t ’ as . Nrws Dior st Nett™ * Edited by Todd Cooper A 1J_/ YY WJ lylVJJ_/U A r**,.***,"*, Defense abruptly rests its case in Rodney King trial LOS ANGELES — Defense at 4omeys in the Rodney King beating trial stunned a federal court Thurs day by abruptly resting their case, a move one lawyer said was de signed to unnerve prosecutors. Attorney Harland Braun, who had told Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Clymer he had 10 witnesses waiting to testify but then called none, said outside court: “I just wanted to keep Clymer up till 3 in the morning.. .they can’t deal with surprise.” Braun and attorney Paul De Pasquale, who represents former policeofficerTimothy Wind, halted the defense by resting without call ing any further witnesses Thursday morning. The attorney for Officer Laurence Powell rested late Wednesday. The lawyers denied they stopped their case because several witnesses had backfired on them, most nota bly a highway patrolwoman who wept on the stand as she recalled the brutality of King’s beating. “We got together and we de cided less is better,” Braun said. Braun denounced the prosecu tors outside court saying, “They ’re bad people, evil people. They’re overly anal people. They can ’ t deal with surprise.” “One thing I never forget when I deal with the government is this is a political prosecution,” he said of racially charged case. “They in dicted an innocent man, my client, for strategic reasons, not based on the evidence. I assume they are scum and I treat them as scum." Of Justice Department attorney Barry Kowalski, Braun said: “He’s just like an S.S. officer for the civil rights division." Only one of the four white po licemen on trial, the sergeant who commanded the March 3, 1991, videotaped beating of the black motorist, took the stand in the fed eral trial. Other defendants said Sgt. Stacey Koon adequately de fended them. “Stacey Koon speaks for every one who’s willing to accept re sponsibility for their actions,” said Braun. “We salute Stacey Koon.” He acknowledged his client, Theodore Briseno, disagreed with Koon’s handling of King’s arrest and testified so at the state trial, which ended in acquittal on most charges. That verdict set off three days of deadly rioting. Clinton: Russia’s renewal a top U.S. priority ANNAPOLIS, Md. — In an im passioned plea for spending scarce tax dollars on Russian aid, President Clinton said Thursday that America should help “not out of charity” but as a crucial investment in peace and prosperity. “The danger is clear if Russia’s reforms turn sour, if it reverts to authoritarianism or disintegrates into chaos,” Clinton said. The world cannot afford to see Russia turn into a much-larger ver sion of chaotic Yugoslavia “armed with a vast arsenal of nuclear weap ons,” Clinton said. He made his case in a speech before a convention of the American Society of Newspa per Editors, meetingat the U.S. Naval Academy. “The success of Russia’s renewal must be a first-order concern to our country,” Clinton said. Russian President Boris Yeltsin is looking to die West for money and technical assistance to ease Russian misery resulting in part from belt lightpjting economic reforms. r The Russian leader also hopes Clinton can boost his prestige before an April 25 referendum on who has ultimateauthority: Yeltsin or the Com munist-era Congress. The president urged Americans to be patient with Russia’s faltering pace of reforms and said they should not be concerned by “every growing pain i Scon Maurer/DN within democracy.” He recalled that America’s own history was marked by revisions of the Constitution and even fist fights in Congress. “You can’t be so impatient about what’s happened in the short stretch of time from (Mikhail) Gorbachev to Yeltsin to the present crisis,” he said. “Despite today’s troubles, I have great faith that Russian reform will continueand eventually succeed,” the president said. Clinton said “I speak for Ameri cans everywhere when I say: We are with you.” He said that many Americans ask, “Why in the world should we help a distantpcople when times arc so tough Millions of viewers will pay 10 percent less for cable TV WASHINGTON—Millions of Americans will pay 10 to 15 per cent less few cable TV under a rule adopted Thursday by regulators re asserting their authority over an industry criticized for skyrocket ing prices. The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-0 to cut cable rates 10 percent from their Sept. 30,' 1992, level and erase any in creases operators imposed since then. The rollbacks will apply to 57 million viewers who subscribe to more than 11,000 cable systems licensed by communities. Locitl authorities must apply the FCC guidelines for basic service. The JFCC's rate formula also applies to so-called expanded basic service. The FCC will take com plaints from consumers that they are paying unreasonable charges for that service. Subscribers are not likely to sec an y reductions for si x months, FCC officials said. Cable operators are free to cut unreasonably high rates now to avoid paying refunds. The FCC also adopted new rules that require programmers to make their chan nels avai (able to compet ing cable operators at similar prices. Companies offering new services have complained of unfairdiscounts they say stifle competition. Commissioner Ervin H. Duggan said this