European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday september 15, 1990 the stars and stripes a Page 5 teen gets 50 years for slaying Providence . Apr a teenager involved in a 1988 mob attack police likened to a Sharks in a eating frenzy was sentenced thursday to a 50-year prison term. Joseph Taylor was 16 at the time of William Roberts slaying but he was tried As an adult in the killing. Taylor apologized for his involvement in the attack then pleaded no contest to charges of second degree murder and robbery said Tom Connell a spokesman for the attorney general a office. Taylor a is quite sorry for what happened and he knows he has to pay a penalty a said Chris of Neill Taylor a Public defender. Superior court judge Vincent Ragosta acknowledged the apology and said he hoped Taylor would Lead a productive life when he is released from prison. As part of a plea agreement Ragosta sentenced Taylor to serve 25 years in prison with the remaining 25 years suspended with probation. He received a 10-year concurrent sentence for the robbery and would be eligible for parole in about 8 Xhu years. Roberts 35, of North Kingstown was killed on sept. 24, 1988, while allegedly trying to buy drugs at a Providence housing project. A witness said the incident began when Roberts drove into a parking lot looking for drugs. One of the members of the group confronted Roberts and stole his keys. Roberts who police said had a Black Belt in karate chased the youth who ran toward a group of friends calling for help said Jodi Gladstone an assistant attorney general. The group then attacked Roberts like a Sharks in an eating frenzy a detective Bernard Gannon said at the time. A nobody came to his Aid and nobody called for help. A witness testified that Taylor who is Black jumped on Roberts head saying a a in la kill you. This is what i think about White  up to a dozen people joined in the attack witnesses said. Five people were charged. Three youths have pleaded guilty in juvenile court and charges of aiding and abetting Are pending against Edward Shepherd 18 at the time of the attack Connell said. Six year old Gregg Covan stretches out in an awkward looking a but apparent classroom Comfort by effective a position for a refreshing Nap at his desk at the Eliot school in a Boston s North end. The boy is in the first Grade. Good news for soviet smokers 20 billion . Cigarettes in route new York up a Philip Morris International will ship 20 billion cigarettes to the soviet Union where nicotine starved smokers have waged riots and strikes to protest a National tobacco shortage. The shipments scheduled to last through the end of 1991, amount to the largest Export order in the company a history a spokesman said thursday. The soviet tobacco shortage which began in Early summer has caused Long lines at cigarette sales outlets strikes and protests by smokers who consume More than 400 billion cigarettes a year. Previous shipments of . Cigarettes to the soviet Union were sold for Western currency but these will be sold in Street kiosks for soviet currency Philip Morris spokesman John Dollison said. That Means Philip Morris will be Able for the first time to tap the vast Pool of smokers in the soviet Union said another spokesman. A we do Well in hard cur Rency shops and duty free shops but not the Mainland a said Brenda Follmer. The Price of the cigarettes a which include Marlboro Philip Morris most popular Brand a will be determined by the soviets Dollison said. Official prices of tobacco have been rising in the soviet Union. On the Black Market Domestic cigarettes reportedly sell for 2 or 3 rubles a pack but foreign cigarettes fetch As much As 20 rubles a a High priced vice for workers who earn an average of 240 rubles a month. The shortage according to the soviet newspaper pravda is a result of a poor tobacco Harvest outdated equipment and manufacturing breakdowns and an official underestimation of cigarette demand. The shortage spurred the Moscow City Council to begin rationing cigarettes and muscovites now Are provided with coupons for 15 packs a month. Fla. Supreme court rules dying May say no to forced feeding Xor Tallahassee Fla. Apr the Florida supreme court ruled thursday that dying people have a night to refuse forced feeding and that guardians May decide for people who Are incompetent to act on their own. Further the justices ruled dying people and their guardians done to need a courts approval before they Stop forced feeding. A the right of privacy would be an empty right were it not to extend to competent and incompetent persons alike a Justice Rosemary Barkett wrote in thursdays majority opinion. Estelle Browning spent the last 2 years of her life connected to a feeding tube despite a a living will she had left saying that she did no to want to be kept alive under such conditions. She was not comatose but was was considered incompetent. Florida a High court heard Oral arguments in the Case m january. In june the . Supreme court said a Missouri couple could not order the removal of food and water keeping their 32-year-old comatose daughter alive. The daughter Nancy Cruzan had not left a living will although her parents said they were certain she would prefer to die rather than live in a coma. The . Supreme court did say that competent people have a right to refuse medical treatment. The Florida court which cited that Case also said that it has found previously that incompetent people have the same right through guardians acting on statements made before becoming incompetent to refuse medical treatment As competent people. The Browning Case extended that ruling to people in Florida who Are not totally comatose but who cannot make their own decisions. A the decision to terminate artificial life sustaining measures is being made Over and Over in nursing Homes hospitals and private Homes in this nation a Barkett wrote. A it is being made painfully by Loving family members concerned guardians or surrogates in conjunction with the advice of ethical and caring physicians or other health care providers. It is being made when the Only alternative to a natural death is to artificially maintain a Bare  the opinion was fully endorsed by five of the seven justices one of whom wrote an additional one paragraph opinion. Justice Beri Overton partially agreed with the rest of the  the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Sept. 15, 1950 a in a protest Over the recent hiring of women conductors for London a double Decker buses Drivers and conductors staged a walk out paralysing transport on More than 60 City routes.30 years ago today. Sept. 15, 1960 a Secretary of state Christian a. Herter told a news conference the United states regarded the latest communist imposed restrictions on free movement in Berlin As serious.20 years ago today. Sept. 15, 1970 a top officials of the United Auto workers Union and general motors corp. Said a two hour meeting accomplished nothing to head off a strike against the giant Detroit automaker.i0 years ago today. Sept. 15, 1980 a the iranian parliament voted to open debate on the Fate of the . Hostages less than a week after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini appeared to change the climate of the crisis by issuing a modified list of conditions for the americans release