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Show Page D8 THE DAILY HERALD, Provo, Utah, Thursday, October 13, 1994 Clinton's stance can't hurt politically cheers. By TOM RAUM Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON -of ly to tell how much It is too eara political "bump" President Clinton and fellow Democrats might get from his handling of the Iraqi crisis. But it certainly can't hurt. With the recovering economy not bestowing any surprisingly help in the polls, Clinton needs whatever boost he can get, even if it's from an area he's often accused of giving short shrift, foreign" poli- A -- - -- J s cy. Clinton's aides are under instructions not to talk about any possible political advantages that might be reaped from Clinton's V. showdown with Saddam Hussein. Unlike President Bush who stumped in the 1990 midterm elections regularly denouncing "the butcher of Baghdad," Clinton isn't mentioning the situation in his political speeches. But he was quick to mention it and the apparently successful policy in Haiti in his Oval Office address to the nation Monday night. In any event, his moves so far including the quick deployment of tens of thousands of U.S. troops has received bipartisan support. And, taken with the departure of Lt. Gen. Raoul Cedras as Haiti's military leader, the week's developments might help enhance Clinton's presidential image a makeover he sorely needs. A few clearcut victories could go a long way in erasing 20 months AP Photo Randy Ertman is restrained Tuesday in Houston killing his daughter and a friend. All five were sentenced to death for the July 1993 slayings of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena. outside the courtroom where he addressed three of the five gang members convicted of Angry dads confront gang members By LAURA TOLLEY Associated Press Wrjter - HOUSTON The two grieving fathers had sat silently in court over the last year, listening of how their to descriptions daughters were savagely raped, beaten and strangled by gang members. On Tuesday, over objections from defense attorneys, they finally got their chance to confront three of the killers. "We live for the day that you die," a tearful, Randy Ertman said Tuesday after the three defendants were sentenced to death. "You are baby kil' red-fac- ed lers." The men confronted their daughters' killers under a Texas law that allows victims or surviving relatives to speak at "I wish that these guys could get executed the way (our daughters) did and be left out there, just left there on the ground to die," said Adolf Pena. "You are worse than spit," Ertman said. "You belong in hell." Efrain Perez, 18, Raul Villar-rea- l, 18, and Joe Medellin, 19, showed no emotion during the fathers' speeches. They were Two other gang members, Pe- ter Cantu and Derrick Sean O'Brien, both 19, had already been sentenced to die in the case. A sixth defendant, Vinny Medel-ligot 40 years because he was ajuvenile. Although more than 400 people were murdered in Houston last year, the girls' murders n, stood out. In June 1993, Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, were taking a shortcut home from a party around 1 1:30 p.m. when they came upon six youths drinking and holding a gang in- itiation. The gang members grabbed the girls and took turns raping them for an hour before stomping and strangling them. The bodies were found four days later. Prosecutors said the sen- tencing was delayed a few weeks to let emotions subside. Still, the courtroom was filled with tearful relatives of the victims and the defendants. Defense attorney Ricardo Rodriguez said the proceeding lacked dignity. "I think it was a three-rin- g circus in there," he said. Such courtroom confrontations stem from the growing victims' rights movement. Thirty-fiv- e convicted last month. states permit victims to 'speak at sentencing, according to the Arlington, Va. -- based National Victims' Center. Five other states allow statements from victims to be read at sentencing. After the hearing, a shouting and shoving match erupted in the of criticism that his foreign policy has been indecisive and ineffective, although no one in Clinton's camp expects too much given deep voter cynicism and the fact that hallway among relatives from both sides. No one was injured and deputies quickly stepped in to separate the groups. It wasn't the first time the case had turned confrontational. During the trials, the victims' relatives shouted at death penalty opponents who were picketing the By WAYNE WOOLLEY - PHILADELPHIA The young man had a history of excellence, from high school through law school and on to his work at a prestigious law firm. Then one day in thefall of 1992, the lawyer identified in court papers as John Doe Esq. learned he had the HIV virus. That was the beginning of the end of his career at Kohn, Nast & Graf P.C., according to Doe's lawyer, Alan Epstein. As Doe's discrimination lawsuit seeking unspecified damages from the firm went to trial Tuesday, Epstein told the jury that Doe was forced out because he carries the virus that causes AIDS. Epstein identified his client only by his first name Scott. The firm's lawyers, Donald Sweeney and William O'Brien, said Scott was a promising lawyer who simply failed to live up to his potential and the firm's expectations. In September 1991, the firm "hired what was believed to be a dedicated full-tim- e lawyer," Sweeney said. "What they got was a part-tim- e lawyer with major commitments elsewhere." The case has striking parallels