European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 11, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday March 11, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 7 officer says fellow policeman struck Kina 5 times on head Melanie Singer Simi Valley Calif. A a second Highway patrol officer testified monday that Rodney g. King was clubbed in the head repeatedly by a policeman during the videotaped beating that followed his traffic Stop. California Highway patrol officer Timothy Singer whose testimony followed that of his wife and patrol partner officer Melanie Singer also gave a graphic account of seeing King shot twice with an electric stun gun by police sgt. Stacey c. Koon before he was clubbed in the head at least five times by officer Laurence m. Powell. Koon 41 Powell 29 and officers Timothy wind 31, and Theodore j. Briseno 39, Are charged in the beating videotaped by a Man nearby. Wind a Rookie was fired by the los Angeles police department. The other three were suspended. �?o1 heard a popping sound and looked to my left a Timothy Singer said. A i observed or. King partially on the ground rising off the ground and turn toward where i was. A i heard another popping sound Quot he said. A i saw or. King stand up the rest of the Way. His face was vibrating and convulsing and he began staggering toward where 1  at that Point he said Powell struck King six times five times in the head. The videotaped beating of King who is Black by White officers sparked National outrage and debate Over police brutality. Melanie Singer previously testified that she never saw King threaten any officers before the beating. But during five hours of pounding Cross examination by Powell a attorney earlier monday she conceded that one scene on the videotape indicated King was advancing toward Powell. A you never saw or. King Rise up turn and charge officer Powell a asked attorney Michael Stone. A no sir a replied Singer. A Only on the  stones Cross examination sparked objections from the prosecution from one defense attorney and from Superior court judge Stanley Weisburg who said the videotape should speak for itself rather than be interpreted by the witness. Stone told reporters later he would prove that every eyewitness in the Case a including Melanie Singer a had their memory of the actual events distorted by repeatedly watching the widely televised videotape. A this videotape while it is a remarkable piece of evidence is also destructive of eyewitness recollections a Stone told a news conference. In court Stone conducted a Frame by Frame showing of the first seconds of the videotape. The picture was Blurry but Melanie Singer was Able to Point out the forms she believed to be King and Powell. She acknowledged that King seemed to be standing when he was first hit by Powell a Baton but said she did not observe that herself. She pointed to King on his hands and Knees being struck again and said that was the first blow she  s killing took months to plan Gotti witness testifies new York apr the Star witness against John Gotti testified monday about months of planning he said led up to the killing of mob Boss Paul Castellano. But he did not put Gotti at any planning sessions until the night before. Salvatore a Sammy Bull Gravano former Gambino crime family unde Boss said he and Gambino members Angelo Ruggiero and Robert Dibernardo began planning Castellanos murder in Early 1985. Gravano during a third Day of Cross examination by defense lawyer Albert j. Krieger said Many Gambino members were angry with Castellano for putting his own financial interests ahead of the organized crime family a. A the Castellano was plotting his own course a Gravano said. Gotti is accused of orchestrating Castellanos killing to seize control of the family a operations. Castellano and bodyguard Thomas Bilotti were gunned Down As they arrived at a Manhattan restaurant dec. 16,1985. Gravano said the plotters kept their scheme As secret As possible because they knew they would be killed if Castellano found out. A you done to joke about killing the Boss a he said. Gravano did not mention Gotti As he recounted the insurgency until the night before the killing when he said the gunmen and others met at gottis office. He testified earlier that he and Gotti watched the killings from a car parked up the Street. Gravano said monday that the gunmen backup gunmen and getaway Drivers All met shortly before the killing at a Small Park to go Over their plans one last time. He said he was surprised when the gunmen showed up wearing White Trench Coats and fur russian hats. A it was a slight Shock a he said. A i did no to know they were All going to be dressed the  but he added that it was a smart move because it made it harder for witnesses to identify any gunman when they All dressed alike. Krieger was expected