European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 09, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes monday August 9,1993 Leo Winner says she s still harassed re urn of Job has brought undue scrutiny Furth librarian claims by Ron Jensen. Niernberg Bureau Forth Germany a Black rotarian who won unequal employment  inv save she has been harassed by her supervisor since returning to work injure. V Dolores Randall Ruger said the harassment began on june 15 and 16, when Mary Daniel chief of the Library Branch for the 99th area support group called various offices at which ringer was in processing to ask what time she had arrived and  continued when Daniel went on Home leave july 21 and placed in charge the woman who had originally dismissed  was very upset but t thought that might be therase Ruger said. Ruger was told in june 1991 that her Job As librarian at Ferris Barracks in Erlanger would end with her con tract in december 1991. She filed an Leo complaint which the . Army civilian appellate review Agency in Heidelberg investigated. The investigators Rule that discrimination had prevented her contract from being renewed and suggested that ringer be reinstate with full Back pay and benefits. The army however disagreed with the Agency s nonbinding conclusion and offered to return ringer to her Job but with no Back pay or benefits. Ringer declined and requested a hearing with an Leo commis Sion officer from Washington. At that hearing a april the 416th base support in chose to Settle to avoid Liti gation and offered to return Ruger to her Job with Par tial Back pay. She accepted the offer. But ringer said she was under close scrutiny As soon As she returned. Tiger Daniel who came to the Niernberg Community in december from Wiesbaden called offices where ringer was in processing and asked about ringer s arrival and departure times. Barbara Cunningham civilian payroll Liaison officer for the 99th Are support group was one of those who received Bacall from Daniel. She wanted to know what time ringer had arrived what time she left How Long the business had taken Cunningham said. That is very unusual. I be never had a supervisor do that. She was even trying to match up the time with Telephone Call from the employee s husband. I Don t know what she was getting  Jones also a clerk in the civilian personnel of fice said Daniel called him and made similar  if such interest by a supervisor in an employee s in processing is unusual he said yes it is. It sure  s assistant at the Library Connie Hazel said she also received a Call from Daniel who told her that two hours during ringer s in processing were Unac counted for. She said she hoped it was the Case because she had a plan in mind Hazel said. All attempts by the stars and stripes to discuss the claims with Daniel and others were referred to the Public affairs office or it. Col. James Ishmael com Mander of the 416th base support in. Ishmael said Friday that he would try to answer on tuesday or wednesday questions submitted to him in writing. Ruger said the harassment became Petty and mean spirited. When the Library at William o. Darby Cavern in Furth held an open House in Midsummer to Cele brate its move to new quarters Ruger was not invited. Hazel said she received a Telephone invitation from Daniel the Day before the open House. She said Daniel told her that she would try to Call ringer the next Day but might not have time. Ringer received no Call. But the alleged harassment that Ruger said was the most hurtful came in a memo from Daniel dated july 19. In it Daniel stated that during her absence fro july 21 to aug. 12, the acting chief would be Lynn d. Herrick the supervisor who did not renew Ruger s con tract in 1991. Herrick works at Darby Cavern. Ruger said she had complained earlier to Beverly Robertson the chief of the recreation division which oversees the Library system that Herrick might become her immediate supervisor in Daniel s absence. Ringer said she was assured that would not happen. Robertson too referred All questions to the com Mand. Ringer who has a master s degree in Library science and has worked at Public libraries in Detroit and new York said  All leaves her uncomfortable in her Job. If we have one comma out of place she said it going to be held against  German death probe leaves widow in dark autopsy of american violates sofa air Force says by Steve scholar   Germany after More than a month hide Latham still awaits the official word on what caused her husband s death. Carl d. Latham a retired . Air Force master ser Geant and full time civilian worker at the Ramstein a Exchange died july 4 in the couple s third Story apart ment in nearby huts Thenhausen. Once Carl Latham s body was taken from the Cou ple s Home for examination his wife of 28 years never saw him again. And none of the German officiate involved in investigating Latham s death from the pub Lic prosecutor who ordered an autopsy to local police has told her the autopsy results or returned her Calls of inquiry.. Legal officials at Ramstein a believe the local German police Vio lated the status of Force agreement which gov erns the presence of . Military and civilian component forces in Ger Many. On july 4, Carl Latham was sitting in the apart ment House s Garden when his wife called him to come up for lunch. Befell on the Way. He came bold upstairs and sat Dow while she finished fixing lunch. He fell again and his wife and son Dirk took him to a bedroom to  at about 5 p.m., hide Latham checked on her husband and he was t snoring she said. I could get any reaction from  after she and Dirk tried unsuccessfully to revive him she called a German ambulance. When the ambulance team also could not revive him they called a local Ger Man doctor who pronounced Carl Latham dead. The doctor called the police because the cause of death was unknown at that time. A criminal investigator from the Lan Stuhl police Norbert bold arrived to ask Heide Latham and Dir questions As undertakers prepared to take the body away. He would t let me have five minutes with Carl. He said he had to get his report done. My sister in Law took off Carl s ring and watch before they took the body away. I should have been Able to do that she said choking Back tears. Lleida Latham told bold that her husband was an american who worked at Ramstein and asked if the military authorities should be called. Bold told her no that All civilians were treated equally under German Law she said. A the Deputy chief at the Lan Stuhl police division later concurred with his investigator s  every Case where an american civilian is involved we retain jurisdiction Willie Hollander told the stars and stripes. Article 16 of the sofa says the military authorities of a sending state shall have the right. To take charge and dispose of the remains of members of the Force or of the civilian component. To perform such autopsy As May be required for medical reasons or Pur poses of criminal  Hollander said that he was aware of the sofa s con tents but that All civilians nevertheless would be treated the  Force col. Lloyd Leroy staff judge advocate at Ramstein disagreed with that  sofa did apply to or. Latham. He is part of the civilian component. The sofa says . Authorities have the right to respond take charge of the re Mains and handle an autopsy if necessary Leroy said. Shortly after arriving at the Home bold told Heid Elatham that her husband s body could not be released to her for funeral services until after his report went tothe Public prosecutor in Wei Brincken. The prosecutor would decide if the conditions sur rounding the death and the unknown cause warranted an autopsy. Heide Latham Learned the next Day from an under taker that the German prosecutor in Wei Brincken had decided an autopsy would be  went to the undertaker july 6 and signed a paper permitting an eventual cremation of her husband body. Also on july 6, his body was taken to nearby Horn Burg for an autopsy. On july 8, Heide Latham Learned from the undertaker that the police had released the body for cremation earlier in the Day. The cremation took place before she knew about the release although she had signed the paper authorizing Cre mation Heide Latham said she thought she would first have a few moments alone with the body. A memorial service was held july 15, and Carl la Tham s remains were buried in a local cemetery. The remains arrived at the cemetery from the crematorium earlier that Day. Leroy said he has talked with the Public prosecutor in Wei Brincken who has admitted there was a mistake. The prosecutor has apologized for the error made Leroy said Heide Latham shows a photo from the 60s of her husband card. Latham an air Force Retiree and civilian employee �1i04liedjuly4atujeu-Homenearramstetaaa prosecutor Thomas Lissmann told the stars and apes that he was unaware when he ordered the autopsy that Latham worked on the base. I did t know until after the autopsy that he was civilian worker on Ramstein he said. The police on the ba6 &3y anythin8 about him Workin the agony of waiting and the mix up Over the body s he of 16 been avoided Heide Latham said i the sofa had been followed. If i can save one other family from going through , she said then talking about  is Worth