European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 11, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes saturday August 11,1990 wholesale prices Down but not for Long experts say stateside Washington a wholesale prices in july edged Down 0.1 percent the government said Friday. But analysts say the figures May indicate the last res. Pile from inflation before the effects from soaring Oil costs linked to the Middle East crisis Are Felt. The slight seasonally adjusted decline in the labor department s produce Price Index for finished goods one Stop Short of retail followed moderate gains of 0.2 percent in june and 0.3 percent in May. The drop in july was even better than the  per cent or 0.2 percent Rise expected by most economists. Wholesale prices which soared in january when a cold snap sent fuel Oil and vegetable prices spiralling have remained virtually unchanged from february through May helped by six consecutive drops in Energy costs. For the first seven months of the year wholesale prices advanced at an annual rate of 3 percent Down sharply from the 4.8 percent increase for All of last year. However in a disclaimer on Friday s report the labor department noted that prices were surveyed in mid july before the iraqi invasion of Kuwait sent Oil prices skyrocketing. Ana cysts expect the six month respite from whole Sale Price increases to end this month at least for three or four months until the Economy absorbs the Oil Shock. Crude Oil prices which averaged around $20 a bar Rel in july have pushed past $25 since the invasion and gasoline prices Are reported up As much As 16cents a gallon at Many service stations. However Energy prices were Down 0.5 percent in july after a 0.9 percent drop a month earlier. Gasoline prices fell 5.3 percent while they Rose 6.6 percent for natural Gas and 0.4 percent for fuel Oil. Food prices Overall were unchanged after falling 0.4 percent in june. Fresh fruit prices jumped 14 percent but egg prices declined 18.3 percent. Costs were up for Rice pasta Chicken fish and soft drinks. They fell for vegetables baked goods beef pork shortening and cooking Oil. Prices for goods excluding volatile food and Energy items often taken by economists As a better barometer of underlying inflationary pressures declined 0.1 per  prices were mixed with an 0.2 percent Rise for girl children s and infants apparel a 0.1 percent drop in men s and boys clothing and no change in women s clothing. Passenger car prices dropped 0.5 percent. House hold glassware fell 5.1 percent but silverware Rose 4.1  prices fell 2.9 percent but they had been rising steadily before and were still 13.3 percent higher than a year  various changes put the producer Price Index for All finished goods at 118 in july. That Means a hypothetical selection of goods that Cost $100 in 1982 Cost $ 118 last month up from $ 114.10 a year earlier. Judge reduces Brando s bail to $2 million in murder Case Santa Monica Calif. A bail for Christian Brando jailed on a murder Chi arc was reduced from $10 million to $2 million thursday. A defense lawyer said actor Marlon Brando would pay for his son s free Dom. Superior court judge David Perez ruled that the 32 year old Brando s original bail set by a municipal court judge was excessive. Marlon Brando who attended the hearing with his business manager and another son presented Chris Tian Brando s passport which had been missing. Sur rendering the passport was a condition of release. The younger Brando pleaded innocent this week to murdering Dag Drolett his half sister s Lover during a May 16 argument at the Brando family compound in the Santa Monica mountains. Lawyer Robert Shapiro told the judge that Marlon Brando was unable to raise $10 million and that even if he could no bail Bondsman would insure such a High amount. He later said the elder Brando might Post his $4 million Home in the mountains above Bel air As a property  vehemently opposed any bail for Chris Tian Brando suggesting he would flee the country if released. After bail was reduced prosecutors said it would take some time to free Brando. If Marlon Brando seeks to Post his House As collateral further hearings will be required they said. During testimony the chief investigator in the Case Andrew Monsue accused the bran do family of aiding and abetting a material witness in leaving the country so she would not have to testify referring to Cheyenne Brando Christian Brando s half sister and Drolett s Lover. A actor Marlon Brando talks with a smiling Robert Sha Piro his son s lawyer after bail was reduced thursday in a Santa Monica Calif., courtroom. Girls presumed drowned because of boy s prank Niagara Falls . A a 17-year-old was charged with manslaughter Friday for allegedly pulling two friends into the raging rapids