European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 25, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes saturday april 25,1992experience through training a amps foggy Davidson when it comes to training hands on exercise can to be beat and members of the Glinder of a rough terrain for Ltd. Of tend Tracey a Daws and Yonng Are guardsmen and staff sgt. Luther Mac key discuss a Brake problem As they overhaul the wheel with the 3643rd service co in Bumstead  experts Back officer accused of murder by Randy Pruitt staff writer Hanau Germany a two blood spatter experts from the United states originally hired a but never called to testify a by the prosecution testified late wednesday afternoon on behalf of an army officer accused of killing his wife last August. First it. Christopher Strain 28, is charged with premeditated murder in the aug. 26 death of Cathlyn Brewer Strain. Brewer Strain 26, died in the couples Cuberg Home from a single Shotgun blast. Terry Laber and Barton Epstein forensic blood spatter specialists at the Minnesota state crime Laboratory testified that their analysis of blood stains enabled them to reconstruct the shooting scene. They told the five Man court martial panel that Strain s statements to military investigators did not contradict their findings. Strain was assigned to the 3rd in 20th Field arty near Hanau at the time of the incident. The unit has since inactivated. Strain is not being held in confinement. Strain has maintained he awoke in the Early morning hours of aug 26 to find his wife in the bathroom Shower cutting her neck and stomach with a knife. Witnesses testified earlier that Brewer Strain had been drinking heavily that night. Strain said he saw his 12-gauge  Shotgun nearby. Strain told investigators that he was attempting to remove the gun when his wife grabbed the barrel. It discharged striking her in the left Collarbone. Strain told criminal investigation come agents he carried her into the living room put her on the floor behind a Couch then summoned help. A there were no inconsistencies in what we read in criminal investigation come reports a Epstein said. Epstein said he and his colleague used the bathroom in the couples apartment to stage a re enactment of the shooting. Epstein said they used strains statements to investigators to determine if the physical positions that Strain and his wife were purportedly in at the time of the shooting were possible. Epstein and Laber testified that events can often be reconstructed by analysing the shape size and distribution of blood stains. Epstein however said they could not determine if the shooting was a homicide. Epstein and Laber were first hired by the prosecution which believed that Brewer Strain was shot in the couples bedroom before her body was carried into the living room. No evidence has been offered during the trial to support that theory. However scheduling difficulties led to Epstein a and Laberis testifying on wednesday. The prosecution led by capt. E. Allen Chandler continued to Call witnesses thursday. The Case which began tuesday is expected to wind up next week. On thursday prosecution witness Charles p. Mcdowell senior investigative consultant from the office of special investigations in Washington testified he found nude suicides highly unusual. Mcdowell a suicide Logist said suicides involving multiple methods like a knife and gun Are also uncommon. Mcdowell said he was drawing on data from other military suicide cases. Those cases include service members and dependents he said. Judge it. Col Buris c. Dale or. Denied a prosecution request to assemble a Shower stall and Stool in the courtroom so that the court martial panel could interpret future evidence and testimony. Prosecution and defense attorneys were expected to Fly Friday to los Angeles to take a deposition from or. Edwin Shneidman founder of the american association of  s Ball in Stuttgart to Honor army s birthday Stuttgart Germany a amps the . European come celebrates the army a 217th birthday May 2 in Stuttgart with the 1992 army Ball. Although most of those attending the event will be members of the Stuttgart Community All members of Neucom a enlisted officers and civilians a Are invited. The location of the Ball is being withheld for Security reasons said col. Donald p. Maple Deputy director of Neucom Public affairs in a release. In addition to speeches there will be food and live music. Bus transportation will be provided to and from the event within the Stuttgart Community. Tickets Cost 30 German Marks about $18,50 for El-e5 and gs-1 through gs-5 e6-e9 and gs-6 pay 50 Marks $30.85 warrant officers gs-7 through gs-9 and officers to the rank of Captain pay 55 Marks $33.95 majors and gs-10 and above pay 60 Marks $37 per ticket. Army members Are required to Wear class a or mess dress uniforms other military branches and civilians should Wear formal evening attire. For tickets Call ets 430-5277/5278 or civilian 0711680-5277/5278. German postal workers strike May be joined by other sectors Hamburg Germany apr Germany a postal workers on Friday voted overwhelmingly to strike for More pay and began selected work stoppages that severely disrupted mail services in the North. The strikes came after the government refused to raise its pay offer for Public sector workers. Later Friday the White Collar German employees Union also voted for a strike. Highway maintenance workers also began selective strikes and could be joined soon by garbage collectors railway workers and Hospital staff. The giant metalworkers Union in metall said it would Start warning strikes on wednesday. The Union is demanding a pay raise of at least 9 percent while the employers Are offering 3.3 percent. The German postal workers Union said 155,312 of its 172,111 members had participated in the strike ballot with 95.4 percent voting in favor. About 16,000 postal workers in Hamburg began striking at 2 p.m., leaving 1.5 million pieces of mail undelivered. The strike action in Hamburg is expected to paralyse All mail services across Northern Germany As Well As Long distance mail deliveries by train and airmail. Union chairman Kurt Van Haaren said the result of the vote should be seen As a a Clear answer to an alleged attempt by negotiators for the German Federal state Ana local governments to a dictate  a the government is trying to Force the unions to foot the Bill for All the budgetary misery which it itself has caused a Van Haaren said. The railway workers Union and the Public service and transport workers Union were also holding strike ballots. Earlier Friday about 60 Road maintenance workers Laid Down their tools in Cologne. Public sector workers Are demanding a 9.5 percent pay hike and 550 Marks $330 More vacation pay. The governments last offer was a 4.7 percent increase plus 500 Marks $300 in More vacation pay