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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14,1995 PAGE 3 PRESS-REPUBLICAN Diitrict attorneys press for change Loopholes in law targeted By MITCH ROSENQUIST Stoff Writer PLATTSBURGH - Trivia question: In New York, who gets more jail time, the thug who beats you senseless and leaves you unconscious in the street, or the guy who forges a check for $l?j - Here's another: If a defendant deliberately dodges his trial and disappears for six months, does he still face charges or is the case dismissed for lack of a speedy trial? The answer to both questions is the latter, and every district attorney in the state wants those laws changed. New York District Attorneys Association President Charles Hynes, joined by two local DAs Friday in Plattsburgh, said those \no-brainer\ loopholes should be closed, but he's facing inaction from the state Assembly. Sentences inconsistent Crimes like forging a check for $1, selling a minute amount of hard drugs, or robbing someone of $10 without hurting them carry jail sentences of 8V3 to 25 years in prison. But assaulting someone, even viciously and permanently scar- ring them, carries only a five to 15-year sentence. And assaulting someone but leaving no lasting damage, that's only harassment, which carries a sentence of only 15 days in jail. \I picked these three no- brainers because they're ob- viously illogical and are non- controversial,\ said Hynes, who's been trying to gain state Legislature support to change them for months. \It makes absolutely no sense not to modify these bills,\ he said. Hynes, who is Brooklyn's DA, said the loopholes allow hus- bands to beat their wives and get away with it, and even more vio- Staff Photo/Mike Dowd Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes (center) discusses the loopholes in New York state laws he wants changed. With him are Franklin County District Attorney Richard Edwards and Clinton County District Attorney Penelope Clute. lent criminals to skip town and * disappears, it is the prosecution's escape prosecution. Criminals disappear He said if a suspected criminal duty to track him down and br- ing him to trial. If the prosecu- tion cannot prove it made \dili- gent efforts,\ the law says the GOP sets platform Candidates promise action on 9 points By MITCH ROSENQUIST Staff Writer PLATT^BURGH - Republican can- didates for plinton County legislature signed a nine-point, pledge Friday, promising action on issues from tax reform to term limits if elected next month. Republican incumbents Don Garrant and Samuel Trombley and first-time candidates Celine Paquette, Joseph Giroux, John Maye and Jim Blaise publicly signed the pledge and promised action on all nine items within 120 days of taking office. If the six are elected, they'll hold majority control of the currently Democrat-led legislature. Their nine pledges are: • No increase in county sales tax. • Reform property tax. • Allow property owners to pay school and town taxes* in installments. • Change the legislature's afternoon meeting time to evening hours. • Hold seven legislature meetings a year in towns outside the city. • Offer a term-limit referendum to the voters. • Continue funding Cooperative Extension and its programs. • Push for the consolidation of services be- tween the county and towns. • Urge state funding of the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board. \These are pledges that will be brought to fruition, not simply promises,\ said Garrant, who represents Area 10 within the city and is unopposed. Democrats called it political rhetoric, ad- ding that most of those nine issues have al- ready been addressed, plus many more. \The Democratic Party has always provid- ed good services and responds quickly to the people,\ said party Chairman Art LeFevre. Increasing sales tax is a dead issue, and property-tax reform is something \everybody wants, but the question is how many services will have to be cut. It's all rhetoric,\ LeFevre said. Paquette, seeking the Area 1 seat or the Champlam-Rouses Point area, said if Republicans do not win a majority in November, \there's no reason to believe raising the tax won't be tried again. We will not even consider doing anything so detri- mental to so many of our citizens.\ Paquette is running against Democrat Melissa McManus. \Giroux running for the Area 3 seat of Beekmantown and Chazy against Democrat Neil Tallon, said he would create a commit- tee to study tax reform. He said he didn't Staff Photo/Mike Dowd John Maye, Republican candidate for the Clinton County Legislature from Area 6, signs the party's pledge. have any specific ideas in mind how to reform the tax structure, \but there's got to be a way to not burden landowners so much,\ especially those on fixed incomes. Maye, who's trying to unseat Democrat Leon Durocher in Saranac, said he wants the state to fully fund the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board. County funding of that agency, along with about 20 other agencies, has been cut to zero over the past several years. But with a Republican administration in power in Albany, Maye said \we finally have a chance to put it on solid footing.