European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 24, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                February 24, 1993 . The stars and stripes longer sentences upheld if defendants lie Washington a the supreme court ruled tuesday thai Federal judges must give longer sentences to defendants found to have lied on the witness stand. The court ruling unanimously in West Virginia Case said such sniffer sentences in Federal cases Are constitutional. We have held on a number of occasions that a defendant s right to testify does not include a right to commit perjury Justice Anthony m. Kennedy wrote for the court. In other action the court ruled that states May impose sales taxes on the$84 billion business of leasing cargo containers used exclusively for International shipments. Gave prosecutors a Victory in a dispute Over the180-Day deadline for trying criminal defendants serving time in another state. It ruled that the clock does no Start running until the prosecutors get the request. Threw out a three judge Federal court s reapportionment plan for Minnesota elections of state legislators and members of Congress. In perjury cases Federal sentencing guidelines re quire longer sentence when judge determines that a defendant lied at trial. The enhancement is far from automatic Kennedy wrote because judges must make detailed findings to jus. Tiny a lengthened sentence if the defendant contests it. Tuesday s ruling reinstates Sharon Dunnigan 51 month prison sentence on a cocaine trafficking convict supreme court Tion. The trial judge had lengthened Dunnigan s sen tence after ruling that she had obstructed Justice by lying when she testified in her own  4th . Circuit court of appeals threw out the sentence in 1991, saying it violated Dunnigan s constitutional rights. The Prospect of a longer prison term could unfairly discourage defendants from testifying i their own behalf the appeals court said. Eight other Federal Appeal courts had upheld the practice of imposing longer sentences when a judge believes defendant lied on the witness stand. Government lawyers in asking the supreme court to reverse the circuit court ruling argued that sentencing judges traditionally have been allowed to consider an relevant information including whether a defendant committed perjury. On tuesday the supreme court said the threat of longer sentence for committing perjury docs not violate a defendant s right to decide whether to testify or re main silent. Kennedy wrote the requirement of sworn testimony backed by punishment for perjury is As much a pro Lection for the accused As it is a  Dunnigan was convicted of conspiring to distribute cocaine As part of a Charleston w.va., drug ring Bro Ken up in 1988. Dunnigan pleaded not guilty to the charge and during her trial denied Ever buying Selling or using cocaine. Other witnesses however testified about drug transactions with her. In the stars and stripes 10 years ago feb. 24,1983 Black Congress Man Harold Washington upset Chi Cago s first woman mayor Jane m. Byrne to win the democratic party nomination for mayor in America s second largest City. 20 years ago feb. 24,1973 a17 percent in crease in the Price of gasoline was announced by the european Exchange system the first Impact of the recent Dollar devaluation in Ger Many. 30 years ago feb. 24,1963 Dawn revealed the horror created by an earthquake that struck Barce Libya a City of 11,000, according to stars and stripes chief photographer Francis red Grandy who was on one of the first planes into the area. 40 years ago feb. 24,1953 Austria which straddles the Iron curtain rejected both communism and Neo nazism by returning a parliament that has served for the past eight years Vot ing returns showed. 50 years ago feb. 24,1943 War on the East Ern front has Cost Adolf Hitler a Stag Gering 9 million men since june 1941,4 million killed and the remainder wounded or prisoners so Viet Leader Josef Stalin said. World War ii 50 years ago today feb. 241943 Field marshal Erwin Rommel is named commander of All German and italian forces in Tunisia which include the remnants of his afrika Korps and col. Gen. Jirgen von Arnim s 5th Panzer army German troops move away from the Kasseane front to the Eastern dorsal area. Ferocious tank Battles rage on the Southern soviet front in the donets Basin and around Orel. Source 2194 Days of War w h. Smith publishers inc. World almanac Book of world War ii. Bison books corp 1981 a a chief defends appointment of exiting official to $160,000 Job at my it a mama we Tel to Anft fac arc tie a 4f�raai� am of if to not is a Tfir a from wire reports Washington veterans affair Secretary Jesse Brown on monday de fended his action to move the departing chief of the veterans Hospital system into a $160,000-a-year advisory  asked for the resignation of or. James Holsingr then named him a a distinguished physician. The move Drew a letter of protest last week from sen. Frank , r Alaska. At an american legion conference monday Ralph Stone of Borden