to continue questioning Gravano about the killing when the trial resumed today. Tuesdays session was cancelled because of a death in a jurors family. Gotti and co defendant Frank a Frankie Locso Llo Cascio Are on trial in Federal court for murder racketeering loan sharking labor corruption and other crimes. They face life in prison if convicted. Gravano was also indicted on the charges but made a Deal to testify against Gotti. Under the agreement Gravano faces a maximum 20 years in prison. Vets protest . Offer of Aid to Hanoi in View of Mia Issue Cincinnati apr veterans groups said monday that they object to the state departments offering $3 million in Aid to Vietnam before that country releases or otherwise accounts for americans missing in the Vietnam War. A i was just appalled. They be been telling us they a give us information for the past 18 or 19 years a said Earl Corell of Cincinnati a National Board member of the 45,000-member veterans of the Vietnam War inc. A we can use that $3 million at Home. For jobs for veterans children of agent Orange victims education for children of veterans a he said. Vietnam a government in Hanoi should be required to give a full accounting of the fates of All . Service members dead or alive from the War before that country receives any Aid Corell said. About 1,700 have been missing in Vietnam since 1975. A a we re quite concerned that if the country does move in that direction without first resolving the Issue of the pow mias it defeats really the whole purpose of the country a standing by its servicemen and women a said Steve Edmiston administrative director of the 1.2 million member disabled american Veter ans based in cold Spring by. Richard Solomon an assistant . Secretary of state pledged the humanitarian Aid last week while leading a . Delegation that went to Hanoi seeking information on those missing in action. The Aid is to be used for artificial limbs and other health care for disaster Relief and for orphanages. Jesse Brown executive director of the disabled american veterans office in Washington questioned the offering of government Aid to Vietnam. A we have i think a moral obligation to resolve this pow Issue. I resent the fact that every time we make a gesture they Only meet us Halfway a said Brown who was shot in his right Arm while serving in Vietnam in 1965. A Why can to they just open this thing up and resolve it we would like to put the whole Issue to  he said it would be in the Best interests of Vietnam and the United states to resolve the Issue so they can enter diplomatic relations and allow . Companies to do business there. A there Are businessmen right now just waiting at the Borders for lifting of the embargo and the normalization of relations a Brown said. A both sides would  who sought help is slain in courthouse from wire reports Milwaukee a a 51-year-old woman who sought a court order against her live in Boyfriend was stabbed to death monday in the Milwaukee county courthouse just Steps away from the courtroom where she sought Relief police said. Authorities said the woman whose name was withheld had accused her 52-year-old Boyfriend of rape and had secured a temporary court order against him last week. She returned to the courthouse monday for a permanent order. Police had the Boyfriend in custody but charges had not immediately been filed. A the grabbed her Collar and Flung her to the floor and he just began to Start sticking her a one witness said. A she was screaming for people to help her but i think everybody was  police said the woman was stabbed 19  hinder firefighters Rossmoor Calif. A a fire broke out at a House where old newspapers were piled 5 feet High and an elderly couple were critically injured authorities said. Firefighters had to crawl Between the piles to Rescue Tommy and Marsha Montgomery Early monday. A Gas stove apparently being used As a Heater was believed to have caused the Blaze which fed on the paper authorities said. Tommy Montgomery 88, and his wife also in her 80s, were taken to the University of California Irvine medical Center. It was not known Why the couple kept the newspapers which dated to 1983, said Orange county fire capt. Dan Young. A there were newspapers from one end of the House to the other Young said. A there were very Little narrow areas that you could walk  the three bedroom House is about 20 Miles from los  claims shark attack Coos Bay Ore. A Mike Allman considered himself Lucky to be alive monday a Day after he survived what he said was an attack by a great White shark. Allman a 21-year-old surfer from Coos Bay said he was sitting on his Board in Winchester Bay waiting for a big wave to come in when the attack occurred sunday morning. The shark broke through the surfboard with its snout and bit Allman once before swimming away the surfer said monday