,
False testimony can
add to term, high court
says
Washington-The Supreme
Court unanimously ruled that
defendants who take the stand
in their own defense and com ..
mit perjury may be adding to
their pri on time for obstruc­
tion of justice.
Writing for the Supreme
Court, Justice Anthony Ken­
nedy said that "a defendant's
right to testify-does not incl ude
the right to commi t perjury.
The appeals court say that
the threat of added prison time
placed an, "intolerable burden
upon the-defendant's right to
testify in his own behalf", ac­
cording to a recent article in
The New York Times.
The decision of the Supreme
Court overturned a ruling by a
Federal appeals court in Rich­
mond, which said in 1991 that
the Constitution bars judges
from imposing an additional
entence under Federal guide­
lines as punishment for "a di -
believed denial of guilt under
oath."
King trial t . ntad
with j dou
Lo
Defense attornie moved for
mi trial after the cation
nd the uncertainty of one of
the ttomie, Paul DeP quale,
repre enting one of the offi­
cers, Timothy Wind, became
public.
DePasquale became reluc­
tant to defend Wind after Wind
w reluctant to ign a conflict­
of-Interest waiver for hi attor­
ney.
The state jury of the King
trial, which included no people
of color, acquitted the officers
and parked day of anger
manifestations in Los Angeles.
The federal jury, worn in Feb­
ruary 21, include one His­
panic and two
African- Americans.
Federal School Aid
- program called outdated
Two new studie have de­
clai ed the Government' Chap­
ter 1 program, the Federal
Government's principal effort
to improve basic educational
skills of poor children, out­
dated. The two reports are the
eco ad and third in three
months to criticize the pro­
gram.
One of the reports claims
orne of the funding for the pro­
gram was either mi directed or
poorly pent and lacked. help
for students to improve their
skins. Chapter 1 received $6.1
billion in ea h of the I t two
fi cal years and represents the
largest component of the Ele­
mentary and Secondary Educa­
tion Act of 1965.
The program i up for
reauthorization, a renewal that
i required every five years,
later this year. In a tep to add
improvement and make
changes to the program, tudies
are encouraging criteria that
must be met in order for the
program to e on the road to
effective r covery.
By JEFF PARROTT
G-Acoountabili ty.
It's a concept often spoken of
more than pr cticed. Politicians
metimes brink it, busin
leaders claim they embrace it, and
consumer advoca like Ric Stod­
dard demand it.
Stoddard, president of the
250,�member Michigan Ci tizens
Lobby, thinks the tate' auto irsur­
ance industry hould be regulated
closer than it i . He said ince uto
insurance is required by law in this
s tate, there should be some govern­
mental intervention in th private
mar et,
"Th Michigan Supreme Court
has ruled that mandatory no-fault in­
surance is constitutional only if it af­
fordable and available," Stoddard
said. "So the Legislature does have
an obligation to oversee the industry
tn some respects."
In apparent agreement wi th that,
the House Insurance Commi ttee be­
gan work last week on a comprehen­
sive insurance reform 'package,
drafted by Chairman Rep. Bill Mar­
tin, R-Battle Creek.
BILL 4156,
if pas ed in its p nt form, include
rolling back premiums 16 percent by
May 1, and placing a mandatory
minimwn personal injury protection
(PIP) limit at $1 million. Michigan i
currently the' only tate in the nation
that mandates insurers provide un­
limited benefi in accident claims.
Stoddard h battled persist nUy
with insurance compani and law­
maker ympathetic to them over
how to lower ins urance rates and pro­
tect unlimited ben fits in tort claims.
He said he is not happy with the new
reform propo al, calling it a "wanned
over Proposal D" and an "insurance
companies' bill." •
"Unlimited medical (liability) is
probably hi tory in this state, and we
will accept some changes in tort (pro­
visions)," he aid. "But on the other
side we want some increased ac­
countability in the industry."
In particular, Stoddard aid the
state insurance commissioner hould
playa larger role in regulating rat .
"The insurance commissioner
does not do an adequate job of over­
seeing the industry in this state," h
said, while conceding that current in­
surance laws are more to blame for
that than the commissioner person­
ally.
.
But Commissioner David Dy -
house aid regulating rates is not his
job, nor hould it be.
I tead, Dykhouse aid hi job is
to make ure a competitive enviro -
ment in the i urance mar et xi
DY D Stod-
dard a" rypto- ocialist," who wants
th overnment to control key
p _ of the priva ector.
Dykho aid Mict.gan' auto
insuran e ind try i already heavily
regula d with companies required
to u rni t I ngtby biannual finance
reports fo the Michigan Insurance
Bureau.
"Th Y di los more information
than. any indu try in the United
Stat ," h aid. "We have financial
inf rmation com�g out of the 'wa-
NAACP Executive Officers
By JENNIFER MOU
C.plm' New. Service
(AN lNG-Rep. David Jayc, R­
Shelby Township, has learned a lot
from getti ng caught driving under the
influence of alcohol=-and he wan
to share hi knowledge with thers.
Jayew ught driving under the
influence on Feb. 2.
