European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes wednesday March 25,1992 woman her Lover get life in murder of Gulf War vet from wire reports Virginia Beach a. A a woman convicted of first degree murder and conspiracy in the death of her husband shortly after he returned from the persian Gulf War was sentenced monday to life plus 10 years in prison. The sentence imposed on Valerie Swanson 33, by circuit judge Thomas Shadrick was the maximum and had been recommended by the jury that convicted her in january. Richard Swanson 35, a career Navy Man was stabbed 65 times in the bedroom of his Home in april 1991, a week after he returned from operation desert storm. Testimony indicated that Valeric Swanson hid in the bathroom while her Lover Alan Marcotte stabbed her husband. Marcotte 25, pleaded guilty to murder and conspiracy last december and also was sentenced to life plus 10 years. Alaskan Volcano calms Anchorage Alaska a Akutan Volcano in the Aleutian islands erupted during the weekend throwing Ash and steam several Miles into the sky but appeared to be tranquil on monday the Alaska Volcano Observatory said. No Ash fall was reported in Akutan Village about 10 Miles along the coast from the Summit. Quot the real Hazard is to traffic approaching dutch Harbor a a fishing port 30 Miles Southwest of the Volcano said Observatory seismologist in Ina Neal. Airline pilots reported sightings of the eruption sunday afternoon. Wind blew the Ash Cloud North Northwest Neal said. The Ash was staying pretty much at the 14,000-foot level she said. Bush pushes no smoking Washington a president Bush urged americans monday to quit smoking saying nothing else a a would strike As forceful a blow in our fight against  As he proclaimed april to be cancer control month Bush lauded the advances made in combating cancer and said the Public has a key role to play by adopting a healthy Behaviours that lower our risk of developing  among these he said Are not smoking maintaining a High fiber Low fat diet exercising and undergoing periodic cancer screenings. Condor born at zoo  Angeles a a 6-ounce, sparsely feathered California Condor Chick emerged from its Shell monday at the los Angeles zoo raising the population of the endangered species to 55. The Chick was named Koyo a word from the chumash Indian dialect meaning  its sex will be determined in three months. It May be released into the wild later this year if the Breeding season goes Well the zoo said. Two condors were freed in a Southern California wilderness in january As a first step toward restoring the Birds to their natural Range. All the other California condors Are housed at the zoo and at the san Diego wild animal Park. Transit strike continues Pittsburgh a contract talks Between negotiators for the Pittsburgh area transit system and striking transit workers were broken off monday and a state mediator said no new talks Are scheduled. State mediator William Mchahan said he was frustrated by the Lack of Progress in four hours of talks and decided that the sides would not be called Back together until there is some movement on either Side. Negotiators for port authority transit of Allegheny county and local 85 of the amalgamated transit Union looked grim As they left the state office building where talks were held. Neither Side would talk to reporters As they left. Pittsburgh a transit system is the 13th largest in the nation and the strike is in its second week. The walkout has left 285,000 people who normally ride buses and trolleys daily searching for alternate transportation. Los Angeles police sgt Charles l. Duke jr., a defense witness on police tactics testifies monday at the trial of four . Officers charged with excessive Force in the arrest of Rodney King. Baton blows delivered to King justified police expert testifies Simi Valley Calif up a an expert in police tactics testified monday that every Baton blow seen on the videotape of Rodney King being beaten by police officers was appropriate and justified sgt. Charles Duke a 21-year police Veteran who teaches Force application courses to recruits at the los Angeles police Academy other Law enforcement agencies and the . Marine corps testified As an expert witness for sgt. Stacey Koon the highest ranking of the three White officers and one White sex officer accused of using excessive Force against the Black Motorist. A you have gone through this entire incident the tape the full 81 seconds from the first blow to the last blow and in looking at this videotape in its entirety is it your opinion there is anything outside the policies and procedures of the los Angeles police department a asked Koonts attorney Darryl Mounger. A no there is not a Duke replied. Under questioning by Mounger Duke went through the videotape almost Frame by Frame giving his opinion As to whether the Baton blows being delivered by officers Laurence Powell and Timothy wind were justified wind was fired after the incident. Duke even pointed out places where Baton blows were delivered but missed. King was struck More than 50 times by the officers. Duke testified he was Able to discern in an unfocused portion of the tape that Powell did not hit King in the head but in the upper body. Dukes testimony contradicts that of key prosecution witnesses who said they saw Powell strike King in the head after King refused to lie Down on the ground after being stopped following a High Speed Chase. Duke a swat team supervisor who said he had participated in the arrest of dozens of suspects on pc and had been involved in several High Speed pursuits testified a police officer is trained that he May use whatever Force he believes is necessary to make an arrest As Long As he perceives he is being attacked. Noriega s wife charged with theft Miami apr the wife of former panamanian strongman Gen Manuel Noriega was arrested and jailed in an alleged shoplifting incident at a Miami department store police said tuesday. Felicidad Noriega in Miami to attend her husbands drug trial was arrested with a Friend at the Burdine a department store South of Miami on Friday according to metro Dade county police spokesman Patrick Brickman. Felicidad Noriega 46, and her Friend Rosa Busto 50, were booked into a local jail. After 12 hours they were released on $1,500 Bond each Brickman said. Both women were charged with third degree grand theft. They were accused by store Security officers of taking buttons valued at $305 off clothing and placing them in a bag of merchandise they had already purchased Brickman said. They were detained after leaving the store. The grand theft charge stemmed from an estimated $1,200 Worth of damage to the clothing. Arraignment will be held within two weeks Brickman said. Felicidad Noriega dismissing the incident As being blown out of proportion refused to discuss it. A there was nothing a she said. A a it a just  the prosecution has contended during the trial that Noriega a secret Bank accounts helped finance a Jet set lifestyle of visits to Paris boutiques and Miami Beauty shops for his wife and three daughters. Idaho sheriff enters innocent plea Coeur do Alene Idaho apr a sheriff accused in a Federal indictment of taking bribes to protect illegal gambling operations pleaded innocent monday. Shoshone county sheriff Frank Crnkovich was released on his own recognizance by . Magistrate Steven Ayers pending an april 22 trial. Crnkovich said nothing As he and his attorney Sam Eismann left the Federal courthouse. Eismann has said the sheriff is innocent and welcomes the trial to Clear his name. A Federal grand jury indicted Crnkovich March 12 on counts of racketeering obstruction of Justice aiding and abetting illegal gambling and promoting illegal gambling. The racketeering charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 Fine. The other charges carry five year maximum terms and fines of $250,000. The charges arose from a three year Fri investigation into alleged illegal gambling in Northern Idaho a Silver Valley. Federal agents raided 58 Silver Valley bars last june and seized some 200 video poker machines and other electronic gambling devices Crnkovich is accused of taking or soliciting at least $12,000 in bribes Over the last five years to protect gambling figures