European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 10, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 a the stars and stripes . Wednesday match 10,1993 music legend Dies at 78 Billy Eck Stenc an influential band Leader who inspired singers such As Joe Williams and leu Rawls died monday in Pittsburgh. He was 78. Eckstine seen in a 1986 photo had suffered a stroke last year. A popular entertainer in nightclubs and concert Halls he also was a major recording Star with hits such As a of Erst Ling 1 have is yours a a i apologize and a fools Rush  he also appeared in Many movies. King expected to testify for first time in . Trial As from wire reports los Angeles a in the prosecutions biggest Gamble Rodney g. King is expected to testify for the first time against the four Whites accused of violating his civil rights in Kings 1991 police beating. His testimony a which was expected As Early tuesday a could change the course of the trial but nobody knows just what he will say. Innocent victim or aggressive Felon the Man the jurors see on the stand could influence the Way they View the videotaped beating. In a state trial of the three officers and one former officer last year prosecutors chose to avoid the risks of bringing King to the witness stand and trusted instead in the Power of the videotape that shows him being beaten for 81 seconds. This Gap in their Prescan King tation left the Way open for defense lawyers to portray King As a an  sgt. Stacey c. Koon officers Laurence m. Powell and Theodore j. Briseno and former officer Timothy e. Wind were acquitted on most charges last april 29, touching off Days of rioting. They now face possible 10-year prison terms on civil rights charges that they used excessive Force when they arrested King for speeding. A the jurors had the defendants As real human beings to identify with and sympathize with but to human being on the prosecution Side of the Case a said Erwin Chemerinsky a Law professor at the University of Southern California. But King a 27-year-old unemployed construction worker does have a criminal record for armed robbery. Aware of these risks the prosecutors have gone out of their Way to play Down King s testimony sandwiching his appearance Between those of expert witnesses and acknowledging his problems to the jury from the Start. In court monday a nurse conceded that she did t believe Powell was taunting King when he told him a we played a Little Ball and you lost and we  Carol Denise Edwards also said she did no to think Powell was joking when he spoke with King at Pacifica Hospital after Kings March a 1991, beating. Edwards under defense Cross examination said King asked whether he would be out of the Hospital in time to report for work the next Day As an usher at dodger stadium. She said Powell remarked a what Section do you usher in 1 done to want to sit in that  a emr. Powell said something to the effect a we played a Little Ball today did no to we Rodney a. Powell said a you know we played a Little hard Ball. We hit quite a few Home runs a a she testified. Police officers suspected in crime ring Fayetteville a. A the Bullet riddled body of a strip joint owner. A string of heists after investigators put the clues together they said they found one link crooked cops. By Friday five officers from three metropolitan area departments had been charged. They have been suspended without  and remain jailed. Quot in a going to of just As venomous As a Snake in handling this Quot Atlanta police chief Eldrin Bell said. A task Force of Atlanta Clayton and Riverdale police and the Fulton county sheriffs department was formed to investigate the crimes. The ring is believed responsible for up to 18 burglaries last year most involving stores and nude dancing nightclubs. The arrests began after Henry Lamar Jeffcoat 50, owner of the Gold Rush show bar was gunned Down feb. 10 during an apparent robbery at his Clayton county Home South of Atlanta on March 1, police got a tip on the killing. The next Day James c. Batsel in 30, and Mark Douglas Mckenna 27, both officers in the suburb of Riverdale were charged with murder. Two Days later Fulton county Deputy William r. Moclaire jr., 30, was charged with murder. He is accused of helping to plan Jeffcoats slaying. On Friday police announced the arrests of two Atlanta officers Brett Morrill 28, and Eric Hagan 34, on charges of robbing a Home depot store of $30,000 in Fulton county on june 29. The same Day the Gold Rush s manager James Donald Kirkland was arrested on armed robbery charges police said. Moclaire was among six Fulton county deputies who Moon lighted As Security guards at Gold Rush sheriff Jackie Barrett said. On Friday Barrett and Bell ordered officers to Stop such jobs. Atlanta police would not say How Many of their officers worked at strip bars or whether the two arrested Atlanta officers were among  captures pair who tried to steal car from wire reports Mineola . A Joey Buttafuoco the Long Island Auto body shop owner whose wife was shot by teenager Amy Fisher on monday held two would be car thieves at gunpoint for police. Police said an employee of the Complete Auto body shop in Freeport saw three men creaking into Caspar Buttafuoco s car a 1982 Lincoln Continental. Caspars son Joey confronted the men who fled in another car. Buttafuoco who is licensed to carry a handgun chased them in his car to the rear of a nearby diner where he held two at gunpoint until police arrived. A third fled on foot. Arrested were Miguel Rodriguez 31, and Miguel Nunez 44, both of Freeport. Fisher is in prison after she admitted shooting Buttafuoco a wife last May allegedly in a jealous rage after an affair with Joey Buttafuoco. He has denied the affair. A a a woman kills attacker los Angeles a a would be Kidnap victim turned against her attacker monday and shot him dead in the parking lot said police. The 53-year-od woman was getting out of her car in the los Fxliz District when the Man allegedly accosted her shortly before 3 . The woman pulled out a pistol and shot him. The 57-year-old Man was pronounced dead at Queen of Angels Hollywood presbyterian medical Center from multiple gunshot wounds. The woman was released by police who will refer the Case to the District attorney. Police declined to release  take Road Orange City Fla. A two sinkholes destroyed a Road and threatened at least two Homes monday in this coastal Community. The largest Hole was 165 feet in diameter and about 125 feet deep. The second about 300 feet away was 25 feet wide. Sinkholes form after water dissolves underlying material such As Limestone or Salt. The holes Are usually triggered by changes in the water  use for . Flag Boston the . Trademark trial and Appeal Board says a condom company May use an american Flag shaped like an unfurled condom As its logo overturning a ruling Banning the display. The trademark office refused in 1991 to Register the design for old glory condoms saying it would a a scandalized or Shock the conscience of a substantial composite of the general  but the Board reversed that decision earlier this month the manufacturer said  for the Provincetown based corporation argued that the Flag has been incorporated into. Logos of thousands of commercial  still leads id Tarod Rohn Alaska a defending Champion Martin Buser held onto his Lead monday in the id Tarod Trail sled dog race with Dee Dee Jonrowe and five time Winner Rick Swenson close behind. Buser who has led at All but one checkpoint was the first to reach Rohn 272 Miles from Anchorage and 889 Miles from the finish line in Nome. Jonrowe was 55 minutes behind in second and Swenson was 10 minutes behind her. Tire race a test of skill and endurance began saturday in  brutality alleged Baton Rouge la a Black legislators want an investigation into police handling of an elderly lawmaker who was hauled away from a rally at a Monument marking a 19th-Century White supremacy uprising. A they appear to have a choke hold on him and. That s excessive Force to use on an 82-Yearod Man said state sen. . Jones holding up a newspaper photo monday of an officer with an Amlock around state rep. Avery alexanders neck. Alexander was one of several protesters police pulled away from a scuffle during a rededication ceremony sunday of the 100-year-old Liberty Monument in new Orleans he was not among four people arrested. The Monument Marks an 1874 uprising Between police and the White league a group of Whites trying to overthrow the states reconstruction government. About 30 people were killed and several wounded