European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 4, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 a a the stars and stripes thursday october 4,1990 Man in Florida convicted of Selling obscene album fort Lauderdale Fla. A an All White jury wednesday convicted a record store owner of obscenity for Selling a sexually explicit album by the Black rap group 2 live Crew that had been banned by a Federal judge. The panel took Only 2vi hours to return the verdict against Charles Freeman 31. The Misdemeanour conviction carries a possible one year jail sentence and $1,000 Fine. Broward county judge Paul Backman set sentencing for nov. 2. A a in a absolutely stunned by the verdict a defense attorney Bruce Rogow said. Freeman denounced the jurors As unfair and ignorant of ghetto life. The departing jurors had no comment. A i Felt that the jury paid very close attention to the evidence a said prosecutor Leslie Robson. A they came Back with a verdict that spoke the  the Miami based rap group and its album a was Nasty As they Wanna be have been at the Center of a first amendment dispute since june 6, when a fort Lauderdale Federal judge ruled its lyrics obscene. That ruling banned the albums Sale in three South Florida counties. Shortly after the decision sales of the 2-year-old album nationwide approached 2 million. Freeman who is Black was arrested two Days after the ruling when he sold the album to undercover police officers at his dec record store in fort Lauderdale. Three members of the rap group later were charged with performing obscene material at a nightclub show in nearby Hollywood. Their trial is set for oct. 9. Rogow who also represents the band members promised an Appeal on grounds that the jury Pool did not represent the Community and that evidence of adult videotapes and magazines available in the county was improperly excluded. A what you have is a jury that could not represent All of Broward county a he said. A certainly it was not a Cross Section of the  the jury a does no to represent my Community a Freeman shouted to reporters As he left the courthouse. A a it a unfair. The jury was All White. They done to know where dec records is. They done to know a god damned thing about the  jury instructions followed a . Supreme court Standard saying material could be found obscene if it has no artistic Merit and appeals solely to prurient interests. A tape of the disputed record was played for the Jur. A obscenity is what this is a Robson said waving a cassette tape before the jury in her closing arguments. The trial was the first jury test of . District judge Jose Gonzalez a ruling that the groups Raunchy lyrics were obscene. Legal arguments focused on first amendment free speech Protection but race has been an underlying Issue. Retirees not out of Woods on cola freeze official says by Janet Howells Tierney Washington Bureau Washington a military and Federal civilian retirees fared Well in last weekends Federal budget Compromise after negotiators dropped a provision that would have Frozen Cost of living increases for retirees. But the director of legislative affairs for the association of the . Army said its a still too Early to break out the Champagne and  a until Congress approves the agreement and comes up with All the required program reductions and additional taxes we re not out of the Woods a said Eric g. Johnson a retired colonel. Freezing cola would particularly harm military retirees Johnson said because they normally retire at younger Ages than Federal workers. A if military retirees received no cola until age 62, As we heard was being considered that Means there would be no adjustment in retirement pay for As much As 25 years a he said. A that would grossly discriminate against the military service member who often retires As soon As age 45 or  although cola in t mentioned in the proposed budget the plan being discussed in Congress would eliminate a Lump sum retirement option for civilian workers. A a we re disappointed that the elimination of the Lump sum retirement option is part of the budget but its better than the freeze on Cost of living adjustments that was expected last week a said Diane Witiak a spokeswoman for the american federation of government employees. The organization represents More than 700,000 government employees. About 70 percent of All retirees have chosen the Lump sum option which gives them their pension in two Large checks one shortly after retirement and another a year later. The first payment is equal to the amount the Retiree contributed to his pension plan and the second is the employers Matching funds. The tax bite however can be considerable. In the Washington area one of the payments would average about $32,000, before taxes. Workers who do not choose the Lump sum option get monthly annuity checks. Budget negotiators calculate that elimination of the Lump sum option would save the government $1 billion in 1991 and $8.1 billion Over five years. The proposal if approved by Congress and the president would give employees until oct. 31 to retire and take advantage of the Lump sum option. A a we re urging cd egress to pass this budget agreement a Witiak said. She noted that eliminating the Lump sum option helps the governments immediate Cash flow problem without actually cutting workers retirement pay. A but some people Are still upset and i understand Why. Government employee pay and compensation Are always being looked at for cuts. Congress seems to be in the habit of balancing the budget on the backs of government  Witiak said that while few members of the american Public Are Happy with the plan to raise taxes on gasoline luxury items cigarettes and liquor the budget proposal does not single out any one group. A a there a enough pain in the budget to pass it All around a she said. The Best agreement is one that makes everybody a Little  German americans reminded of deadline to reclaim land Chicago apr German diplomats Are getting word to thousands of German americans who have Only 10 Days left to reclaim land seized decades ago by East Germany a communist government. Charged with the task Are the 10 German consulates that Are scattered across the United states and the German embassy in Washington. The German consulate in Chicago has mailed hundreds of letters to English and German language newspapers and radio stations in its nine state Region where a Large concentration of German descendants live. Other consulates such As the one in Boston have attempted to spread the word by contacting German clubs and organizations. A what we Are telling people is that they better claim the property As soon As possible a said Cornelia Dautel a German vice Consul in Chicago. A if they wait until after oct. 13, they will have much Legal  earlier this year East Germany passed a Law permitting people to reclaim land that was seized after the communists came to Power in 1949. The East German government received More than 1 million claims most from West German residents. The claims will be evaluated by the local governments where the property is situated. Those who prove they Are entitled to the property will be compensated for the land or receive title to the property if possible said Karl Chon the Chicago consulates Deputy Consul a a it a question of proof a Schon said. A if a person can establish through the real estate Register or other records that he is entitled to the property then the Law says it must be returned to  Kenneth Lipton walks outside Small claims court in los Angeles wearing the outfit he had on when he was barred from the mayan  say duds made pm duds in club s eyes los Angeles apr four people who say a snooty bouncer at a Chic nightclub denied them entry and made them feel like a a scum because of their unzip clothing Are asking a judge to decide whether that a Cool under the Law. The four argued tuesday in Small claims court that their civil rights were violated. They want damages of $250 apiece. The four a a lawyer a termite company operator an accountant and an accounting manager from the san Fernando Valley a Saia they were rejected by a Doorman at the mayan a trendy downtown club that used to be a porno theater. A i think we were met at the door by a flippant and arrogant Doorman a Jeff Stolzer said in court. A i a Vla j 1m__. _ _ n Ling later. Sammy Chao president of the company that owns the mayan denied any discrimination and argued that doormen decide who can enter in an Effort to keep troublemakers out. He denied there was a dress code. Phen Ambrosini 33, an accountant Ana Stolzer 35, who runs a termite company a claim a violation of their rights under a state Law passed in 1959 to end discrimination by businesses. All four waited in vain to get into the club after they rendezvoused there May 19. Lipton wore his evidence . He arrived in the outfit he had on that night a dark Green ieans Black loafers and a sea Green shirt with a Black design. For his part Chao wore  a Black italian Cut suit with a silk print tie and White shirt. Men routinely let into the club Wear Loose baggy suits with shirts buttoned at the Collar. Less is More in terms of hemlines for women. The Black Robed commissioner was mostly interested in the mechanics of the entry process which was described As the Doorman a choosing from a crowd gathered behind a semicircular rope. A the places i go you can just walk in a Wheatley remarked. A obviously this is a More popular  Chao said he hires doormen a a sensitive enough to a see through a person and screen out the intoxicated or dangerous. He denied there was discrimination on the basis of race or sex but said the number of people let Iii was limited for safety. In addition room must be saved for private parties and people with reservations Chao said