rule would have a more lasting benefit for consumers by promoting competition between cable TV and new services which will be offered by direct satellite broadcasters or phone companies. Brian SheMkVDN here at home?” Clinton said, “We must act now, not out of charity, but because it is a wise investment.. .While our efforts will entail new costs, we can reap even larger dividends for our safety and our prosperity if we act now.” The president said America had spent trillions of dollars on the Cold War. “If Russia were to revert to imperialism or were to plunge into chaos, we would need to reassess all our plans for defense savings. We would have to restructure our de fenses to meet a whole different set of threat^than those we now think will occur. That means billions of dollars less for other uses.” Preparing aid for Russia On the table: ► Modernization of farms and factories ► Creation of effective transportation system ► Rebuilding of state industries into private businesses Other issues: ► Loan guarantees for housing ' Russian soldiers ► Consideration of assistance to rebuild oil and gas facilities ► Loan guarantees for food aid Clinton promised his aid would not be wasted on a Russian govern ment known for its bloated bureau cracy and inefficiency. He said the aid would be designed to develop small businesses, accelcr AP ale ihe privatization of state enter prises, improve food processing and distribution, ease the transition to pri vate markets, and repair Russia’s leaky oil and gas production system. senate passes rirst piece oi economic plan in record time WASHINGTON — The Senate gave final approval to the first piece of President Clinton’s economic pro gram on Thursday, as united Demo crats hurried a mammoth budget-cut ting blueprint through Congress in record time. The five-year, $496 billion outline for lax boosts on the rich and Penta gon reductions cleared the Senate on a virtual party-line 55-45 vote. On Wednesday, representatives also di vided by party had approved the House-Senate compromise on a 240 184 roll call. In Annapolis, Md., Clinton told a group of newspaper editors, “Con gress is acting this week to break gridlock and to build our prosperity By passing the heart of our economic program.’’ Refugees tell of their hardship in Bosnia TUZLA, Bosnia-Herzegovina — A faintly of eight shared one blanket. A night’s shelter cost more than 30 pounds of precious com, so most people slept on the street or in shelled, roofless buildings. This has been the life of many Muslims on the run from Serbs for up to a year. Thousands of refugees poured into the eastern town of Srebrenica in re-, cent weeks seeking food, shelter and safety. What they found were more freez ing nights, during which they wanned themselves around street bonfires and ate horse meat to survive. Most of the refugees came from nearby Ccrska and Konjcvic Poljc after the Serbs launched a blistering attack in early March. Hemmed in by front lines, Srebrenica was the only town they could reach. The town was nearly as desperate as the refugees because it had re ceived little aid since Dec. 10. U.N. rcfugeeofficialssay they havecnough food and blankets for the people trapped in Srebrenica but cannot get the aid past Serb lines into the town. This week about 5,000 refugees jammed U.N. trucks and were evacauicd to the relative comfort and safety of Tuzla. Crowded into a sports hall in this government-held town 45 miles north of Srebrenica, they arc exhausted and brokenhearted. Along the way, some have lost husbands and wives, broth ers and sisters. “It was snowing and raining and wc were outside,” said Safeta Tumadzic. who trudged for days with three children, carrying her son, Admir, 13, his scalp shredded by shrap nel. Admir was wounded when two shells ripped through the roof of his Cerska home as the Serbs advanced. The family fled to Konievic Polje. When that town fell soon after, they trudged on to the village of Jaglice. “But no one could treat my child,” Mrs. Tumadzic said. “I had to go to Srebrenica.” Srebrenica residents “didn’t even let us take water,” she said. “You had to give them something and then they gave you water.” . -44 It is probably a quirk ol fate that we’re voting on this budget on April Fools. The American people are indeed being fooled. —Domenici New Mexico senator --- - Democrats were able to fight off GOP efforts to weaken the jobs mea sure. On a 54-45 tally, they killed a Republican measure that would have forced cuts in other domestic pro grams to pay for the new job spend ing. As remarkable as the Democrats’ speed and unity was their resolve. The deficit-reduction measure assumes I-— unpopular steps like higher taxes on energy users and on higher-income Social Security recipients, most of which remained intact. ”11 is probably a quirk of fate that we’re voting on this budget on April Fools,” said Sen, Pete Domenici, R N.M., ranking Republican on the Sen ate Budget Committee. "The Ameri can people are indeed being fooled.” . ; Nel?ra&kan Editor Chris Moptanap^pw Night News Editors Stephanie Purdy SS£SS . KrHh Assoc. News Editor/ Tom Maine HI *rI Director Scott Maurer Editorial Pjgetditor Jeremv Fitzpatrick General Manat? Dan Shattll Coov De«k lal2E.~°°Par Production Manager Katherine Podeky tonSpSw ^ ihy.SJ?fnau#r Advertising Manager JayCruee Arts & Enwrtainmiint ■