The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 1

Education in U.S. 'appalling' Story on 7A riccnwalking becomes Video Story in game Living (Copyright 1990 A GANNETT NEWSPAPER Recipes for pet lovers Story in Food 6 Sections 35 cents Volume 85, No. 9 Nashville, Tennessee Second daw postage paid at Nashville, TN The FENNESSEAN NES provides free vehicles pl 4.VU-:.1 J. nnn ri mirrf to 48 officials 'i i. I 111 1 111 II I V-'''- then home, but are not supposed to be used outside of business.

Quite a few of those on the list for cars are subject to being called into work during emergencies when ice storms or other service interruptions occur, NES spokesman Woody McMil-linsaid. Controversy has been swirling around NES with rank-and-file employees complaining of having no new contract as it came to light that the Power Board voted in $5,832 a month in deferred compensation for Phillips. The plan would be in effect for 60 months or until Phillips leaves NES. The money, on top of his $87,500 annual salary, is intended for his retirement benefits package since he is 62 and might retire before the 10 years required for such benefits, off i-cialssaid. The salary of the NES general manager was elevated above the salary of TVA Chairman Marvin Runyon's $85,000 in 1988 when Norman Anderson was at the NES helm.

Phillips took over as general mana- I Turn to PAGE 5A, Column 1 ANNE PAINE and LINDA MOORE Staff Writers Forty-eight officials of Nashville Electric Service almost half of whom make more than $50,000 a year have automobiles provided free. Tne list doesn't yet include new General Manager J. Dudley Phillips. A 1990 twilight blue, clearcoat-metal-lic Ford Crown Victoria is on order for him at a cost of about $1 6,250, records show. The cars include free gas and licenses and are assigned to such staff members as Eddie Voekel, manager of purchasing, and attorney Eugene Ward, as well as a few field supervisors.

1 Whether power consumers' money is appropriately spent on cars for NES officials has been questioned. "The board has looked into that from time to time," Nashville Electric Power Board chairwoman Juli Mosley said last night "They're aware of it Perhaps it's time to look at it again." The vehicles are for 24-hour, seven-day-a-week use, an official said. They are driven to and from work, and P.Casey Daley Staff University School students Sara Lubow, 16, Sharon Pincus, 17, and Julie Mosow, 14, help surround anti-abortion demonstrators in order to block out their message during an abortion rights rally at Legislative Plaza. Gaire Perey of Oak Ridge makes her sentiments clear. Crowd tells lawmakers to keep abortion legal RAY WADDLE Religion News Editor About 600 abortion rights partisans toted and shouted slogans at the Legisla Governor: Up power of Attorney general Suggests controversial prosecutorial role 10 ca is mobilizing to make itself heard since last summer's Webster vs.

Reproductive Health Services decision by the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the right of states to restrict ac- cess to abortion. "The Reagan-Bush-Webster decision has activated the majority of people in the United States and made you a presence," state Sen. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, told the rally. "There will be abortion in this nation regardless of what Tennessee lawmakers do.

The issue is whether it will be legal and safe or illegal and unsafe." Former Metro Council member Betty Nixon urged the group to "speak with a calm voice" to convey to elected officials that government has no right telling women how to decide the always "complicated, difficult" question of abortion. "What we're saying is a woman's decision on what to do when faced with an unwanted Turn to PAGE 2A, Column 6 i tive Plaza yesterday to make sure newly as- sembled legislators hear their demands to keep abortion "safe and legal." Rally participants denounced anti-abor-" tion activists as extremists who want to im- pose "coercive motherhood" on America. Some of them verbally skirmished with nents who brought placards showing gruesome pictures of disposed fetuses. "It's too personal to be dictated by the government," said Carolyn James of Nashville, who attended the noon-hour rally. "Freedom is sweeping across the world.

It's regressive for us to go back. But I would add that abortion is never a happy thing. Nobody's really for abortion. If just that every child should be a wanted child." Speakers took turns praising the rally as a sign that the "pro-choice majority" in Ameri 1 JIMO'IIARA and PHIL WILLIAMS Staff Writers The state attorney general should have unlimited statewide power to prosecute criminals, especially in public corruption cases, Gov. Ned McWherter said yesterday.

The Democrat's stand is sure to stir political waves across Tennessee because local district attorneys general have bitterly and successfully fought past attempts to give even limited prosecutorial powers to the attorney general. Local prosecutors have the authority to start prosecutions and conduct grand juries while the attorney general handles criminal cases on appeal. "I believe the attorney general of Tennessee needs that authority to prosecute," McWherter told reporters in his Capitol office. "I believe that would be of service to the people of Tennessee." His surprise announcement stunned veteran legislative reporters Ordered not to assemble Police to be ready for Elan gatherings HIGH 55 low 35 See 2A who have watched the politically powerful local prosecutors snuff out other such proposals, and the governor was asked if he meant to limit his suggestion. "I wouldn't" he said.

At the same time, he acknowledged a compromise might be the only legislation possible and recalled his unsuccessful attempt as House speaker to give the attorney general prosecutorial power under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act. "It was the toughest bill I ever tried to pass as speaker." McWherter is not proposing a bill to give the attorney general prosecutorial power at this time, but he said he might if legislators don't try. "This is my opinion," he said. "If they want to pursue it fine. If they don't I'd consider proposing it" He said it is not just the current statewide investigation into public corruption, code-named "Rocky I Turn to PAGE 2A, Column 1 Court hears Bible club arguments WASHINGTON (AP) The Bush administration urged the Supreme Court yesterday to allow student Bible and prayer groups to meet on public school grounds, arguing that such a ruling would preserve religious freedom.

