European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 9, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday August 9 1991 the stars and stripes a a Page 7 television reporter convicted of staging dogfight for Golden Colo. Up a an award winning television reporter was convicted wednesday of charges she staged an illegal dogfight for a news Story but was acquitted of lying about it to a grand jury. A jury of three women and nine men deliberated for eight hours before reaching verdicts on the nine counts contained in the indictment against Wendy Bergen. Bergen was convicted of one count of do fighting one count of conspiracy to commit do fighting and one count of being an accessory to a crime. She was cleared of six other charges of do fighting conspiracy to commit perjury and perjury. No sentencing Date was immediately set. Bergen was accused of setting up illegal dogfights for a news Story and then lying about it to a grand jury. If she had been convicted a on All nine counts she could have been sentenced to up to 32 years in prison and fined $1.4 million. At Issue during the nearly three week trial was a May 1990 news series a blood sport a which was broadcast during a ratings a sweep week on the Denver Abc station. In the multiparty series Bergen 35, said the videotape of the pit Bull fights arrived in the mail from an Anonymous source when the tape actually was shot by Channel 4 cameramen James Stair and Scott Wright. In Colorado even attending a dogfight is a felony. All three television station employees maintained in appearances before a grand jury that the tape was received anonymously although All three later recanted their testimony during a last appearance before the grand jury. Both Stair and Wright who were fired by the television station pleaded guilty to a charge of being a accessory to a dogfight. Both received probation and agreed to testify for the prosecution against Bergen. The key witness against her was Mark Labriola a Bergen news source who turned police informant. Labriola testified that he was paid $200 to set up an illegal dogfight for Bergen who allegedly was to reimburse him with a gift of clothing so the payment could not be traced Back to her. Former Denver to reporter Wendy Bergen leaves the courthouse with her husband Andrew Petrie left. Introduced into evidence at the trial were several recordings of conversations Between Labriola and Bergen in which the reporter talked about per Juring herself before the grand jury to save the careers of her cameramen. Prosecutor Ray Sharpe told jurors during closing arguments tuesday that Bergen was driven by ambition and a belief that she a was above the  judge who prevented shutdown of clinics receives death threats by the new York times Wichita Kan. A the Federal District judge who has kept hundreds of anti abortion protesters from shutting Down three Wichita abortion clinics said on wednesday that he had received a very serious death threats and was now under the Protection of . Marshals. A this has been the most awkward and stressful time of my life a the 62-year-old judge Patrick f. Kelly said during a Brief interview in his Chambers. A a it a scary. The Strain from the threats is  the threats which were first disclosed in an account wednesday in the Wichita Eagle have included Anonymous notes sent to the Federal courthouse in Wichita and telephoned messages to Kelly a Home. The judge declined to discuss the threats in much detail. But the associated press reported that one example was a recent message left on his Home answering machine. A a done to worry about being excommunicated a the caller told the judge a roman Catholic. A you arc  the caller then went on to discuss How the judge would be killed and what would be done with his dismembered body. In another incident a 53-year-old anti abortion protester was arrested monday morning after he confronted Kelly and his wife outside their Home As they were taking a walk. That confrontation led to a shoving match Between the protester and the judge whose Protection by Federal marshals began the next Day. Kelly said that As a result of the threats he had cancelled longtime plans to Dine out with his wife and friends wednesday night. A i done to know what could happen a he said. A anything could  the a Ridge also said he had stopped attending mass at his Parish Church because so Many of the parishioners there held Strong anti abortion views. Asked about his own views of abortion he said it would be improper for him to state them or to allow them to affect his interpretation of the law.3 states airports on list As Sites for airmail Hub from wire reports Washington the postal service has whittled its list of contenders for a new airmail Hub Down to seven airports in Ohio Illinois and Indiana. Twice that number had bid for the facility and the More than 600 jobs its expected to generate but on wednesday the postal service announced that seven cities were out of the running for the Midwest a Eagle air network Hub. The postal service  list the cities whose bids remained in Contention but City and congressional sources identified them As Colum bus Dayton and Toledo Ohio fort Wayne Ini Diana Polis and Terre haute ind. And Peoria 111. \ the postal service said it rejected proposals submitted for Mansfield and Youngstown Ohio Grissom fab ind. Chanute fab 111. And Law run Mcville Rockford and Springfield 111. Postal service spokesman Lou Eberhardt said the postal service is expected to decide by sept. 16 which City will win the  May run in 92 Washington a former Minnesota sen. Eugene Mccarthy has formed an exploratory committee to look into the possibility of a fifth Campaign for the presidency an aide said wednesday. A i pretty much feel that he a going to do it from All the indication lies Given supporters said Mike Barr who is Mccarthy a National Field coordinator. Mccarthy would run As a Democrat Barr said. Mccarthy ran for the democratic nomination in 1968 and 1972 and campaigned As an Independent in 1976 and 1988.freak mishap kills Man eau Claire wis. A 29-year-old Steelworker died Early wednesday after a Metal bearing shot out from a machine ripped through a co workers leg and struck him in inc Chest. Don Halverson died after undergoing surgery i to repair his heart which was pierced by the Chippewa county Coroner Katherine be Frits said. Halverson was working tuesday night at Phoenix steel when a fitting for a Hydraulic machine failed and hew about 100 feet striking Halverson police said. The other worker injured in the Accident was treated and  female panthers die Miami a the critically endangered Florida Panther has suffered twin blows with the deaths of the last two females known in Everglades National Park. Only 30 to 50 of the Tawny Brown cats Are believed to survive in the wilds of Florida and experts expect the two remaining males to leave the Protection of the Park in search of females for Breeding. A the animal cues in other parts of Florida besides Here in the Park and now those Are the Only places it can live a said Joe Podgor of friends of the Everglades. A we done to even know How Long it can survive  officials Are awaiting lab tests on the causes of death of the two females but Mercury contamination is suspected in one said Dennis Jordan Florida Panther recovery coordinator with the . Fish and wildlife service. C a Vii a twi j w 1 it judge delays Smith s rape trial until Jan. 13 by the Washington Post the judge in the William Kennedy Smith rape Case dealt the prosecution a setback wednesday by delaying the Florida trial until Jan. 13. Palm Beach circuit court judge Mary e. Lupo surprised even the defense which had sought postponement Only until november. She cited concern about sequestering a jury too close to a thanksgiving Christmas hanukkah and new years  the trial expected to last several weeks had been scheduled to begin last monday. Smiths attorney Roy e. Black successfully argued that in the a interest of a fair trial a More time was needed to allow what he termed a a sensational publicity about the Case to fade. Particularly prejudicial Black said were recent front Page accounts that three other women who knew Smith were prepared to testify that the 30-year-old Nephew of sen. Edward m. Kennedy d-mass., had sexually attacked them. The accounts were based on prosecution affidavits filed in court. None of these alleged attacks was reported to police. It is not Clear whether Lupo will allow the women a testimony at Smiths trial. Two of the women arc former Georgetown University medical school students and the other is a former Girlfriend of Smiths Cousin Matthew Maxwell Kennedy. As recently As monday assistant state attorney Moira Lasch appealed for an immediate trial saying the defense so trial delay strategy was detrimental to the a interests of Justice and the rights of the  the alleged victim who turns 30 next week a has lost control of her life since the incident March 30 and wants the matter resolved Lasch said. The woman told authorities in sworn statements that Smith a a tackled her at the Kennedy family a oceanfront estate in Palm Beach and raped her. A was the old aphorism says Justice delayed is Justice denied a a said Steve urse director of the Florida prosecuting attorneys association