town n.j., told Brown Brown that hoi Singer s appointment Flics in the face of fiscal  Stone is a former state commander of the american legion in new Jersey. Brown said he asked for Holsinger resignation because i wanted my own Guy in there to create a new healthcare delivery system for veterans Hospi tals. Holsinger s four year contract runs through August 1994, and i am not heartless. I refuse to kick a Man out Brown said. Holsingr who has worked at the department for 25 years was a career employee before he was appointed by the Bush administration to head the Veter ans Hospital system. As adviser he would assist with details of the department s involvement in National health care Reform. I Hope Well get our Money s Worth a sceptical Stone responded. In a letter Friday to Brown Murkowski questioned How at a time when a will be asked to sacrifice Over 9,000 people. There is room in the budget for a $160,000 position with no defined responsibilities and no  citing Clinton s Calls to Cut govern ment costs Murkowski said the appoint ment reflected a Little bit of  Murkowski did not mention Brown by name. But in an interview he expressed concern that the a did not appear to Bein line with the White House s Cost Cut Ting edicts. Holsinger is being paid $182,800 a Yearin his current position. He will occupy the advisory position until what would have been the end of his term aug. 5.1994.Murkowski complained that Holsinger s new assignment is essentially a honorary one with no reporting require  so the. Senator said Holsinger will continue to draw a government paycheck larger than a former president or a Cabinet Secretary. It goes a lot further than this said Murkowski questioning the costs of the other distinguished a physicians. A officials said the program began in1968 and was the Job that Holsinger s predecessor assumed after he resigned. Donna St. John a a spokeswoman said the department has 12 such appoint ments in the a s 171 hospitals. Most pay $101,000 a year she said. Brown agreed to pay $160,000 to hol Singer a career a physician because of his experience and knowledge of the Vahe Alth care system St. John said. In addition to running the a s $15 billion a year Hospital system Holsingr has been advising Brown on proposals to revise the a s health care eligibility rules and assisting with the department s participation in the presidential task Force on health care headed by first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton she said. Holsinger s departure from the Job was not unexpected. Complaints Over poor health care and other issues had Cost Holsinger a thoracic surgeon who previously headed the Richmond a Hospi Tal support from veterans groups acid on Capitol Hill. \ Clinton officials also have indicated that the president wants to put his own nominee in the Job one of the highest paying political appointments. Man survives plunge off Golden Gate Bridge san Francisco up a 23 year old Man jumped 200 feet from the Golden Gate Bridge on monday and sur Vived. The Man was reported to be in stable but serious condition at Marin general Hospital after being rescued from the Bone chilling Waters of san Francisco Bay. It s pretty amazing said nursing supervisor Marilyn Snyder who added that the Man s worst injuries appeared to be urinary bleeding. The Man was plucked from the Bay by the coast guard about 4 40 . After authorities reported seeing a Man jump from the Bridge deck. The coast guard said the Man was complaining of Back pains when he was rescued. Authorities did not release the Man s identity and there was no word Why he jumped. Less than a month ago another Man jumped from the Bridge with his 3-year old daughter after killing his wife. The Man and his daughter were pronounced dead a Short time later. California bans smoking in state run buildings Sacramento Calif. Up Cali fornia gov. Pete Wilson banned smoking in virtually All state government offices hospitals and prisons monday because of health risks caused by secondhand smoke. Wilson who enjoys an occasional Cigar signed an executive order that will pro Hibit smoking in More than 21,500 build Ings owned or leased by the state govern ment beginning March 1. We re not interested in prohibiting adults from smoking if they want to do that. But we should t impose our habits and our smoke on co workers Wilson told reporters. California becomes the eighth state to ban smoking in government buildings joining Colorado Delaware Idaho Maryland Massachusets Michigan and Vermont. Researchers have said secondhand smoke is the nation s third leading preventable cause of death behind Active smoking and alcohol abuse. The California state employees association accused Wilson of violating collective bargaining Laws by ordering the smoking ban without first consulting the Union. The ban will affect about 180,000 state workers nearly 110,000 suite prison in mates and 4,500 patients in state hospitals one state building is immune from the order. Only the legislature May ban smoking in the state Capitol