European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 8, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday March 8, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 5castration in place of jail term approved Houston apr a judge Friday approved a child molesters request to be surgically castrated rather than go to prison on a charge of raping a 13-year-old girl. Critics called the decision Barbaric and said it could open the door to similar remedies for other crimes. One activist against sexual assault said the punishment necessarily have the desired effect. A would you allow an 18-year-old boy who stole a car three times to say a Cut my hands off so i wont do it again a a asked Philip Reilly who wrote a Book on the history of involuntary sterilization in the United states. State District judge Mike Mcspadden approved the request from Butler Steven Allen Butler 28. Butler volunteered for castration after he read about the judges support of castration for some sex offenders. Bill Hawkins an assistant Harris county prosecutor said the victims family who knows Butler approved of castration. A the Mother of the victim is not interested in having her child testify in open court if there is another alternative a Hawkins said. At a hearing Friday Butler did not enter a plea to a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child. The charge carries a penalty of five to 99 years or life in prison and a Fine of up to $10,000. Mcspadden said Butler will be placed on a form of probation for 10 years after he undergoes castration. If he stays out of trouble during that time the charge will be dropped. The Date for the operation was not divulged. Butler will undergo an irreversible procedure called an Orchidectomy the surgical removal of both Testicles. A Many a sexual drive is greatly diminished after the Testicles which produce the male hormone testosterone Are removed. Castration does not necessarily eliminate a Many a ability to have an erection. Mcspadden told butlers attorney Clyde Williams that the procedure must be surgical rather than chemical so it would be irreversible. A i told the attorney i would insist upon surgical. Because the chemical after the 10 years on probation i would have no control on him and i could not guarantee that the injections would be Given after that time a Mcspadden said. Butler a married father of one has been in jail with out Bond since april when the girl went to police. The girl who lives near butlers grandmother reported that he raped her repeatedly in february 1991. At the time he was serving 10 years probation after pleading guilty to indecency with a 7-year-old girl. Mcspadden said he hoped lawmakers Are paying attention to the Case because the Law does no to deter crime. Cassandra Titomas director of Houston a rape crisis Center and president of the National coalition against sexual assault said the punishment May be counterproductive. A it sounds Good and it May make people feel Good a Thomas said. A but it really does no to Deal with the Issue and it plays into the idea that sexual assault is about sex and its not. And i think in the Long run that it will cause us More harm than Community activist jew Don Boney said he will file a complaint against Mcspadden with the Texas bar and against any medical personnel involved if the operation is performed. Arthur Caplan director of the Center for biomedical ethics at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis said a ing. Ner of crimes and social a i think that it is immoral and Barbaric to offer castration As an alternative to imprisonment a he said. Id the decision a opens the door to government com a in and ordering people to be sterilized for All Man in the stars and stripes 10 years ago March 8,1972 a according to a poll conducted by the Gallup organization most americans preferred to forego immediate tax cuts in order to reduce the record Federal deficits forecast by the Reagan administration and Reagan a approval rating plunged to 45 percent. 20 years ago March 8,1972 a Jack Nicklaus won the rain delayed doral Eastern open Golf tournament to vault past Arnold Palmer and into first place on golfs All time Money winning list with career winnings of $1,471,226. 30 years ago March 8,1962 . Adm. Harry d. Felt said that South Vietnam a .-armed troops went on the offensive against communist Jungle fighters whose attacks had increased. He said . Aircraft and . Army helicopter teams played key roles in the military successes. 40 year Sago March 8,1952 a in response to mounting congressional opposition to his $8 billion foreign Aid program president Truman appealed directly to the american people in a militant speech broadcast from coast to coast defending the program As necessary and not wasteful. World War 50 years ago today 8 mar.1 a 9 a 4.2 japanese troops March into Rangoon Burma s capital and Indian infantry Breaks through a japanese Force blocking the British Retreat North toward prime. In Europe. British bombers begin a new style of air raid using incendiary bombs to Light the Way for a nighttime attack on the Krupp armament works in Essen a Long series of the raids will reduce the City to ruins. Source 2194 Days of War w h Smith a publishers inc Buchwald should get $6.2 million for movie idea lawyer tells judge los Angeles a humorist Art Buchwald and his Collaborator deserve $6.2 million for originating the idea for Eddie Murphy a Box office hit coming to America their attorney said Friday. In closing arguments Pierce of Donnell told a judge that without Buchwald and producer Alain Bernheim Paramount pictures never would have been Able to make the movie which grossed $139 million. A it is As much our Cash cow As it is Par amounts a of Donnell said. He settled on the $6.2 million figure after saying earlier it should be Between $3 million and $25 million. Paramount attorney Charles Diamond countered that the two deserve no More than $500,000. He earlier had recommended that they should get no More than $300,000. It Wasny to immediately Clear Why he increased the figure. Superior court judge Harvey Schneider is expected to Rule on damages As Early As this week. He ruled earlier that the movie was based on Buchwald a idea although the studio insisted that the film about an african Prince in new York was Murphy a creation. The Case dates to a 1983 Paramount contract for rights to Buchwald a Story King for a Day. The studio dropped its option to make such a movie in 1985 but released coming to America in 1988 with no credit to Buchwald. A my Long Nightmare is Over a Buch Wald said outside court Friday. A no mat \ Art Buchwald laughs outside of the courtroom where he is seeking $6.2 million in compensation for a coming to America a which he says was based on his Story. Ter what happens Here we be changed what a going on in the Case has been watched in movie Industry circles where claims of plagiarism and insufficient compensation Are common. The Buchwald lawsuit is the first to proceed this far in the courts. Of Donnell said the $6.2 million figure is equal to what the films director John Landis was paid. He said Buchwald and Bernheim were a the Crux and Confluence of creative forces. Isnit it fair the two men should receive As much As the director Quot but Diamond said the fair Market value of the two was far less. He also maintained that the film Hasni to turned a profit. Earlier Barry Blaustein who co wrote the screenplay testified that he believe it has lost Money. He said he and partner David Sheffield were to receive 5 percent of the films net profits but have not yet received a Disney to drop tourist Sites in Long Beach Long Beach Calif. Up Walt Disney co. Announced Friday that it will Stop running the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose tourist attractions because they Are not profitable. The Queen Mary is a relic of the Golden age of Ocean liners and the Spruce Goose is an All Wood plane built by the late industrialist Howard Hughes that Only flew once. Disney said it has advised the City and port of Long Beach that it will end its lease for the two attractions. Disney said that it has a one time option to terminate the lease on or before March 18 and that if it did not exercise its option the lease would have continued for 55 years. A the Queen Mary has not been a prof Itable operation As a tourist attraction and has proved to be a less than viable investment a Disney said. A Disney has invested millions of dollars in an Effort to create an environment that would enable the Queen Mary and Spruce Goose to compete in the Southern California hotel and attractions marketplace. A financial projections however do not justify continued heavy promotional and capital Disney said it will continue to operate the attractions until sept. 30 and will offer assistance through a transition period beyond that time to a new operator. The decision is the second major blow to Long Beach which lost out to Anaheim in december As the future site of Disney a second Southern California theme Park. Disney had drawn up plans for a port Disney Ocean oriented theme Park with a Marina hotels and the worlds largest aquarium. The plans Drew the Wrath of environmentalists because the new Park envisioned filling in 250 acres of Long Beach Harbor. Disney chose instead to build an Epcot style Park next to Disneyland to open around the turn of the Century. Long Beach has also been hit by the recession with Job cuts at its huge Douglas aircraft Jet building Plant. Disney also said it will release its development rights for the area
