European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 23, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 a a the stars and stripes Friday March 23,1990hazelwood acquitted of top charges Anchorage Alaska apr the Captain of the Exxon Valdez Joseph Hazelwood was acquitted thursday of three major charges and convicted of one Misdemeanour in the nations worst Oil spill the single charge of which Hazelwood was convicted a negligent discharge of Oil a carries a maximum sentence of 90 Days in jail and a $1,000 Tine far less than the 7 a years and $61,000 Tine he could have faced. There were bursts of applause in the courtroom As Superior court judge Karl Johnstone read the first three verdicts of a not  Hazelwoods lawyers patted him on the Back and for the first time in the Long trial the normally solemn defendant smiled broadly. The jurors delivering their verdict two Days before the first anniversary of the disaster absolved Hazel Wood of All charges alleging that he was drunk and reckless when the Tanker ran aground spilling nearly 11 million Gallons of Oil into alaskans Prince William sound. The jurors reached their verdict after Only 10 i hours of deliberations. Earlier the jury members signalled they were close to a unanimous decision by deciding to skip going out to lunch. They ordered food sent to the jury room so they could continue their talks through the lunch hour. At noon Johnstone emerged from his Chambers and told reporters the panel had reached its verdict. The jury which ended its first Day of deliberations wednesday without reaching a verdict sought a series of blood alcohol charts and graphs used by a defense expert to illustrate his testimony. Johnstone after conferring in a hurried session with attorneys sent the jury a note saying a you have received All of the evidence. The exhibits you have re Quested Are not in  a the jurors returned to their task thursday Che Kim in promptly at 8 30 . A Bailiff escorted them to their jury room and they began their talks for a second Day. The trial was in its seventh week saturday will be the first anniversary of the disaster in which the 987-foot Tanker rammed the charted reel in Prince William sound gushing nearly 11 million Gallons of North slope crude Oil. The spill wreaked devastation on Birds fish and wildlife and coated hundreds of Miles of Rocky Shoreline. The prosecution sought to prove that the fired Exxon skipper was drunk when his ship went aground at Bligh reef while Hazelwood was  lawyers to question Meese Washington apr lawyers defending John Poindexter turned to former attorney general Edwin Meese Iii on thursday after concluding the courtroom showing of nearly eight hours of videotaped testimony from former president Reagan. Attorneys for Poindexter who was Reagan a National Security adviser also planned to Call to the witness stand former White House lawyer Bretton Sciaroni in Poindexter a Iran Contra trial. Me Csc a connection with the affair includes the weekend inquiry he conducted in november 1986 that led to uncovering the diversion of Iran arms Sale Money to the nicaraguan contras. The sex attorney general briefly interviewed Poindexter about the diversion at that time but took no notes. According to Meese Poindexter said he a generally knew about the diversion but did nothing to follow up or Stop it. Six months later Poindexter told Congress he had approved the diversion at aide Oliver North a request. That testimony Given under a Grant of immunity from prosecution cannot be used at Poindexter a trial. Sciaroni wrote a Legal memo concluding that a congressional ban on military assistance to the contras did no to apply to the National Security Council where Poindexter reporters record former president Reagan a testimony wednesday. And North worked. North a activities on behalf of the contras did no to violate the Law said Sciaroni at the time counsel for Reagan a intelligence oversight Board. Poindexter a lawyers Are trying to show that All of the National Security advisers actions in support of the contras and the Iran initiative were Legal and that he therefore had no motive to cover them up from Congress. He is accused of concealing North a military assistance to the contras and a november 1985 shipment of Hawk missiles to Iran jurors thursday morning finished watching Reagan a testimony which had been videotaped earlier in California. In it Reagan suggested that it might have been All right to destroy documents or withhold information from Congress in order to safeguard the lives of . Hostages held in Lebanon. Reagan said that if there were leaks from Congress about aspects of the Iran initiative the hostages could be endangered. Poindexter is accused of deleting 5,000 files from his computer system to keep Congress from knowing the . Role in the missile shipment. Poindexter also is accused of conspiring with North to destroy and alter memos that showed North a military assistance to the  expands its recall of dietary supplement Washington apr the Federal government said thursday the dietary supplement a tryptophan poses a a major Public health problem and expanded its recall because of indications that even Small doses can cause a sometimes fatal blood disorder. A we Are confronted with a major Public health problem a warned health and human services Secretary Louis Sullivan in the of Day a announcement. A i urge everyone to Stop taking these supplements  a tryptophan a which is sold Over the counter and used by some for insomnia depression premenstrual syndrome and appetite control a has been linked to a blood disorder called Eosinophilic myal Gia syndrome or Ems. Reports of the disorder have climbed to 1,411, with 19 deaths the Fra said. Cases have been reported in every state. The Fra initially recalled Only the larger dose forms of the product those that would result in daily intake of 100 milligrams or More a Day. That was based on evidence from the Federal centers for disease control in Atlanta that Ems victims had taken a tryptophan in doses that ranged from 150 to 17,000 milligrams a Day. Most were taking 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams daily. However at least one Case of the disorder has been reported where the individual had taken less than 100 milligrams of the supplement daily the Fra said. Sullivan said the rate of Ems has slowed dramatically since the initial nov. 17 recall Quot but some recent victims have apparently continued using a tryptophan products since the recall  Ems is marked by severe muscle and joint pain breathing difficulties swelling of the arms and legs skin rash and sometimes fever. In some cases victims show signs of congestive heart failure and paralysis. Sullivan warned a Ems can cripple. It can cause great pain. It can kill. It has had Long term effects on some unfortunate individuals and some patients Are not responding to treatment Al tryptophan an amino acid is present naturally at Low Levels in some foods. The Only products containing a tryptophan not being recalled Are some protein supplements infant formulas and special dietary foods intravenous and Oral solutions in which Small amounts of a tryptophan Are needed for nutrition fortification the Fra said. No cases of Ems have been linked to any of those uses the Agency  Navy chopper makes successful debut Bloomfield Conn. Apr Kaman corp. Has unveiled a new Navy helicopter that is being touted As flexible Cost effective and perfect for the changing world situation. The Bug eyed chopper was displayed wednesday to the cheers of 300 workers subcontractors and guests who watched it Fly Over the main Kaman Complex in Bloomfield at More than 200 Miles an hour. Navy vice . Richard m. Dun Leavy who took a ride on the chopper told the crowd that the aircraft which can operate from the decks of frigates destroyers and cruisers has the flexibility to meet the Navy a needs in the Low intensity conflicts bubbling up around the world. Its predecessor the sea sprite by Kaman has been deployed to protect shipping lanes in the persian Gulf and to intercept drug running vessels in the Caribbean sea. A everywhere the Navy is Kaman is there a Dunleavy said. Charles Kaman chairman and founder of the military contracting company bearing his name said his company a program to rebuild its existing Navy helicopters a by adding new engines Mission electronics rotors and other features a would save the Navy Money in a declining budget environment. Under an $88 million contract that also covers engineering and development costs Kaman initially will Supply the Navy with six new choppers. The aircraft will Cost about $10 million each not counting the development costs. Kaman will receive about $8 million of that with the balance going to engine maker general electric co. And other subcontractors. The Navy a larger sea Hawk helicopters built by Sikorsky aircraft Cost Between $11 million and $12 million each and the Sikorsky built super stallion a heavy lift chopper costs the Navy about $20 million each. The new twin engine helicopter is equipped for multiple missions ranging from anti submarine warfare to surface ship surveillance. It can also be modified by quickly adding specialized equipment modules for other missions such As medical evacuation Small boat interdiction and mine detection experts say