\ case must be dismissed. Joined by Franklin County DA Richard Edwards and Clinton County DA Penelope Clute, Hynes said there are numerous cases throughout the state of vicious attacks made on victims where the sentences imposed were lighter than if someone smashes a car window. The loopholes present a com- mon problem in prosecuting assault cases, Clute said, because the laws are \just the opposite of what we think of as common sense.\ \If you can beat up a police of- ficer and get away with it, what protection does a citizen have?\ Edwards said, adding that there is no justice in a system that holds the value of property higher than the value of a per- son's body. Assembly not supportive , Hynes, a Democrat, said he has Senate support, but has run into a wall with the Democrat- controlled Assembly. A letter to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver in June requesting these loop- holes be addressed was answered last week. Silver's response was a three- page letter outlining the Legislature's many accomplish- ments in the past two years, in- cluding the dealth penalty and increasing the minimum sentence for felony assaults. Silver wrote that Hynes, as a public official, \was apparently nowhere near the legislative scene when the real work on most of these bills was being done.\ Still, Silver said he would review the three loopholes Hynes addressed, saying \I would wel- come your constructive interest and involvement in that process, but hurling attacks from the sidelines will do little to advance our efforts.\ Hynes said, despite the Legislature's achievements, the laws currently on the books defining assault remain un- changed. And increasing the jail time is only part of the issue; redefining assault as a serious felony as opposed to a minor one or only harassment is what's key. Blaise, challenging Democrat Jay LePage for the Area 7 seat in the Keeseville-Peru area, said he wants a term-limit proposal put ftrvoters, and a concerted effort made to con- solidate county and town services. Joint purchasing of equipment and materials, sharing of professional services and consolidating duplicated services would save money, he said, which would cut taxes and increase government efficiency. Trombley, who is being challenged by * \Dave Hornell, said supporting Cooperative Extension is a priority because \agriculture is the county's leading business.\ Pathologist: Gebo death caused by blow or fall By MARK HOLLMER Staff Writer PLATTSBURGH - A pathologist who conducted an autopsy on Leo Gebo's remains initially theorized that he died from a fall, striking his head on a rock. At the same time, the doctor testified Friday that \despite no blood found on Gebo's clothes, fragments of the 79-year-old Altona man's fractured skull could have been caused by a strike to the head with a broad, blunt object — indicating homicide. Dr. John Eckel, a pathologist at Adirondack Medical Center, was the first witness to testify in day three of 45-year-old Gerald Bucdo's murjder trial, Burdo ofeEllenhurg Center and F.j'aricis Bupo, 21, of Plattsburgh atse£cnarg^a\yvith two counts of se&h^cle&ree murder, first- digr£e7$itiaf>ping and two counts of Tirst#leg$!e robbery in connec- tion with Gebo's death. They are accused of killing Gebo on June 13, 1993. His body was found April 23, 1994, in a wooded area off the Alder Bend Road in Altona. Francis Burdo's murder trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 23. Eckel told the jury he was a staff pathologist at CVPH Medi- cal Center when he examined Gebo's remains in 'April 1994. Eckel has a background in foren- sic pathology with experience in traumatic injuries. A forensic pathologist is a doctor who analyzes tissues and body fluids of dead bodies in an attempt to determine cause of death, par- ticularly in cases where foul play is suspected. , Eckel said Gebo's remains were almost completely skele- \totiized and that his skull was in 40 or more pieces. \It was just broken to an ex- tent that I couldn't put it back together again,\ Eckel said. He also told jurors that there was \no blood that I could recognize on any of the clothes.\ But Eckel said a skull could be fractured after being struck with a large, blunt object without breaking skin and causing bleeding \if the object is broad enough.\ This was hard to determine, Eckel said, because Gebo's re- mains had been skeletonized, leaving no skin or organs that could be tested. In cross examination by Bur- do's attorney, Evan Bracy, Eckel admitted that his preliminary autopsy considered Gebo may have died by hitting his head on a blunt object after falling — like a rock. A large rock was near Gebo's head when police found him. But in further questioning, Eckel said he couldn't conclude either way without reconstruc- ting Gebo's skull. He recom- mended sending Gebo's remains to a forensic anthropologist, who later conducted further tests. \ OF INTEREST Domestic violence to be topic of workshops PERU — A series of workshops for victims of domestic violence, their families and friends will be held Oct. 16, 17, 19, 23 and 24 at the Peru Community Church from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The public may attend. For further information, call Donna St. Denis at 563-6904. Beekmantown School committee meeting Monday BEEKMANTOWN - The Beekmantown Middle/High School Shared Decision Making Committee will meet Monday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. in Room 118. Items to be discussed include the Curriculum Needs Assessment Report and students leaving