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takes control of MVAC Vrin over Chazy PageB-1 The Hometown Newspaper of Clinton, Essex, Franklin Counties VoJ. 103 - No. 52 © Copyright 1996, PraM-Rapublican Plattsburgh, NY 12901, Thursday, October 12,1995 Suggested Price: 50\ 32 Pages Inquest into Lawless death By DEE BROWN Staff Writer MaloiM Buraau MALONE — A coroner's inquest into the death of Seumas \Shem\ Lawless will reconvene next week. The teenager was found dead in the Salmon River beneath the Main Street bridge last Febru- ary, and an inquest to determine the cause of death was called in March. At that time, Franklin County Coroner Brian Langdon left the inquest open until further in- vestigation was completed. Armed with results from tests conducted by famed Forensic Pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, District Attorney Richard Edwards will re-open the inquest Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 9:30 a.m. The test results will not be released until then. The official cause of death was drowning, but the purpose of the inquest is to answer the question of how the death occurred: Was it an accident, suicide or homicide? ' \ The teen's parents, Ken and Nan Lawless of Owls Head, reported their son missing the day be- fore he was found dead. According to testimony at the previous inquest, re-opened Lawless, 17, attended a party where drugs were being used, and he was observed drinking a tea laced with drugs. The tea was later found to have contained jimson weed, which is not illegal but can produce hallucinations, among other reactions. The teen's father is outraged at what he sees as an inadequate investigation and believes his son was murdered. In July, he filed a request with Gov. George Pataki to direct the Attorney General's Of- fice to conduct an independent probe. A governor's press-office representative said the administration is still reviewing the information. Seumas \Shem\ Lawless Photo/Kelly Haas O.J. rejects NEW YORK (AP) - O.J. Simpson pulled out of a televi- sion interview after his attorneys convinced him that it would do him much more harm than good, Simpson, told The New York Times on Wednesday. Simpson called the Times and spoke to reporters for 45 minutes to explain why he canceled his interview with NBC news less tharPT2\ hours before it was scheduled Wednesday night. Simpson did not consult with his attorneys about his plans and when they found out, they ordered him to cancel for fear that whatever he said could seriously damage his chances in civil suits in the aftermath of his murder trial, the Times reported in Thursday's editions. Mrs. Brown not bitter Page D-2 Simpson refused to discuss unanswered questions about the killings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, but he pro- claimed his innocence. He was acquitted of the killings last week after a nine-month trial. In his first interview since then, Simpson also told the Times he was wrong to \get physical\ with Nicole in 1989 and was now willing to meet with battered women to \talk about my relationship.\ He also said that the trial had not left him \financially wreck- ed,\ that he agreed with Nicole's parents that his children need counseling and that he was will- ing to debate the murder case with prosecutor Marcia Clark. Simpson said he pulled out of the NBC interview, which was expected to be one of the most widely watched broadcasts in history, after his team of lawyers convinced him that the legal risks of speaking publicly outweighed his need to rehabili- tate himself. It took two marathon sessions — the second ending Wed- nesday mor- ning — for lawyers Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., Barry Scheck, Peter OJ. Simpson Neufeld, Alan Deir- showitz and Gerald Uelmen to persuade their client not \to talk, the Times said. The lawyers told Simpson that the interviewers, Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric, would subject him to an inquisition that would change few minds and seriously jeopardize his standing in civil suits brought by the victims' families. The lawyers were not worried he would say anything inappro- priate or be unable to field tough questions, according to the report. Rather, they were con- cerned that Simpson would waive his lawyer-client privilege or lose his temper, particularly if questions about domestic vio- •'*•**'\'^eife&fced. the Times said. ^y lawyer was ^u in our resolve, and that was compelling to this man,\ Cochran told the Times. \He listened. He's a smart guy, and basically we convinced him that this was not the time, this was not the place to do it.\ Simpson also told the Times he was confidant he would find a good job. \I've always found a way,\ Simpson said. \I'm an American. I should have a right to find a job and support my family.