However, a lawyer for Omaha, school officials, whose refusal to approve a Bible-reading club led to the case, said education administrators must have the authority to make such decisions. In another case, the Supreme Court ruled that colleges and universities generally must disclose confidential peer review records when accused of illegally denying tenure to a faculty member. Solicitor General Kenneth W. Starr, the administration's chief courtroom lawyer, urged the court to interpret expansively a 1 984 federal law aimed at permitting religious clubs in public high schools. As envisioned by Congress, the Equal Access Act's "primary thrust was to protect religious liberty," Starr said.

"It's quite clear the purpose of the act was to eliminate discrimination against religious groups." Opponents of the 1984 law say it fr Turn to PAGE 7A1Column 1 1 THIS SECTION. Editorials. National News Newsmakers World News 8-9A 6-7A 3A 3-4A Gamblers took risks, lost lives TODD EISENSTADT Staff Writer William C. (Crip) Richardson and William T. Gillespie led "high-risk lifestyles" that police believe may have gotten them killed.

Richardson, 66, nicknamed Crip because of a World War II injury that left him with a limp and without the use of one hand, had been convicted of killing a man in a dice game in 1982. Gillespie, 41, an employee in Richardson's Old Hickory poolroom, had convictions for assault and drug possession. Both were found shot to death in the makeshift poolroom last May 7. Police say Richardson was in the doorway, headed into the building. Officers say Gillespie was shot execution-style.

He was forced to his hands and knees and shot once in the back of the head. "These two individuals both had lengthy criminal records," said Metro Police Maj. Pat Griffin, head of the department's Criminal Investigation Division. "They both lived a high-risk lifestyle. From information we've gotten, they both possessed a large amount of narcotics and money that night "Crip had a dice game going on, that's how he made his living," Griffin said.

"But we don't think that was the main motive." Detective Grady Eleam of the I Metro Murder Squad which handles unsolved cases said investigators are convinced the motive for the double slaying was robbery. "It's going to be more of a robbery than a dice game." Though police said they found $100 on Richardson's body, they said his wallet was missing. That and reports he was known to carry thousands of dollars are what police say prompts them to stick with the robbery theory. Gillespie had $31 in his wallet which was not taken, theysaid. Police said they found a pile of coins lying on the felt table top of Richardson's suburban "Good Time House," 134 Capital St, in the Hopewell community near Old Hickory.

The deaths of Richardson and Gil- lespie are two of Nashville's 1 1 unsolved homicide cases of 1989. Richardson, who lived at 1723 10th Ave. Nn had a long arrest history including convictions for gambling, bootlegging and murder. Gillespie had been convicted of auto theft, drug possession and assault Richardson rented the garage of a house and ran a two-table pool operation in it A longtime friend found the bodies after driving by the building around 8 am. May 7.

The friend noticed lights on in the poolroom and Richardson's brown Cadillac parked outside. Richardson had been shot several times and his body was lying partly under the front pool table. Gillespie, who resided at 1810 10th Ave. N. down the street from Rich- Turn to PAGE 2A, Column 3 "If the people in Pulaski don't like it, they can kiss our robes." Shepherd said he does not believe the Klan would be violating Nixon's ruling by making an appearance.

Nixon's ruling was prompted by a suit filed by the organization to override a city ordinance blocking the parade. Henry disagrees. "In my opinion, it would be a violation," Henry said. "If what I've read in the newspapers is correct it could mean we'll have a confrontation here." Whatever the case, Henry and Pulaski Police Chief Stanley Newton said they will have ample security for Saturday's events. "We'll have some kind of plan in place," said Newton.

He said the Giles County Sheriffs Department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol will assist his officers. In yesterday's ruling drafted for Nixon by U.S. Magistrate Kent San-didge, the court found the Klan was rightfully denied permission to use high school facilities because another event was scheduled there. "It is reasonable and constitutionally permissible for Giles County to prohibit a group from using its high school on the date for which another group has reserved the facility," the order says. Thirteen games of the Biddy Basketball League are slated for Saturday in the school gym, it says.

The Klan "has no legal or constitu- Turn to PAGE SA. Column I ALAN BOST1CK Staff Writer The Ku Klux Man plans assemblies Saturday at the high school and courthouse in Pulaski, in conflict with a federal judge's order, and city officials are bracing for a confrontation. U.S. District Judge John T. Nixon, through a federal magistrate, Issued a ruling yesterday that blocks the Klan from convening at Giles County High School Saturday morning.

He had already ruled that the Klan could not parade Saturday around the courthouse in Pulaski, as it has done the last four years on the weekend preceding the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, because another parade had already obtained the necessary permit A press conference planned by the Klan at the Giles County Courthouse apparently violates that ruling of last week because it constitutes a "meeting" or "demonstration," events treated like parades in the applicable city ordinance, City Attorney Jack Henry said. Despite the two rulings, a Klan spokesman confirmed yesterday that the Klan Intends to assemble Saturday in Pulaski at both the Giles County High School and the Giles County Courthouse. "We're Americans, and we've got the right to be in Pulaski or in Lawrenceburg or wherever we want to be," said Scott Shepherd, director of the West Tennessee Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Metro State Business Classified Deaths Neighborhood News Stocks.

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