the building. Legion holding Las Vegas Night tonight PLATTSBURGH — American Legion Post 20 will be holding a Las Vegas night today from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Post Home, 162 Quarry Road. Games of chance will be provided for patrons. For further informa- tion or questions call 563-3650. This function is to benefit the children, youth and activities of the Post 20. The event is open to all. ON COURSE Staff Photo/Mike Dowd Dr. John Eckel The forensic anthropologist's testimony is expected on Mon- day. Here's a look at educational opportunities around the North Country: Choiy Central Rural School PTO Aerobics: Eight weeks, Mon- days, starting Oct. 16, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. Fee: $25. Those attending Monday may attend Tuesday and Thursday free of charge. Video Work Out: Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting Oct. 17, from 6 to 7 p.m. Fee: $5. There is no need to sign up. For information, call Kathy Ryan at 846-7505 or Pam Moser at 846- 8304. Clinton Community College \Experienced\ Notary Public Seminar: Nov. 1 from 9 a.m. to noon. Fee: $65, Intra/lnter-Agency Grant Writing — Increasing Proposal Quality (Syn- thesis, Analysis, Evaluation): Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Fee: $52. Five-Hour Pre-Licensing: Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fee: $20. Using Sign Language With Songs: Saturdays, Nov. 4 to Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to noon. Fee: $50. Meditation and Guided Imagery: Nov. 4 and 11 from noon to 2 p.m. Fee: $20. Baby-Sitting: Nov. 4 from 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Fee: $35. Basic Body Conditioning: Tues- days and Thursdays, Nov. 7 to Dec. 5, from 2 to 4 p.m. Fee: $58. Be On A Winning Team: Nov. 8 from 1 to 5 p.m. Fee: $20. Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency Awareness I: Nov. 8 and 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. Fee: $20. Computer Networks For Business: Nov. 11 from 9 a.m. to noon. Fee: $15. Total Image Consulting: Nov. 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Fee: $12. Intermediate Quilting: Nov. 11 from 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Fee: $45. Introduction to Lotus 1-2-3 (Ver- sion 2.4): Mondays and Wednes- days, Nov. 13 to Dec. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. Fee: $66. WordPerfect I: Session A — Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nov. 14 to Dec. 7, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; Session B — Mondays and Wednes- days, Nov. 13 to Dec. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. Fee: $66. Board, Senior Management, and Volunteer Issues in Not-For-Profit Corporations: Nov. 13 and 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. Fee: $40. DBase Illplus: Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nov. 14 to Dec. 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. Fee: $66. It Can Wait! (\Procrastina- tion?\): Nov. 14 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Fee: $13. Don't Fall Off That Roof! or Common-Sense Construction Safe- ty: Nov. 29 and Dec. 6 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Fee: $20. To register or for more informa- tion, call the Division of Continu- ing Education at 562-4143. American Red Cross Basic First Aid for Children In- structor Course: Oct. 23 and 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. Fee: $10. Basic First Aid for Children Course: For children 8 to 11 years old. Fee: $25. Community First Aid & Safety Instructor Course: Oct. 23 and 25 and Nov. 5, 8, 13 and 15. Fee: $60. Pre-register at the Red Cross of- fice, East Main Street, Malone. Call 483-2360 for more informa- tion. North Country Community College, Malone Introduction to Windows 3.1: Oct. 13, 20 and 27, from 7 to 9 p.m. Shorthand I: Oct. 16 to Dec. 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. Introduction to Medical Termi- nology: Six sessions, Oct. 17, 24 and 31, and Nov. 7, 14 and.21, from 7 to 9 p.m. Introduction to dBASE III: Oct. 18 and 25 and Nov. 1 and 8, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Introduction to Quicken for Windows: Oct. 18 and 25 and Nov. 1, from 7 to 9 p.m. Medical Transcription: Six ses- sions, Oct. 19 and 26 and Nov. 2, 9, 16 and 30, from 7 to 9 p.m. Introduction to Word Processing I: Oct. 21 and 28 from 1 to 5 p.m. Introduction to DOS: Oct. 21 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Notary Public Exam Prep: Oct. 23 from 6 to 9 p.m. Alcohol and Other Drugs Primer: Oct. 24 and 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Introduction to Word Processing II: Nov. 11 and 18 from 7 to 9 p.m. Introduction to PCs for Begin- ners: Nov. 4, 11 and 18, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Five Hour Pre-Licensing: Two sessions, Nov. 6 and 7 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. or Nov. 27 and 28 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. For further information and reg- istration, contact NCCC at 483- 4550. North Country Community College, Ticonderoga Adirondack Mysteries: Five Mondays starting Oct. 23, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Ticonderoga's Hancock House. Fee: $30. Regis- ter at North Country Community College's Ticonderoga business of- fice in the Community Building on Montcalm Street. For more infor- mation call 585-4454.