\ In an interview on CBS radio station WBBM in Chicago, Brokaw was asked if he and Couric would have been barred from asking about the murders. Mostly sunny and warm. High about 70. West wind 5 to 10 mph. INDEX Bridge D-6 Business News D-3 Classified D-4-8 Comics D-6 Editorial A-4 Entertainment C-7 Horoscope C-6 Ann Landers C-6 Arts A-6,7 Public Record D-2 Sports. '. C-6 Weather B-6 N.Y. Lottwy: 8-8-0. WinFour': 4-1-4-1. Lotto: 5-37-41-45-50-53. The supplementary was 21. Pick 10: 1-2-Sr6-7-16-21-29-42-44^«-<9-5O-5)-52-58-<HMl-64-78. \——•\•- \•\^pjfefc.4?.3,2,1-8. \ HUGS FOR O'CONNOR: Chazy Central Rural School Su- perintendent Charles O'Connor gets support from his students as they head for class after holding a spontaneous rally in the auditorium. The students refused to go to class until after they talked to the media about O'Connor's con- tract not being renewed by the School Board. Story, photo Page A-3 Photo Editor/Dave Paczak Gefoo left to 'rot with the leaves' Juty hears testimony in BilfHd murder trial lyMARKHOLLMER Staff Writer PLATTSBURGH - Joan Sorrell left Leo Gebo his daily hot lunch on Monday, June 14,1993. The 79-year-old Aftpna resident wasn't at hisBrunefl Road trailer* but Sorrell, working with Clinton County Meals on Wheels, knew what to do. As was the routine in his absence, she left his lunch ijft a broken microwave outside to keep animals from eating the food. . • : Oh June 15, Sorrell returned to find Mon- day's meal in the microwave, untouched. \I knew immediately something was ll ld Cli C w y g wrong,\ Sorrell told a Clinton County jury '\ \Bitf' found Gebo's Bend Road. enburg Center, e^^^mWW^ J - B ™&' 21. of Plattsburgh are charged with killing him. Sorrell- was one of six witnesses who testified Wednesday in Gerald Burdo's murder trial. Gerald Burdo sits with his attorney, Evan Bracy, at the start of his murder trial. Burdo is accused of helping murder Leo Gebo of Altona. Burdo and Francis Burdo are each in- dicted on two counts of second-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping- and two counts of first-degree robbery in connection with Gebo's death. They are charged with kidnapping Gebo from his trailer and hitting him in the head with a blunt instrument in an area off the Alder Bend Road. State Police said each of the Burdos con- fessed individually to Gebo's murder. Francis- Burdo's murder trial is scheduled for Oct. 23. He also will be sentenced soon on an unrelated first-degree-rape conviction. Gerald Burdo, wearing a blue button-down shirt, j^ans and black moccasin shoes, looked on quietly during most of the first day of his trial. Some of Gebo's relatives came to the trial, including his 73-year-old sister, Leah LaBarge, and her family. In her opening remarks, District Attorney Penelope Clute told jurors the Burdos left a party June 13, telling people they hoped to \get more beer.\ Instead, they, headed to Gebo's home \to rob him,\ Clute said. They asked Gebo for money but didn't get any. They promised to take him to his sister's home, but instead drove him in Gerald Bur* do's red pick-up truck to a wooded area in the woods off the Alder Bend Road, hit him Continued Pog« A-3 Long-time Social Services chief to take state job •y MITCH ROSENQUBT StaffWrlter PLATTSBURGH - Rose Pandozy, Clinton County's Social Services commissioner for the past 10 years, is taking a top job with the state. Her last day is Oct. 20. Pandozy, who could not be reached Wednesday, will be taking a new position in Albany as deputy commissioner of Ser- vices and Community Develop- ment, an arm of the state Department of Social Services. Pandozy has worked for the county 25 years and was ap- pointed commissioner in 1985. Her department, with a budget of $27.8 million, oversees a wide variety of services and assistance to more than 16,000 county resi- dents. Deputy Commissioner Wendy Bourgeois has been appointed ac- ting commissioner to the $63,000 post until a .permanent commis- sioner is hired. In Pandozy's letter of resigna- tion, dated Oct. 6, she said she is leaving \with mixed emotions.\ In the past 25 years, \I have come to appreciate the high quality of services provided by the employees of Clinton County and supported by the legislature,\ she wrote. Legislature Chairman Bob Bruno said Wednesday \it is with deep regret she is resigning. Es- pecially for the past 10 yearB, I think she's done an excellent job.\ County Administrator William Bingel said the position will be filled within the next six weeks, which is the normal down time when a department-head opening arises. As far as potential replace- ments for Pandozy, Bingel said the county has a job description on file and \we will recruit from that. Any person would be quali- fied Civil Service-wise, and we have to get approval from the state DSS.\