On Feb. h introduced a reque t
for legi lation that would in rporate
what he learned in hi al hi' e -
ment cl: cs about alcohol and op 'r­
ating a motor vehi Ie under it.
influence. He wants thi put into
public and private driver education.
programs.
He al 0 want. to incorporate the
tyle the inf rmation W' pres nted
to him into all dnvcr edu arion pro­
gram .
He al 0 wants to incorporate the
tylc the information was pres nted
to him into all drivers du ration
chool .
He aid the combinati n 01 repn­
mand: humor and fa ts helped hi
learn about the),ra edy nd the law.
of operating a eCle under th i nflu-
n .
fo d and bcverag go into the diges­
tivc ystem, not the blood. There­
fore, it will not affect a person s
bl od alcohol ontent.
The next thing J ye learn d i that
t kc 11/2 hou fora person to fully
burn off one drink. So if a person had
four drinks at a ar within a three­
hour period, only two of those drinks
would e burned f and two enough
to re Ji ter a person' blood alcohol
content at an impaired level.
The fourth thin he wants to im­
part i. that it i n't only driving under
the influence that i illcgal, it i also
"operating" a motor vehicle while
drunk. Jaye explained there i a dif­
ference between the terms of driving
and operating.
"FOR E MPLE, if omeone
, t up etaftcrth yh dbcendrinking
and wanted t c 01 off by Ii tening to
rap mu ic on th radio in their parked
.ar in their dnvcway and a pe on
next door complained to the police
a out the noi c," Jayc explained.
"Wh n th police got there, they
could charg that person with operat­
Ing .... motor vehi Ie und r the influ­
in e even tl ugh the car w parked
in th driveway."
Jaye, 0 hairrnan for the com­
mittee of tate affairs, said he i
working With the State Police De­
partment and th D partrnent ofEdu­
cation to torrnulatc th legi lation.
In . ddiuon, Jaye said he wants to
beet up the I nforrnation on the
chang in the. tat law about oper­
ati n J under the influence.
N, ot Jan. I, 1( 2 if omcone i
'hal .d With op ratin under the in­
tlucn ", hr: or h 'r picture li e
destroyed and that pe n I iven a
p: e ot paper for a license, aid
liza th Boyd, Dcp rtment of State
di tor f public information.
Inc nvicted of the charg 10
f r the first-tim of enders are from
1 to 5 With a po ible jail n-
t n c of up day nd up t 45 days
f community ervice. Th driver'
lie IT will be pend d ix montts
o
Taking the oath of office during the NAACP Detroit.Ohapter Installation of Executive Officers were:
Ernest Lofton, first vice prestdent, Lottie Caudle, secretary, Bernice Shields, third vice president,
Sharon M. McPhail, treasurer and Dr. Arthur Carter, board member. Ceremonies were held February
14, at Greater Grace Temple. The oaths of office were administered by Michigan Supreme Court
_Justice Conrad Mallet.
•
I
a
I
r
DETROIT-The Michigan State
Hou ing Development Auth rity
(MSHDA) and First Indepcndcn e
National Bank of Detroit invit
Michigan mall contractors to attend
a presentation on t�e Small Contrac­
tor Assistan Program (SCAP).
Introduced -last ummer and co­
sponsored by MSHDA and First In­
dependence National Bank SCAP
provides qualifying small contrac­
tors with enhanced ace to man -
ing, n- ing education and kill
training, and networking opportuni­
ties.
An inf rmational luncheon pr
entation will e h ld March ,1
from 11: .m. to 2: 0 p.m. at th
Michgan State Univc ity 110
Educational Center in East Lansing
Mich.
p nd. Featur '<1 .pcakcrs will I n­
elude Don Davi . ch irman of the
board 0 Fi t Independence National
Bank; real te dev loper Rodney r:
Lo kv 0 0, Jr. pr Iderit 0 Rodn
Lockwood and Company; and M r-
aret Br wn, Michl an State Ho -
ing I) vclopment Authority dir tor
EEO/fair housing/prevailing wage.
"I HA V A bach lor'. and mr -
ter' degree, but ther are. om
thing Ijustdidnotknow,"Ja c said.
Jay cud th ire (II four tfnrur- he
Jut I arncd that h v ant all 1I rivers
to know.
\
The first thing he want IDe rpo-
rated into th driver du anon pro­
gram i c rnplete kn wlcd c ( f h 'IV
many drinks it t ke tor ca h pel. on
to be onsidcred I ally impaired r
legally drunk.
To legally impair 'd. a p rs n'
bl d alcohol cont nt must b at.O
percent and to Ie ally drunk i to
have a blo d alcohol content at .10.
"For a guy 0 my iz of 1 '0
pound it only tak l/2·drink.\ for
me tee nsidcr d legally In nk."
Jaye id.
Ethics R form
In the wake of recent alleged
Improprieties, several
Michigan lawmakers are
pushing for campaign finance
reforms and higher ethical
standards in
the legislature.
,
T WImTIIF .. R you
it; it by the num-
e ."
Grip Ie by Todd Willoughby