of the Niagara River police said. A search for the girls presumed drowned resumed 3 the youth Rudolph Rogler of Niagara Falls pulled the girls off a Rock they were clinging to thursday evening after earlier escaping the turbulent water said officer Kenneth Lewis of the new York state Parks  was charged with two counts of second de Gree manslaughter. Lewis said Jessica Currie 14, and Shelly Pembleton 17 were among a group of friends smoking marijuana and drinking Beer in Whirlpool state Park thursday evening. The girls both of Niagara Falls went swimming in a forbidden Section of the Gorge and got caught in the current. They managed to swim ashore and cling to a Rock he said vow offers 30-Day refund to . Buyers of pass ats Troy Mich. A Volkswagen United states inc., struggling with weak sales is offering a 30-Day Money Back guarantee on its midsize passant Auto  unsatisfied with a passant in the first 30 Days or 3,000 Miles of ownership May return it and get their Money Back Bill Young vice president in charge of Volkswagen United states has said. You get the full refund sales tax title and License fees and everything. It s your Cash Back vow Market ing director Bill Gelgota said. Other automakers have offered or Are offering Simi Lar guarantees although none allows buyers to walk away with their , for example is offering to let buyers of its 1990 models who Are not satisfied after the first 30 Days or 1,500 Miles of ownership return a car for credit toward the Purchase of another Oldsmobile. Electronics firm 2 execs charged in fraud Case Tampa Fla. A an electronics company and two executives have been indicted on charges of falsely certifying the Quality of parts for the space shuttle and numerous weapons. Impala electronics inc. Was charged by a Federal grand jury wednesday along with Joseph a. Pistone owner and president and James Wilson sales manager. Both live in  forces truck Stop to sell riveting attraction Carl s Corner Texas a a Trio of High stepping frogs will dance no More at the truck Stop. A fire gutted the Gas station and restaurant owned by Carl Cornelius mayor of this town of 230 people near Dallas. The Gigantic fibreglass frogs atop the Busi Ness survived but Cornelius sold them for $35,000. I did t want to sell them but i have people i owe Money to Cornelius said tuesday. The Man caught me in a vulnerable situation so i had to do  the three frogs posed dancing on their Hind legs were the truck Stop s big draw. One plays a guitar. Another holds a trumpet. The third just dances along. The truck Stop near Hillsboro about 55 Miles South East of Dallas was not insured Cornelius said. Pair s medicinal marijuana defense rejected Panama City a. A an ads Sancken couple who say they smoked marijuana to relieve painful Side effects of their aids treatments were found guilty by a judge who rejected their medical necessity defense. But Justice As tempered with mercy As circuit judge Clinton Foster on thursday sentenced Kenneth and Barbara Jenks to a year s probation and 500 hours of Community service to be completed by caring Lor each other. The events of this Case Are horrify ing and evoke sympathy and compassion Tor the defendants by All persons acquainted with the facts Foster said after a non jury trial. There is no cure for this Dis  the husband and wife were convicted of cultivating and possessing marijuana. Jenks 2s, is a Haemophilia a who contracted aids through a tainted blood transfusion. He passed the disease to his 24-year-old wife before he was aware he was infected. I Vene or had that Sweet a sentence in my 20 years of practising Law said attorney John Daniel who represented the couple for free. Nevertheless he filed notice of Appeal an Effort he Hopes will reverse Foster s rejection of the defense of medical necessity. The couple said they smoked marijuana to relieve intense nausea and vomit ing caused by at used to treat acquired immune deficiency syndrome. When 1 started taking at i lost All reason to eat Jenks had said. He and his wife declined to say whether they will continue smoking marijuana. Foster noted the defense s Noel approach of medical necessity had been approved by some courts around the nation including a judge in fort i Alderdale who authorized it for another disease. But he concluded it should not be recognized across the Board unless the state legislature gives statutory authorization addressing the scope and parameters of that  the Jenyses have applied to take part m a Federal program allowing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. They said neither they nor their doctor knew about the program before they were arrested March 29. Marijuana has been used to treat the nausea that accompanies cancer chemo therapy As Well As to treat glaucoma and multiple sclerosis