European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 30, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday september 30, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 540 percent of death Row inmates Black Washington a amid a congressional debate on How to impose the death penalty the Justice department reported sunday that Blacks still make up a much larger share of death Row inmates than of the nations population. The departments Bureau of Justice statistics said that As of dec. 31, 1990, Blacks accounted for 40 percent of prisoners awaiting death penalties. The 1990 census found the . Population is 12.1 percent Black. In 1987, the supreme court ruled that statistical evidence of discrimination is insufficient to Render death penalty stat utes unconstitutional. That ruling came in the Case of Warren Mccleskey a Black who was executed wednesday in the Georgia electric chair for the killing of a White Atlanta policeman during a 1978 furniture store robbery. Last week the House judiciary committee approved and sent to the House floor a Bill allowing Legal challenges to death sentences based on statistical showings of race discrimination. The Senate rejected a similar provision last summer. Under prodding from the Bush administration both House and Senate crime Bills would greatly expand the Federal death penalty a to cover some 50 new crimes. The Justice department study found 2,356 prisoners awaiting death penalties at year end up 5 percent from the previous year. Thirty two of them were women and the median age was 34. At the time of the study 34 states and the Federal government had death penalties on the books but Colorado a has since been struck Down by the state supreme court. Of those condemned to die 1,375, or 58.4 percent were White 943, or 40 per cent were Black 24. Or 1 percent were american Indian and 14, or 0.6 percent were asian. Those of hispanic ethnic origin totalled 172, or 7.3 percent but they include inmates of several races. 1990�?Ts census found that the . Population was 80.3 percent White 12.1 percent Black 0.8 percent american Indian 2.9 percent asian and 3.9 percent other races. Some 9 percent of americans were of hispanic origin. The study released sunday did not attempt to calculate what percentage of the Overall . Federal and state prison system population comprises Blacks. Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis renowned As Trendsetter Dies Santa Monica Calif. A Miles Davis one of americans finest jazz trumpeters and the most consistent Trendsetter in jazz history died saturday. Davis 65, died of pneumonia respiratory failure and stroke or. Jeff Harris said in a statement read by Pat Kirk of St. Johns Hospital and health Center where Davis was admitted earlier this month. Davis was the most famous trumpeter in his generation in the line of jazz trumpeters that stretched from Louis Armstrong to dizzy Gillespie to Wynton Marsalis. He was the innovator of More distinct styles than any other jazz musician. He pioneered in Cool jazz hard Bop modal playing free form explorations and use of electronics. A you can really say he turned the whole jazz world around a said Leonard Feather a longtime Friend and author of the encyclopedia of jazz. A the just had a guiding principle move ahead. Done to do what you were doing yesterday a Feather said. A the played some of the most musical passages Ever played on the trumpet some of the most Beautiful intervals you just done to hear anymore a said trumpeter Clark Terry who took Davis to Jam sessions in St. Louis when Davis was a teen Ager. He was an astounding spotter and Developer of Tal ent providing the springboard that brought Many players to prominence. Tony Williams was just 18 when Davis hired him in 1963 Herbie Hancock was 23 when he joined the same year. Davis had the respect and admiration of musicians but every time he changed direction his audience divided Between Loyal and disenchanted listeners. He ignored them. In his 1989 autobiography Miles he wrote a to be and stay a great musician you be got to always be open to what a new what a happening at the moment. You have to be Able to absorb it if you re going to continue to grow and communicate your  Davis was a fascinating figure because of his a enigmatic personality seemingly Remote and arrogant. A thin body and striking face. A angry statements about White people though lie often hired White musicians. A whispery Raspy voice which came after he yelled at somebody following 1956 surgery to remove polyps on his vocal cords. A a lot of people thought he was a Salty Cool cat a Terry said. A the was totally a real pussycat. Once yowl got past that facade of a done to touch me get away from Miles Davis acknowledges applause at the North sea jazz festival in the Hague Netherlands in july 1991. Me a he was a  Davis was plagued by illness much of his life at various times battling diabetes pneumonia a stroke and hip joint problems caused by sickle cell anaemia. He broke both legs in an Auto Accident in 1972. He wrote in his autobiography that he overcame heroin addiction in the Early 1950s but continued to use cocaine until 1981. In the stars and stripes 10 years ago sept.30,1981 a in a 99-Page Booklet the Pentagon released an overview of soviet military Power painting a portrait of unprecedented might that challenges the West on land at sea and in the air and outnumbers America in strategic nuclear missiles. 