European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 22, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 a the stars and stripes sunday december 22,1991 Justice department drops Bradley corruption probe a by the los Angeles times los Angeles a after a wide ranging 2vi-year investigation of mayor Tom Bradley the department of Justice has decided not to indict the mayor on any charges. The government has ended its probe of alleged insider trading and political corruption involving Bradley Federal sources said. Bradley a lawyer Stephen d. Miller said he lad been notified by . Attorney Lourdes g. Baird on Friday afternoon that his client will not face criminal prosecution lifting a Cloud that has swirled Over Bradley since the Spring of 1989. In a Telephone interview from City Hall Bradley reacted with exuberance saying a the _ news from the Justice de Bradley apartment this afternoon is the greatest Christmas present in a going to receive this year or any other year. Baird declined comment on the Justice depart mentus decision not to prosecute. Federal investigators also would not divulge whether they got close to seeking an indictment. The Federal government has been investigating the mayors financial dealings a including his serving As an adviser to a Bank doing business with the City and his relationship with Drexel Burnham Lambert inc., the brokerage firm that sold him junk Bonds. The Federal investigation a and a number of state and local probes of alleged misdeeds in City Hall a have tarnished the mayors reputation and had a significant Impact on local government. In the Wake of conflict of interest allegations involving the mayor a new City ethics Law was passed by voters creating an ethics commission to serve As a watchdog. The investigations absorbed time and Energy of Bradley 74, and his staff. The mayor launched a special fundraising Effort to pay his Legal Bills that according to City records exceeded $900,000. The conclusion of the Federal probe May not mean an end to Bradley a problems however. The los Angeles county District attorneys office and los Angeles police department officials said last week they Are still investigating questionable fund raising by Bradley a aides and appointees and alleged irregularities in poverty program funds and Low income housing funds received by Bradley associates. . Chicken processor denies responsibility for deadly Blaze Rockingham . A a fire at a Chicken processing Plant that killed 25 workers and injured 56 others was a an unavoidable Accident a the owners say in their first Public statement on the tragedy. Attorneys for Imperial food products said the company  be held responsible for the sept. 3 fire in which workers found themselves trapped behind locked exit doors. The comments Are part of the company a response to lawsuits filed against it in Richmond county Superior court in court documents the owners say the fire victims arc covered by state workers compensation Laws. They Atso say the Case does no to meet a Legal Standard under which victims could sue for additional damages in civil court the news and observer of Raleigh reported. Since the fire occurred in the town of Hamlet 10 lawsuits have been filed on behalf of victims and survivors. The suits allege the fire was the result of imperials a a wilful and Wanton misconduct that was certain to result in the death or serious injury of employees. The lawsuits say the company locked or blocked most of the doors in the Plant had no evacuation plan never conducted fire drills for employees and failed to equip the building with such fire prevention equipment As sprinklers and fire extinguishers. . Gardner Iii an attorney representing Imperial filed responses to three of the 10 suits. The dec. 9 documents Mark the first time that the company has offered its version of the fire and the events leading up to it. Company attorneys argue that any damages suffered by Imperial employees a arose As a direct result of an unexpected and fortuitous combination of  those circumstances the attorneys said a constitute an unavoidable  if there is responsibility for damages it rests with agencies that have regulatory authority Over Imperial food products the response says. Specifically cited is the . Department of agriculture. That Agency monitored imperials activities and approved the company a operation of the Plant the response says. The us a has denied responsibility for the fire. Attorneys for the fire victims have argued that the company a negligence was so egregious that the workers should be eligible to sue for damages under the Legal Standard under which victims could sue for additional damages in civil court. The company attorneys argue that the Case does not meet the conditions required by that Standard. Former . Governor fined $30,000 Providence . A the state ethics commission has fined former gov. Edward d. Diprete $30,000 for improperly influencing the award of a contract to a Campaign fund Raiser and ordering that another be Given to a contributor. An investigative panel of the commission also found Diprete failed to file required conflict of interest statements in the two cases. The panel said Diprete violated the state ethics code by ordering the award of a contract to Tutela engineering associates inc., headed by Domenic v. Tutela a major Diprete Campaign contributor. The contract was later awarded to another firm. Diprete also improperly suggested the Law firm of James Taft his Campaign fund Raiser and business partner As a candidate for state Legal work the investigation found. Taft won that contract. The panels decision followed a complaint brought by the watchdog group common cause. The decision stands for the entire commission executive director Mark Eckstein said. The three term Republican governor who lost a reelection bid last year to democratic gov. Bruce g. Sundlun said he was a extremely  Diprete ordered the awarding of a contract to study water Quality in a Park Pond to Tutela engineering in 1988, despite knowing Tutela contributed $20,500 to his campaigns from 1984 to 1988, the investigation found. The state department of environmental management walked however and the contract was awarded to another firm. Diprete told state transportation department officials in 1987 to add tafts Law firm Taft amp Mcsally to the list of attorneys invited to bid to represent the state in litigation against a Bridge contractor the panel said. Taft amp Mcsally in a joint venture with another firm was awarded the contract. At the time Diprete and Taft were business partners in a general partnership known As Atwood associates realty Trust the panel said. The probe concluded that Diprete violated several ethics Laws in each of the two cases including being in conflict of interest and improper use of his office to obtain financial gain for himself or a business associate. But the panel decided to count each Case As a single violation Eckstein said. . Bardo sentenced Robert John Bardo the obsessed fan convicted of gunning Down actress Rebecca Schaeffer was sentenced Friday to lire in prison without the possibility of parole. Bardo 21, shot the 21-year-old actress who starred in the television comedy my sister Sam As she answered the door of her los Angeles apartment in july 1989. Sentence of 146 years Given to Man who killed 7 from wire reports Santa be . A a construction worker who went on a shooting rampage when his Girlfriend moved out was sentenced Friday to 146 years in prison. Ricky Abeyta 29, testifying in his own defense at his trial called the Jan. 26. Shootings in Chimayo either self defense or accidental. The attack in which seven people died was the states largest mass slaying. Abeyta was convicted of killing his Girlfriend Ignacita Sandoval 36 her sister Cheryl Rendon 25 her daughter Maryellen Sandoval 19 Maryellen a Boyfriend Macario Gonzales 21 and Maryellen a 6-month-old son Justin. He also was found guilty of killing state police officer Glen Huber 35, and Deputy sheriff Jerry Martinez 30. Teacher gave bad Candy Coeymans , a a High school teacher who taught at the same school for 23 years allegedly injected a poisonous substance into Hershey kisses and Jelly candies and gave them to fellow teachers. Gary d. Kosowsky 44, was arrested on thursday and charged with three counts each of reckless endangerment and assault All felonies state trooper William Keeler said. Several teachers at Ravena Coeymans Selkirk High school about 15 Miles South of Albany became ill last week after eating the Candy but escaped serious injury. Uneaten Candy was later found and Analysed As containing mercuric Chloride. Snipers killed for fun Montgomery Ala. A two men charged Friday As Roadside snipers killed for the thrill of it a prosecutor said. Tyrone Gibson and Benjamin Oryang both 20, were held on $2 million Bond each on charges of murder and attempted murder police chief John Wilson said. A i think they got High. I think they got drunk. And i think they wanted to go out and have a Little fun by shooting and killing people a said District attorney Charlie Graddick. The men were charged in the slaying of a for male Motorist the wounding of another and hitting a third car with bullets. All the shootings occurred monday night within a 10-mile radius. The dead woman was Julia Lindsey 31, a National guard staff sergeant from Eclectic