European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 21, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday april 21, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 5overturned convictions May be limited Washington apr the supreme court on monday agreed to consider putting sweeping new restrictions on the Power of Federal courts to overturn state criminal convictions. The justices said they will use a Michigan Case to decide whether Federal courts generally May second guess state courts that say a defendants so called Miranda rights were not violated. The justices also reopened a school desegregation dispute in Topeka kan., 38 years after it used a Case from that City to Nan segregated Public schools nationwide. In the Michigan Case a Federal appeals court threw out a murder conviction of a Man who claimed his confession was involuntary and violated the supreme courts 1966 decision requiring police to warn suspects in custody that they May remain silent and Are entitled to a lawyer. At Issue is whether the supreme court will extend the scope of a key 1976 decision and bar Federal courts from ruling that a defendants fifth amendment rights have been violated when the defendant has received a a full and fair hearing on that Issue in the state courts. In 1976, the justices barred such Federal court a or Hareas Corpus a review when defendants claim they have been subject to unlawful police searches and state courts already have rejected that claim. The High court several times previously has declined invitations from state prosecutors to extend the 1976 decision to alleged fifth amendment violations. In the Topeka desegregation Case the justices told a Federal appeals court to restudy its ruling that school officials have not done enough to counter past intentional discrimination against minority students. The appeals court was told to restudy its ruling in Light of the High courts March 31 ruling that Federal courts incrementally May Stop supervising previously segregated school districts if racial integration is achieved step by step. Quot in other action monday the court a left intact rulings aimed at assuring that 25 percent of the teachers and administrators in Boston Public schools Are Black and that 10 percent Are from other racial minorities. The court without comment refused to get involve supreme court in a bitter racial Battle that has spanned two decades. The justices rejected an Appeal by a teachers Union that said Federal courts exceeded their authority to desegregate the City a school system. A left intact an affirmative action plan aimed at increasing the number of Black police officers in Philadelphia. The court without comment rejected a police unions arguments that the plan violates the rights of Whites who apply to the police department. A left intact a san Francisco affirmative action program designed to funnel More Public works contracts to companies run by minorities and women. The court without comment rejected arguments that the program discriminates against businesses run by White men. A refused to order unemployment benefits for a Pennsylvania teacher fired from her parochial school Job because she married a divorced Catholic. The justices without comment rejected arguments that denying benefits to Maria Wesley fired because of a religious Rule violated her rights and the constitutionally required separation of Church and state. The defendant in mondays Miranda Case Robert Allen Williams jr., was questioned by Romulus mich., police in 1985 after they discovered two men shot to death in a parked car. Williams was searched at his Home and agreed to go to the police station for questioning. At the station he was asked about the murders before police gave him his Miranda warnings. Williams admitted he provided the murder weapon a but denied he took part in the killings a after officers told him he had a big problems a that there were witnesses prepared to testify against him and that he would be charged with a crime if he did not cooperate. The questioning went on for More than a half hour before Williams was Given the Miranda warnings. Williams later told police he drove the actual murderer to the scene of the crime and helped the killer get away. He was convicted of first dog rec murder and sentenced to life in prison. Michigan courts upheld the conviction. But a Federal judge said police violated Williams rights ruling he was in custody when he first incriminated himself. The 6th . Circuit court of appeals last september agreed the police acted improperly. In the stars and stripes 10 years ago april 21,1982 Nasa officials selected Sally k. Ride and air Force it. Col. Guion s. Bluford or. For the scheduled second and third flights of the space shuttle challenger. 20 years ago april 21,1972 a communist troops stormed Back into an Loc 60 Miles North of Saigon. 30 years ago april 21,1962 a the army suspended maj. Arch e. Roberts from his military duties after he asserted that mayor Sam Yorty of los Angeles has a a communist  Roberts made the charge in an off the cuff speech to the daughters of the american revolution. 