European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 7, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday March 7, 1992 the stars and stripes Page 7 George Holliday who videotaped the beating of Rodney King prepares to take the stand thursday. California Highway patrol officer Melanie Singer tells court of High Speed Chase. King driving Over 115 Mph before arrest officer testifies Simi Valley Calif. A a California Highway patrol officer told jurors in the assault trial of four police officers Friday How Black Motorist Rodney King led her on an Auto Chase she said reached speeds of 115 Mph. Officer Melanie Singer said she and her cup partner husband Tim Singer followed King for nearly eight Miles first on a freeway and then on surface streets. But she also suggested that los Angeles officers improperly took Over a situation in which the cup had a primary unit  when the Chase ended she said her husband told King Over a Loudspeaker a pull Over to the right and you wont get  that was minutes before los Angeles police moved in and clubbed kicked and beat King unaware that a neighbor was recording the scene on videotape. The March 3, 1991, beating stirred outrage after the scene was captured on videotape by an Amateur cameraman and broadcast across the country. The videotape was played for jurors thursday after opening statements in the police brutality trial began. Sgt. Stacey Koon 41, and officers Theodore Briseno 39, Laurence Powell 29, and Timothy wind 31, Are charged with assault Koon and Powell also Are charged with filing false reports. Melanie Singer said she was on routine duty just after Midnight March 3, 1991, when she spotted a White Hyundai in her rear View Mirror going at least 70 on the interstate. She said she let the car pass her and began following it at one Point reaching 115 Mph on a downhill slope without catching him. Eventually she put out a radio message seeking help after the car left the freeway and continued to elude her. Melanie Singer took the stand in the second Day of testimony in the trial. On thursday the defendants began breaking ranks As the attorney for one accused the others of being a out of control in the clubbing of King. Briseno a version of events casting blame on his co defendants surfaced in the opening statement of his attorney John Barnett. Barnett said Briseno was the Only policeman who tried to Stop the kicking and clubbing of King. Other defense lawyers and the prosecutor offered different versions of events. A a everyone a watching a different movie a Michael Stone attorney for Powell said outside court. A you see in this tape what you want to  a it was the conclusion of every officer on the scene that they had a duster a a person under the influence of pc a Stone , referring to the powerful drug also known As Angel dust. White dismissed such claims. A whatever Rodney King was or whatever he did it did not justify what these defendants did a he said. Drug tests conducted after the beating found no indications of illegal drug use by King who suffered a cracked cheekbone and other head injuries. The four face 4 to 8-year maximum prison sentences if convicted. Wind a Rookie on probation was fired. The other officers were suspended. The cameraman George Holliday was the first witness thursday. Under Cross examination Holliday estimated it took him longer than 70 seconds to begin videotaping the incident after hearing the commotion outside his apartment. In his opening defense statement Barnett pointed to scenes in the graphic videotape and said Briseno had watched King get smashed in the face with a Nightstick saw Powell swing wildly almost hitting Briseno in the head and stepped in to Stop it. A this perception is they re out of control a Barnett said. A the has to be mindful of his own  Stamps stopped unless dead Man revives from wire reports Greenville . A relatives of a dead Man received a letter saying his food Stamps would be discontinued because he died but he could reapply if anything changes. A1 Palanza  brother died about two weeks before the letter arrived from the Greenville county department of social services. A your food Stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May god bless you. You May reapply if there is a change in your circumstances a the letter said. At first Palanza said he was disgusted but eventually he found the letter funny. He called it a living proof of How screwed up the system  killed for shoes Milwaukee a a teen Ager who helped a Friend buy $120 sports shoes snatched the companions pistol from a Dresser drawer killed him and fled with the shoes and a jacket police said. The boy later turned himself in. The 16-year-old boy was on parole from a state reformatory after serving three months for robbery. Police said he spent most of tuesday at the Home of Gabriel Lagrone 16, except for a bus ride to a mall to buy the shoes. Returning to Lagrone a bedroom the boy took the victims .32-caliber pistol from a drawer shot him twice and left him lying in bed this to his buddy a said Mario s. Spalatin Milwaukee county assistant District  clerk charged Chicago a the City clerk was indicted thursday on racketeering extortion income tax and fraud charges in a payroll and Kickback scheme prosecutors said. Walter Kozubowski 52, was charged with paying about $480,000 to employees who Drew salaries but did Little or no work said . Attorney Fred Foreman. The indictments allege Kozubowski paid some ghost employees with the understanding they would contribute Money to his political Campaign fund. If convicted on All counts Kozubowski faces a possible $5.2 million in . Virginia Warden to quit Charleston . A the Warden of a prison where three convicted killers escaped by tunnelling their Way under the prison Wall will resign the head of the states prison system said thursday. West Virginia Penitentiary Warden Carlle Gursky will stay at the prison in Moundsville until March 31 to help his successor said Public safety Secretary Josepn Skaff. Legursky is the second state official to resign since the escapees dug their Way out of the prison greenhouse feb. 19 with shovels provided by the prison. Corrections commissioner Ron Gregory quit two Days after the escape. Legursky acknowledged last week that he spent Only one Day per month at the prison. Lawmakers this week called for his ouster. Report ranks american airlines no. 1 laughing Gas blamed 1 1 v1 los Angeles lethal doses of k Washington apr american airlines was the air Carrier most Likely to arrive on time and least Likely to lose its passengers baggage last year an aviation research Institute reports. Trans world airlines was in last place. The National Institute for aviation research at Wichita state University in Kansas rated the nine major airlines based on factors including on time performance accidents customer service the age of an airlines Fleet lost and mishandled baggage overbooking and financial stability. A being on time not losing bags having a fair pricing system All of those things play a part said Dean headly who helped produce the study. The Institute ranked the airlines in this order american Southwest Delta United us air Northwest Continental America West and Twa. Brent Bowen the study a organizer said All airlines showed improvement Over previous years. But he said some Are clearly doing better than others. The three carriers at the Bottom of the list have All experienced financial troubles and have also sought Protection rom creditors under the Federal bankruptcy Laws while they reorganize. Don Fleming twas Public relations director said the airline was hit especially hard in the first half of 1991 by the effects of the recession and the persian Gulf War. Stringent Security arrangements made necessary by the War delayed Many International flights and caused a Ripple of delays on Twa flights throughout the United states he said. Los Angeles a lethal doses of laughing As apparently killed three Young men whose Odies were found by police Early Friday police said. The three All believed to be around 20, were found about 4 30 . In a pickup truck parked in the Chatsworth area said officer j. Mcclard. A it looked like an accidental thing a Mcclard said. A they were doing something they  have been  Mcclard said the victims who have not been identified were inhaling nitrous oxide a colourless Gas that is frequently used in combination with oxygen As a Light aesthetic during dental work childbirth or minor surgery. It was unclear where the victims got the Gas