice. School attorney Spencer Tobin said Harris demotion had nothing to do with musical selection. We Are All Willie Nelson fans Here Tobin said from his Boston of fice. He said the school committee voted in August 1988 to eliminate Harris stipend As department chair Man effective june 30, 1989, in an attempt to Cut costs