40 years ago april 21,1952 a in a major foreign policy review Secretary of state Dean Acheson said Unity in Western Europe is a on the verge of being  he demanded a tangible evidence of a change in soviet Russia s attitude before agreeing to discuss German Unity with Kremlin leaders. As trial nears end land poised for changes under new leadership world War Simi Valley Calif. Up with a Reform minded police chief poised to take Over the troubled los Angeles police department an excessive Force trial of four defendants that has come to symbolize the need for change is entering its final phase. On monday lawyers in the trial of three land officers and one former officer a All White males a were scheduled to begin presenting their closing arguments. The four Are accused of using excessive Force in arresting a Black Motorist. The summations which Are expected to take two Days culminate a highly publicized trial that spanned six weeks saw More than 50 people take the witness stand and forced a wrenching re examination of what was once regarded As americans finest police department. On june 2, City voters will consider a series of key reforms proposed by the Independent Christopher commission created to investigate the police department in the Wake of the Rodney g. King beating. Exacerbating the departments problems Are an upswing in violent crime and a hiring freeze imposed by the City Council last november in response to a growing budget deficit. The freeze is unlikely to be lifted soon. Stepping into the Middle of the turmoil is Philadelphia police commissioner Willie l. Williams named last week As the a a Williams Lapdis next police chief. A today is a turning Point in the City a history a mayor Tom Bradley said in introducing Williams last thursday. A for the past 13 months the City has been ripped apart by divisions and anger Over the beating of Rodney  he said with the appointment of the new police chief a the Healing process now begins in  after the final summations jurors will deliberate the cases against sgt. Stacey c. Koon officers Laurence m. Powell and Theodore j. Briseno and former officer Timothy e. Wind. All Are accused of kicking and beating King during his arrest after a High Speed Chase the night of March 3, 1991. The arrest during which a prone King was struck with 50 Baton blows from some of the two dozen officers standing around him was captured by a video camera and created a sensation when broadcast on news programs worldwide. The tape shows wind striking King several times on his legs and upper body and Briseno stomping once on Kings neck area As Koon the highest ranking officer at the scene directs the blows from the sidelines. Koon Powell and wind maintain they believed King was under the influence of hallucinogenic drug pc when they arrested him. Wind a Rookie has since been fired. In addition to charges of assault with a deadly weapon and excessive Force under the color of authority Koon and Powell face additional charges of filing false police reports that prosecutors say were intended to cover up the excessive use of Force. The King arrest and subsequent trial of the four men has shaken the 8,000-member land which has found itself deflecting charges of racism and mismanagement. A Williams who is Black has already hinted that changes arc in store for the department he is poised to take Over following the june retirement of embattled chief Daryl f. Gates. Williams immediately threw his support behind the proposed charter amendments hinted that he May reshuffle top brass and said he favored moving officers from behind desks to the Field. Williams also tried to boost the sagging morale of the land saying a it seems too Many members of the police department have been painted with the Broad Brush of accusations because of the actions of a very very few. A your collective Coal a he said a must be to take an already great police department and strive to Shine even  50 years ago today 21 april19 4 2 Germany Breaks the soviet encirclement at Demyanek where German troops survived for 20 months on supplies brought in by plane All but one of 47 spitfire fighters ferried by the . Aircraft Carrier Wasp make it to Malta but 30 will be quickly lost to air raids on the British Island South of Italy. In Burma the advancing japanese dash with chinese forces near Taun Gyt. Bush helps launch Columbus expo source 2194 Days of War w h a Rytti a publishers inc world almanac Book of world War ii. Bison books corp. I9ti Columbus Ohio up beginning a we Klong pitch for expanded Trade in the modern world president Bush helped open an International exposition monday commemorating the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus voyage to the new world. Wrapping up an easter weekend at his summer compound in Maine Bush flew to Columbus and joined the state capital in commencing a six month qui Centenary Salute to its namesake. The event americans Celebration of discovery features an International exposition and serves As the Centrepiece of tributes to Columbus across the nation this year. A the spirit of discovery forged America a Bush told an outdoor crowd of several thousand gathered under sunny skies on the 88-acre site. A Christopher Columbus believed that the Mariner must in his words probe the secrets of the world a Bush said adding that Columbus began a the trek that ultimately produced the United  Bush used the platform to make a plug for free Trade an Issue that he was scheduled to speak on several times this week. A we need As president Nixon once said an open world open cities open hearts and open minds a Bush said. A Only then can we not Only Trade Wilh other nations but profit from other nations a economically intellectually culturally and spiritually Quot he said. T his week was dubbed a Trade week by the White House and Bush planned to Mark it by discussing Trade during the next few Days with the Council of the americas a group of . Chief executives and in his weekly radio address. He planned to make another plea for resolving negotiations aimed at winning approval of two major International pacts the North american free Trade agreement and the general agreement on tariffs and Trade