20 years ago sept. 30,1971 a French government officials hoped to learn More about peking a thinking on major world problems As a communist chinese delegation arrived for an official visit in France. 30 years ago a sept. 30,1961 a Richard Nixon denied allegations by sex California gov. Goodwin j. Knight that a Nixon Friend had offered him any state Job he wanted to stay out of the race for governor. California gov. Edmund g. Brown said if the allegations were True it was the most shocking political scandal in the states history. 40 years ago sept. 30,1951 a . Troops battled fiercely to hold hard won positions All along the korean front after throwing Back Strong communist probing attacks for the third Day and battling the entrenched communist troops on the Crest of a Heartbreak  per of Tal got past that facade of a done to touch me get away from continued to use cocaine until 1981. Demonstrators urge Boycott of a Over killing of animals in crash test Dallas up a animal rights a break of  tests saying they have led to i nov Dallas up a animal rights activists angrily accusing general motors of killing thousands of dogs rabbits and other animals in crash tests protested saturday at the Texas state fair and urged a Boycott of the car maker a products. The members of people for the ethical treatment of animals and the society for Texas animal rights claimed thousands of dogs rabbits pigs ferrets mice rats and primates have been bludgeoned to death in crash tests at the pm Laboratory at Warren Mich. At the protest outside the car makers exhibit at the fair the demonstrators changed Gmys advertising slogan a the heartbeat of America a to a the heart break of  a people want a car that will accommodate a dog not one that skilled a dog a said Dan Matthews of the Washington based Peta. A when Consumers learn that animal cruelty is a built in feature in pm cars we think  take their business  Peta said it received confirmation from the worlds other top automakers that they have abandoned animal tests or never did them. In a copyright report Friday the Detroit news said it had obtained Federal records showing that pm has killed about 20,000 animals since 1981 in tests aimed at improving Auto safety. Pm and Many scientists defended the tests saying they have led to innovations that have saved lives and reduced injuries. The tests Are necessary to a continue the substantial Progress that has already been made in reducing Auto related injuries pm spokesman Jack Dinan said. But Mathews pet a a special projects director disagreed. A in an age when computer models and state of the Art dummies arc the order of the Day they re still killing innocent animals in the name of science. Its like something out of the dark  Mathews called the tests a a Wanton and a a cruel and said they Are a completely unnecessary scientific research. Striking workers Block Las vegas strip Las vegas apr a sit in by striking hotel employees blocked the Las vegas strip on saturday night to protest stalled contract talks and nearly 100 were arrested police said. Demonstrators sat in the southbound lanes of the Roadway in front of the Frontier hotel far More than an hour. They offered no resistance As police who blocked the strips northbound lanes escorted them to buses and Paddy wagons. Hundreds of tourists watched from the sidewalk. Ninety eight demonstrators were arrested said police it. Ron Fisher. He estimated the number of demonstrators at about 1,500. The Frontier was struck a week ago by workers represented by the culinary Union local 226, bartenders local 165, teamsters local 995 and operating engineers local 501. Some 500 members of the four unions have been working for the past two years without a contract. Talks broke Down Over wage increases and benefits. A demonstration at the Frontier hotel sept. 22 resulted in 29 arrests on trespassing charges. The hotel remained open hut its management has declined to comment on the strike or its effect on operations. The Frontier is among a handful of the City a three dozen resorts that have not signed a new labor contract since the previous five year pact expired in 1089. The demonstration was reminiscent of 1984, when members of the culinary Union blocked Las vegas streets including the strip almost nightly in a strike that lasted nearly three months. The culinary Union is the largest labor organization in Nevada representing More than 25,000 workers ranging from housekeepers to Kitchen help