European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 28, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday april 28, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 7 Oytt Georgia s judicial election system voided Atlanta Feyti a in a _ Quot Atlanta not a in a sweeping decision that could signal widespread changes for judicial elections throughout the South the department of Justice has thrown out Georgia a system for electing judges on the ground that it discriminates against Blacks. The departments decision which was issued on wednesday in response to a lawsuit said Georgia a system of electing judges was blatantly discriminatory the department declared that judgeship in 30 of the states 45 judicial circuits were illegal. The department said the state discriminated against Blacks by electing judges in Broad judicial circuits by majority vote rather than by a plurality. The results critics say is much like an at Large voting plan in a municipal election in which the voting strength of minority groups is diluted. A there is substantial information indicating that the majority vote requirement was adopted in 1964 precisely for the invidious purpose of discriminating against Blacks the department said. For Georgia the ruling could mean chaos unless a Legal plan is adopted that would create new judicial districts. For other Southern states the ruling could signal a tougher Justice department stance on applying the 1965 voting rights act to judicial elections. A i think its very significant in the sense that the Justice department has taken a stance against an entire state s racially discriminatory judicial election system and said the current system wont do a said Robert Mcduff a lawyer in Washington with the lawyers committee for civil rights under Law. A a it a happened to a lesser extent in Mississippi and a lesser extent in Louisiana but this is the most extensive Justice department objection to state judicial elections a he said. But Mcduff and the plaintiffs in the lawsuit that led to the decision said Georgia had been particularly recalcitrant in contesting Federal review of judicial elections so it remains unclear How much the ruling could mean for other states. The decision also attracted considerable attention because it was the first major one by John r. Dunne the newly appointed assistant attorney general in charge of the civil rights division. He succeeded William Bradford Reynolds who was often criticized by rights groups for what they said was his Lack of enforcement of the Law. The decision which was disclosed in a letter from Dunne to Georgia a attorney general Michael j. Bowers stems from a 1988 lawsuit in which 22 Black officials civil rights leaders ministers and other people challenged Georgia a judicial system. They alleged that because of discriminatory voting guidelines there were Only five Blacks among 135 Superior court judges although about a third of the state population is Black. The Superior court is the primary civil and criminal court in the stale in his letter wednesday. Dunne said that Only one judicial circuit that in Atlanta had a population with a Black majority. But even in Atlanta Only five Blacks have served on the Superior court three by appointment and two by elections in races with no incumbent. Only three of the 11 sitting Superior court judges in Atlanta Are Black although the circuit is 51 percent Black a state rep. Tyrone Brooks the Lead plaintiff in the Case said Georgia had defied the Federal government for years by refusing to get Federal clearance for changes in its judicial system even though it was one of the states specifically covered by the voting rights act which mandates it obtain such clearance. The state s position has been that the Taw does not apply to judicial races. The decision bars 48 of the 135 current Superior court judges from seeking re election including 25 who were scheduled to be on the november ballot. The department also barred the stale from naming judges to 10 new Superior court judgeship. A octane cheating puts big Pinch on motorists Washington apr some service stations pass off regular gasoline As higher priced super Premium according to a congressional study released thursday that said a octane cheating May be costing motorists $ 150 million a year. The report by the general accounting office estimated that 9 percent of the gasoline sold nationwide is miss Abele by half an octane number or More. And in several states where pump testing has actually proven Misla Beling the Federal government has done Little to Stop the deception the report said. The Gao the investigative Arm of Congress said motorists who think they Are buying Premium grades May be paying $ 150 million a year More than they should. But rep. Philip r. Sharp d-ind., who along with rep. Charles Schumer d-n.y., released the report said the study was conservative and losses could reach As High As $600 million through growing Misla Beling of octane ratings at the pump. Sharps estimate is based partly on the fact that the Gao said that More than half the samples taken in two Large cities last year a Detroit and St. Louis a were found to have octane ratings an average of 2.2 or More Points below what was posted on the pump. Federal Law requires that uniform labels on Gas pumps show the octane rating of Gas and some higher powered vehicles recommend various Levels of octane to avoid that a a Ping or knocking sound in engines. Regular unleaded Gas is rated at 87, with mid Grade unleaded at 89 and Premium grades from 91 to 94. Regular leaded Gas is rated at 89. The difference in retail Price Between the lowest and highest Grade can Range up to 20 cents a gallon. Sharp chairman of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Energy and Power said he would introduce legislation to give states More enforcement Power Over octane cheaters. The report said inspectors found in several states that some retail stations were Selling gasoline rated at different octane Levels from the same storage tank. A 1978 Law requires the Federal Trade commission and the environmental Protection Agency to enforce compliance with Federal Petroleum marketing  taker on the move . Census returns have been slow coming in so now its phase ii of the count and that Means going door to door to secure the information. Whether Owen Byrne of Dorchester a a suburb of Boston a needed a break or not he a taking one. Posing the questions is census taker Pat  upholds a. Woman a request to die Philadelphia apr a judge has ruled that a paralysed pain stricken woman who blinked once to indicate that she wanted to be allowed to die can he taken off a Respirator that is keeping her alive. Common pleas court judge Nicholas m. Do Alessan Dro on thursday gave Neumann medical Center officials one week to remove 51-year-old Thelma Slushy from the machine. The ruling came a Day after a Hospital bedside hearing at which Stussy signalled her wishes. Stussy suffers from Amy trophic lateral sclerosis or als an incurable nerve degeneration also known As Lou Gehrig a disease. She is paralysed from the neck Down and is in constant pain. She cannot speak she blinks to answer a yes Quot and moves her head slightly from Side to Side to answer a no Quot she and her family including two teen age daughters had asked to have the Respirator removed but doctors and Hospital officials fearful of a lawsuit or criminal charges asked the judge to decide. The judge said that before disconnecting the mechanical ventilator the Hospital must give the woman another Chance to object. Stussy will die within a few hours of being disconnected said her physician. Or. Leonard Popowich. A fall i want is for you to see her and see what she a going through a one of her daughters 18-year-old Joy Stussy. Told the judge at wednesdays hearing. Quot its difficult Quot d Alessandro told the Philadelphia daily news after leaving the Hospital Quot everyone was emotional. We were All  Stussy managed to slowly dictate a letter to her daughter Joy dated feb. 6to pass to Popowich. A i Haven to changed my mind about having the Respirator removed a she wrote. A however if the decision is to have the machine remain 1 want to be sedated not just for my fear of the machine but my hands and legs from not moving arc in constant and severe pain. Please do what you