European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 19, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Judge dismisses Weinberger claims Washington apr the judge who will preside at the Iran Contra trial of former defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger has dismissed As irrelevant a defense claim of misconduct on the part of prosecutors and Fri agents. . District judge Thomas f. Hogan said Friday that he was unsure which Side was telling the truth in the Complex dispute Over How the government handled a statement from a former Weinberger Secretary. But he said the claim by Weinberger a lawyers that the government misled the grand jury that indicted the former Reagan administration official was a not relevant to any Issue before the  Hogan ordered Weinberger a attorneys to notify him of any specific allegations of wrongdoing they intended to make against Law enforcement witnesses during the trial. He said that was aimed at avoiding an a open ended airing of defense charges of misconduct by prosecutors. Weinberger 75, is set for trial Jan. 5 on charges of lying to Congress about the Iran Contra affair and to prosecutors about whether he kept detailed notes of discussions about the Sale of . Arms to Iran. Prosecutors found the notes last year at the Library of Congress. In another setback for the defense Hogan said he would not let a lie Detector expert testify that Weinberger passed a polygraph test. Quot Weinberger said during the test that he did not intentionally conceal the notes from investigators according to court papers. But Hogan found no Legal basis for admitting lie Detector tests As evidence. Such results Are generally barred from criminal trials. Ruling on Weinberger a allegations of prosecutor Al misconduct Hogan rebuked both sides for making a attacks on each the new York times Barney a 6-foot Dinosaur who stars on pcs attracts legions of preschool fans at a personal appearance. Singing Dinosaur lays Golden egg Allen Texas apr Barney the Dinosaur is no giant purple people eater but he a gobbling up dollars for his creators and retailers this Christmas season. The singing Host of toddler videos and Public television Star has become a top Selling toy. Barney amp friends to shows and videos Are filled with skits like those on sesame Street. But Barney is aimed at younger children Down to 18 months and relies More on music to teach simple lessons and social skills than big Bird and his friends. A Barney is an incredibly lovable warm and welcoming character a said Kathy Quattrone vice president of programming for the Public broadcasting service. A the information that a presented in the program includes very simple but poignant lessons. Brush ing your Teeth picking up How to get along with children who Are not like  the show draws 1.7 million viewers a Day compared with 2.1 million for sesame Street Quattrone said citing Nielsen ratings. Many adults find the Happy go Lucky musings of Barney his pal baby Bop and their sing along friends a Little goofy or Sappy. But preschoolers say Barneys Appeal is simple. A a he a my Friend. He a fun a said Kimbell Burkhart 4, at her Dallas preschool. A the wont grow up a said Wyatt Lewis 3. Barneys popularity has created a Bonanza for . Penney co. Inc., which decided before his april debut on pcs to develop a Holiday a Barney spot promotion. The company expects to sell 1 million Barney dolls this year mostly during the Holiday season. A a in be been in the retail business 36 years a said Henry Scott president of Penney a children a division a and once in your lifetime you Hope something like this would come  Barney was created by a pair of teachers and a video producer who formed the Lyons group in suburban Dallas. Lyons president Sheryl Leach said she thought up the character in 1988 because she Felt most children a videos were aimed at kids older than her 2-year-old. In 1990, parents of Barney fans started asking for books dolls anything that would pull the Happy Guy off the screen for their children. Before Long the Lyons group had set up promotions with blockbuster video and Neiman Marcus. Other which arc unwarranted and not appreciated by the  prosecutor James Brosnahan meanwhile complained that statements by attorney general William p. Barr criticizing the Iran Contra investigation might unfairly influence potential jurors. In an interview published in thursdays editions of Usa today Barr said a i think people in the Iran Contra matter have been treated very  Barr also said those prosecuted in the Iran Contra affair a would not have been considered criminal or prosecutable by the department of  officer disputes tale of colleagues by the new York times new York a the lawyer for Darwin panned the transit police officer who was shot and critically wounded last month by fellow officers As he tried to arrest a fare beater said thursday that panic Llu a version of the incident sharply differs with the version offered by the other officers. The assertion by the lawyer Arthur m. Luxenberg comes a month after panned was shot outside a Brooklyn subway station by a team of officers who have said through accounts Given by the transit police benevolent association that they mistook panned for an armed mugger. They fired Only after panned turned toward them gun in hand the Union has said. Panned with a Bullet lodged in his neck is still in critical condition at Bellevue Hospital Center. He has refused to be questioned by investigators from the transit police and from the Brooklyn District attorneys office. Luxenberg said that his client would probably release a statement next week. A suffice to say there Are important differences a the lawyer said. While Luxenberg declined to give specific details advisers close to Pannells family said that the wounded officers account of what happened to him contrasts in at least two critical Points with the account Given by the officers Union. Panned did not have his gun drawn when the shooting began As the Union has asserted nor Aid he turn toward the other officers the advisers said. Law enforcement officials said thursday that the four other officers involved in the incident including Pannells partner Kenneth Donnelly had Given largely consistent accounts to investigators for Brooklyn District attorney Charles j. Hynes. But one officer was unsure about whether panned had his gun drawn when the shooting began Law enforcement officials said. It was not immediately Clear whether this officer was one of the two who fired at panned outside the 105th Street subway station in Canarsie shortly after 6 . On nov. 17. The shooting of panned has stirred deep emotions in the transit police highlighting Subtle and not so Subtle dangers faced by minority officers in undercover work. Panned is Black while and the other officers involved in the incident Are  s lobby urges minimum wage hike tax credits Washington a line out of every five american children lives in poverty and president elect Clinton must carry out reforms allowing parents to give their children a better life the children a defense fund said thursday. Among the funds suggestions were to raise the minimum wage guarantee health care and housing assistance for poor families with children offer income tax credits and increase the Federal governments share in funding education. A the Federal government has to become a Strong partner. In seeing that our country is healthy again a said fund president Marian Wright Udelman. A there Are certain things America is going to have to  Clinton has suggested giving Middle in come taxpayers a Choice of either a modest tax break or an expanded deduction for children. Among other things he a proposed Are improved Access to health care for poor families and fully financing the head Start Early education program and the women infants and children nutrition program. The fund formerly chaired by Hillary Clinton tied its recommendations to its annual report a the state of americans  the report found that 14.3 million american children a one of every five a lived in poverty in 1991, the highest number since 1965. T he majority were White children living in Rural areas or suburbs with at least one employed Parent