to the movie "Philadelphia," but work on the film was already in progress when Scott left. The firm had said the trial should be moved out of the city because jurors might draw parallels between the film and the case. U.S. District Judge Robert S. Gawthrop III denied the request. even though they were told to be civil and to speak to the three judges who had presided over the trials. Defense attorneys repeatedly objected when either man directly addressed the defendants. As the last of the three killers was being led from the court- Annual Percentage Yield The Key Bank MajoiSaver Premium Rate CD. If you're looking for a high return rate on a safe investment, let Key Bank steer you gains. With the possible exception of Virginia Senate candidate Oliver reNorth, Clinton's hard-lin- e Saddam's to massing of sponse troops on the Kuwaiti border has drawn bipartisan accolades. "I think that in this particular ton's visit would help him. "I; didn't ask him to come this time. ; They (the White House) just in- formed me he was going to be here, ' ' Carr told reporters. Stanley Greenberg, Clinton's ; pollster, said the Midwest is "a real battleground," particularly states such as Michigan, Ohio and Illinois that Clinton carried in 1992 ; but where his approval ratings dent Clinton has made exactly the right moves." North, the former figure, clearly was marching in the opposite direction as he accused the administration of "reckless in defense cuts that he said invited Saddam Hussein to test U.S. resolve. That brought rebukes from both ra '. have fallen. Bill Kristol, a former top Bush his Democratic opponent, Sen. Chuck Robb, and Vice President Al Gore, who accused North of "despicable" and "unpatriotic" administration official who now heads the Project for a Republican Future, a conservative think tank, said one lesson he hopes Clinton learned from the current Iraq crisis is "that he can ignore politics and do the right thing on foreign policy" and get credit for it. Ignore politics? Well, maybe so and maybe not. But that, at least, is a view the White House doesn't mind reinforcing. Tom Raum covers the White House for The Associated Press. statements. Clinton continues to stump the country for Democratic candidates, many of whom seem less than enthusiastic about his support although eager for the cash that a sitting president can raise. The president's speech on Tuesday to several hundred auto work- ers at Ford's Dearborn, Mich., Mustang assembly plant drew only only sporadic On October 1, 1994 our rates went up, but you can lock in the old rate for up to two years with this special offer. Simply send this coupon along with your payment by October 25, 1994! Epstein said the firm told Scott to find employment elsewhere solely because it learned that he ' would like to sa ve by prepaying for my ni ytrm JLiCrfhS Daily Herald Subscription! Offer expires He said an administrator then told Scott his legal career would be destroyed if he sued. was HIV-positiv- e. 1555 N. Freedom Blvd. Provo, UT 84606 Phone Address. State City Zip. VisaMasterCard Amount Enclosed Customer Signature The firm's lawyers contend Asher found the letter by accident. They say a founding partner, Harold Kohn, asked for the keys because the company believed Scott was obtaining confidential files at night and on the weekends. , 3 Months: $24.75Carrier $25.50Motor , j: " Exp. . Carrier Tip (Optional) . . 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T Send this portion along with payment October 25, 1994. 5i pr Annual Percentage Yidd to reinvest a maturing CD, or5 just aren't happy with the return On your savings accounts, avoid i financial road blocks by discovering Key Bank's MajorSaver CD. Bottom APT CWy m Miramun drprtl oor crthff promodoml peranum 'UmjtxltfrofeTApuOclubcr31. M. whrther ottered crnmiy ddJ to for it m rim. Annul or m r put or ruut mn bt offered pmor m bfel to dunprdjilj A m o(Sntnnb(r30,IW4 IW pmilty mjy br ntpned lor arty mtWrawil Wtumm dtpoHf by llM Prehwnor Pint jaour a tpf to t nd 12 . Rep. Bob Carr, a Democrat in a tight race for U.S. Senate, told! reporters he didn't know how Clin-- ; offered similar praise. Echoed former Bush Secretary of State James A. Baker III: "I think Presi- polite applause, ; -- proval rating at 50 percent or; more) and, perhaps, not even from candidates he wants to help. situation Bill Clinton has handled the situation exactly right," former Vice President Dan Quayle said a day after former President Bush Iran-Cpnt- : 20-year On The Daily Herald Subscription Costs! to get a higher w foreign policy successes rarely translate into domestic political WMZfflo ..SETT SAW "I'll room, Ertman told him, watch you die, boy." (k Here's igan. He carried the state in 1992. Unemployment is at 5.5 percent, below the national average and a low. And U.S. auto sales are expected to surpass Japan's this year for the first time since 1 979 . But Clinton found little respect not from the auto workers, there not from the Michigan electorate at large (recent polls show his disap- -; courthouse. District Attorney John B. Holmes Jr. didn't attend the hearing, but didn't think it got out of hand. "Both sides have a right to appear at any criminal proceeding at any stage. That emanates from the Constitution," he said. The fathers, who addressed the court from the spectators' gallery, berated the defendants Lawyer with HIV virus suing firm Associated Press Writer Yet, if Clinton should be popular anywhere, it should be in Mich- I CD MmbCTFUC ( " ; |