The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 239

18A THE PALM BEACH POST FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1989 DadeBrowardState New Miami airport drug team hauls in 385 pounds of cocaine By JOHN FERNANDEZ Palm Beach Post Staff Writer MIAMI A new cargo inspection team formed by U.S. Customs agents and Florida National Guardsmen at Miami International Airport has seized 385 pounds of cocaine aboard flights from Panama and Guatemala, Customs officials said Thursday. The seizures were made by members of "Operation Guardian," the joint venture launched four weeks ago at the Miami airport and Florida seaports to increase the manpower searching for drugs in cargo containers. Sixty-four guardsmen are participating in the program, 32 at the airport and 32 split into three groups to serve at the Port of Miami, Port Everglades and the Port of Palm Beach. No drugs have been found at the ports.

Customs officials say the increased inspections at the ports, including the presence of National Guard soldiers in Army fatigues, have helped deter smugglers from shipping their goods through South Florida. "It's just sheer deterrence," Customs spokesman Michael Sheehan said. Guardsmen at the airport who inspect random shipments on flights from Latin America scored their first success May 8. After boarding a flight from La Aurora, Guatemala, they discovered 125 pounds of cocaine in a container near the cargo door. On May 20, the same team found 260 pounds in two boxes containing clothing on a flight from Panama City.

Thomas Mattina, Customs' district director for South Florida, said at a news conference Thursday that no arrests have been made in connection with the seizures. Mattina refused to identify the airlines involved. An increase in drug smuggling through cargo shipments in the past two years prompted Customs officials to team up with the National Guard. The new operation allows authorities to inspect more than 40 percent of the containers coming through South Florida ports, Customs spokesmen said. In the past, Customs only scrutinized about 20 percent of the cargo ships.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Grape Expectations Jimmie, a 426-pound gorilla, opens up a wide target for a grape being thrown by his keeper at Miami's Metrozoo on Thursday. Country singer admits cocaine use vith murder suspect 5 A. Jt Minister sues over prayer day By RON HAYES Palm Beach Post Staff Writer JACKSONVILLE A Lutheran minister won't be irreparably harmed if a city-sponsored day of prayer occurs on June 30 precisely because he is a minister, the city's general counsel argued in federal court here Thursday. "The complaint says he will be injured because the resolution endorses private and public prayer;" James Harrison told U.S. District Judge Howell Melton during the 90-minute hearing.

"It's a strange argument at best." "Surely it's quite strange this Lutheran theologian would not want religion advanced," Harrison said. "I don't know how he can be harmed." Joseph Allen, a Lutheran minister with a doctorate in theology, sued the city of Jacksonville on May 17 after Mayor Thomas Ha-zouri signed an emergency resolution calling for a day of "non-denominational, voluntary prayer, meditation, personal commitment or other appropriate solemn dedication" against crack cocaine. Melton said he rule on the suit by the end of next week. Councilwoman Ginny Myrick, who sponsored the resolution, said it was introduced under "emergency" guidelines to emphasize the severity of the city's crack cocaine problem. The resolution was approved unanimously by the 19-member city council.

Allen's lawyer, Matt Farmer, said his client's theological background strengthened his position. In arguing for a preliminary injunction against the event, Farmer said that while the resolution has a secular purpose fighting crack cocaine it is still unconstitutional because it promotes prayer. The state cannot pursue secular ends through religious means, Farmer asserted. "Where is the state-sponsored prayer here?" Melton asked. No specific prayer is prescribed, Farmer conceded, but the resolution still promotes prayer by advocating a day for it.

In arguing for the day of prayer, Harrison drew an analogy between the various options called for in the resolution prayer, meditation or solemn commitment and nativity scenes that courts have tolerated on public property when a Santa Claus and elves are also present. "This resolution includes everyone," Harrison said. "Those who pray are favored no more than those who don't pray." The Associated Press MIAMI Country singer Tanya Tucker admitted using cocaine at a Colorado resort with a Miami woman later implicated in her husband's slaying. Tucker was drawn into the investigation of the slaying of millionaire builder Stanley Cohen after spending an evening with his wife, Joyce Cohen, as Mrs. Cohen described her failing marriage a month before Cohen was shot to death in bed.

Prosecutors charge Mrs. Cohen hired three hit men to kill her husband with his own gun because she feared a divorce would leave her penniless. Tucker gave a deposition about her late-night conversation with Mrs. Cohen about a month after the murder. The statement was made public Wednesday.

According to the statement, Tucker literally bumped into Mrs. Cohen at a ski chalet called Rendezvous in Steam But again, it was late and I wasn't thinking real clearly." Tucker said she and Mrs. Cohen shared some cocaine during their conversation. Mrs. Cohen called Tucker at her Nashville home at 2 a.m.

one night shortly before the murder. "She didn't mention anything about any problems," Tucker said. "She sounded real happy." boat Springs, in February 1986. Later that night, Tucker didn't have a ride home, so Mrs. Cohen invited her to her posh vacation home.

Asked if Mrs. Cohen mentioned wanting to kill her husband, Tucker said: "No, I don't recall her saying that to me." Investigators noted there was some hesitation in her voice. She responded: "Well, I think I would have remembered something like that. Janya Tucker ITfcAVC YIN mi ip SUMMER SAVINGS SPECTACULAR "For the next 4 days only at ALL WORLD OF SOUND LOCATIONS you can start your summer right with some super-savings on audio, video and car stereo electronics at our SUMMER SAVINGS SPECTACULAR. Hurry, many items are limited availability and all are subject to prior sale.

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Dixon's attorney said his client could have received the death penalty if the case went to trial. Robbery suspect caught LARGO Investigators say they have captured a robber nicknamed "Fumbles" after he walked into a Palm Harbor bank in 1984, drew his gun, tripped and fell. Ross James Preston, 29, was arrested and charged with robbing a Clearwater bank of $7,000. He is suspected of at least 32 bank robberies in Florida since 1984. TV star's ticket erased ORLANDO Superboy wasn't going faster than a speeding bullet, but he moved quickly to get a $52 ticket for reckless driving erased from his record.

"We do it all the time," said Sgt. Steve Jones, an aide to Sheriff Walt Gallagher, about tearing up the citation issued to John Newton. Newton, 23, star of the television series Superboy that is filmed in Orlando, was ticketed in January after almost hitting a deputy's patrol car in a parking lot. Beach mouse endangered ST. AUGUSTINE The Ana-stasia Island beach mouse, found only on the coastal dunes of the St.

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