European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 17, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 c the stars and stripes wednesday july 17, 1991box lets travellers throw trouble away Csc Mii ast its amps Jim Berheim sgt. David Bishop displays syringes Shell casings for a 30mm a-10 Cannon and other goodies found in the amnesty Box at the Rhein main terminal. By Chuck Roberts staff writer Rhein main a Germany a with a crowd of onlookers around her the Young staff sergeant removed a Pound of cocaine and two bags of marijuana from her purse dumped them into the Blue Box and casually walked past a military policeman into the air bases passenger service terminal. This incident never happened. But the amnesty Box makes such a scenario possible for passengers travelling to the United states on military aircraft. The Box which resembles a Mailbox gives passengers a last Chance to get rid of items prohibited by . Customs service and the . Department of agriculture before undergoing a customs inspection by the 42nd my group at Rhein main a when flying on military aircraft. Drugs weapons pornography and certain plants Are among the forbidden items. But no matter How weird illegal or destructive the item is a person can put. Anything in the amnesty Box without fear of reprisal said sgt. Rhonda Fisher who helps empty it at least once each week. A no we done to bother them a Fisher said a a it a their time for  she said less than 10 percent of the passengers use the amnesty Box after a customs agent tells them about prohibited items. But prohibited items such As drugs Arentt the Only things that wind up in the Blue Box. Apples diapers mail clothes and magazines such As Playboy also Are left by people who Are either confused or Uncertain about what belongs in the Box Fisher said. She said some items left behind Are just too a a weird to talk about so she  talk about them. If passengers Are in doubt about an item they tend to throw it in the Box said staff sgt. Richard h. Williams the non commissioned officer in charge at the Rhein main office. Pornographic materials Are not allowed so some soldiers mistakenly throw away their copy of Playboy Magazine Williams said. A if you can buy it in a stars and stripes Bookstore its Good to go a he said. The weekly inspections also yield ammunition handguns and switchblades. The fruits diapers and a variety of other items Are thrown away. Drugs Are turned Over to the Provost marshal and weapons and ammunition Are taken by the explosive Ord disposal det. When an item looks As if it might be a bomb the area is cleared and the disposal detachment is called to remove it Fisher said. Mail a the amnesty Box does look like a Mailbox a is forwarded to the base Post office. The persian Gulf War caused an increase in the amount of ammunition collected Fisher said. Summer and holidays also Are Busy times that require the Box to be emptied More than once a  history focal Point in Smith rape trial by new Day. West Palm Beach Fla. The woman alleging that William Kennedy Smith raped her will refuse to respond to defense questions about her sexual background during her pretrial deposition one of her lawyers said monday. And she May Appeal any judges order compelling her to do so he added. During a pretrial hearing Douglas a Duncan one of the lawyers representing the 29-year-old woman told Palm Beach county circuit court judge Mary Lupo that his client would decline to answer any of those  As a basis he us cited the Florida constitutions right of privacy and the Florida rape shield Law which normally applies Only to trial testimony. If the defense persuades the judge to order the woman to respond to questions about her sexual background Duncan said a the victim has a right to Appeal that  the defense has scheduled a deposition for the woman july 29. Jury selection for the trial of Smith 30, is planned for aug. 5. He is charged with second degree sexual Battery Florida a rape charge and first degree Misdemeanour Battery. If there is an Appeal on the Issue of the woman a sexual background it could delay the Start of the trial. At mondays hearing Lead prosecutor Moira k. Lasch argued that the rape shield Law should apply to the woman a pretrial deposition As Well As the trial. The Palm Beach county assistant state attorney wanted the judge to hold a closed hearing on whether the defense can justify such questioning. A the purpose of a deposition can to be a. Fishing expedition to go through and ask this woman about every sexual activity in her entire life a Lasch argued. A obviously the defense does not want this victim to have the Protection of the rape shield Law. It is to the advantage of any defendant to get As much prejudicial and inflammatory material about a rape victim in a consent Case in front of a jury As is possible to  Florida a rape shield Law prohibits the defense from questioning an alleged victim a in front of the jury a about her consensual sexual history. The trial judge however May permit such questions if the defense can show that the alleged victims background shows a pattern of conduct or provides a motive to  Law in Romania curtails adoptions until at least sept. 1 Bucharest Romania apr president Ion Iliescu signed  tuesday that strictly stops freewheeling adoptions procedures and will have the immediate effect of hailing All new adoptions until at least sept. 1. The Law bars the adoption of children Quot abandoned for fewer than six months makes baby Selling a crime and Puls All adoptions by foreigners under the control of the government s adoptions committee. I t Calls for jail sentences of up to five years for parents and baby dealers who receive illegal payments for facilitating adoptions. In june the committees head or. Alexandra Zugravescu announced that the panel would be disbanded until at least sept. 1 for reorganization. Adoptions currently in Progress will not be covered under the new Law. 1 he Law also says the committee will Deal Only with International adoption organizations not with individual families. More than 5,000 romanian children have been adopted by westerners including some 1,500 americans since the december 1989 anti communist revolution. A scores of prospective parents were initially drawn to Romania by reports of an estimated 100,000 children abandoned in orphanages. These children were often born As a result of former communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu a ban on abortion and birth control. The adoption process recently has raised Many questions internationally following reports that some babies were sold for As much As $25,000. Foreign parents will be Able to adopt Only children who Are on a list provided by the committee and who were not Able to be adopted by romanian parents the Law  the rounds Mercer Ellington of the Duke Ellington orchestra Wanned up for a concert Friday in vog Chweh by spreading Good cheer among patients at Lan Stuhl army regional medical Center in Germany. Two of the people he visited were capt. Katherine with and her husband capt. Steven High. With who is assigned to task Force 421 infantry multinational forces Egypt was brought to Lan Stuhl after she became ill while on her honeymoon in Egypt High is assigned to the Headquarters of the . Southern come in Panama