Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 1

Bills may interview Pom Capers Sports ROCHESTER r. Iff fliMiliiioffiraiiff DemocratandChronicle.com FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2001 50 CENTS NEWSSTAND "The guy stole $10 million 10 years ago." ANTHONY LEONARDO in government videotape, talking to informant about Albert M. Ranieri ft Doas mrflra 2 i 1 CV- fir Prosecutor says Ranieri burned cash im Anthony I onnarrfn represented Albert M. Ranieri's father during tk A MCA IMC rvivi JLI inquiry. discussed drug deals with Leonardo, Ranieri and Graham.

Leonardo had defended Delmonti in the 1980s and befriended him after Delmonti was released from ill: Details surrounding the robbery, as well as a money laundering scheme and plans to distribute several pounds of cocaine a month, were made public yesterday during a six-hour detention hearing in federal court. Ranieri, 36, of Parma, Anthony Leonardo 53, of Penfield and Darryl Gra self-employed mason, and Graham, a former fugitive with an arson conviction, all face up to life in prison if convicted. During the hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Wydysh played nearly 20 recordings, all but one on videotape. On them all, FBI informant Anthony Delmonti, 51, of Cleveland BY STAFF WRITER GREG LIVADAS He had enough money to burn.

That's what prosecutors say Albert M. Ranieri did in a backyard barbecue pit shortly after the armored truck he was driving was robbed of $10.8 million in 1990. INSIDE: Government used cocaine and $200,000 in exchange with defendants; recap of armored truck Givens jury awards her mom $1 million Clinton says bye with a bit of advice FT 'v te Albert M. Ranieri drove the armored truck that was robbed in 1990. prison, prosecutors said.

Hidden cameras placed in rooms at the Holiday Inn, 1111 Jefferson Road, Henrietta, during meetings CLUES, PAGE 6A robbery, PAGE6A Inside Local residents assess legacy of Clinton, 6A Coming Sunday A look back at Clinton's eight years in office. sionate conservative." Clinton ignored his scandals and focused on what he called "an era of great American renewal." "I'm very grateful to be able to turn over the reins of leadership to a new president with America in such a strong position to meet the challenges of the future," he said. Clinton will have the traditional schedule for a departing president tomorrow morning. After the broadcast of his final radio address, he will have coffee with Bush at the White House, then ride with him to the Capitol. After Bush's swearing in, Clinton and his wife, Sen.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, will go to Andrews Air Force Base for a rally with former administration staffers. They will then fly to New York's John F. Kennedy airport for another rally before traveling to their home in Chappaqua, Westchester County. In a dinner with reporters aboard Air Force One Wednesday night, Clinton said he was still working on how to structure his post-presidency. File photo honored for her reinvigora-tion of the college during her four years there, as well as her commitment to women in the workplace and contributions to the community.

STORY, 12D ham, 40, of Buffalo are held without bail, as they have been since their Dec. 29 arrests on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Feldman planned to rule today or early next week on whether to allow the men to post bail. Leonardo, a well-known defense attorney, Ranieri, a "4 3 district and National School Bus Inc.

in state Supreme Court for failing to adequately supervise Stephne and her 12-year-old killer. The killer and her mother were also named in the suit. Givens began hyperventilating as the jury read its verdict. Her mother, Ruby Givens, cried quietly and repeated, "Praise God, praise God." "No money is going to bring my baby back," Givens later said. "There is Some Republican senators defended Ashcroft, saying as he has that he had made an honest assessment of White's record in criminal cases.

White, who had been nominated to the federal bench by President Clinton, was defeated in a party-line vote after Ashcroft spoke against him. In earlier testimony, Ashcroft answered several committee members' questions about his opposition to White, saying he had been deeply troubled by several of the judge's opinions on the Missouri bench. He acknowledged that he regarded White as "pro-criminal" and said that he I 1 I 1 Scheming on screen Brad Pitt brings star power to the amusing and clever "Snatch," 1C Pataki adds to incentive for early tax filers ALBANY BUREAU ERIKA ROSENBERG ALBANY Taxpayers expecting refunds from the state have more reason than ever to file returns early: a new $500 million pot to pay them back more quickly. Gov. George Pataki announced this week as part of his budget address that he is setting aside $960 million, $500 million more than last year, to reimburse taxpayers who file returns weeks before this year's deadline of April 17.

Nearly double the number of filers could receive their refunds by March 31. In the past, early filing did not necessarily mean early refunds, as the state held funds until April 1 as a cushion against deficits in the state's final, January-through-March, fiscal quarter. State law mandated that all refunds on claims submitted by the April deadline be made within three months by July 15 in most years to avoid state liability for interest on late refunds. The quickest way to get a refund, state officials say, is to file electronically. That requires special software or going to a tax preparer.

"E-file is about twice as quick as paper filing," said Taxation and Finance Department spokesman Marc Carey, who estimated the e-filers will receive refunds within two or three weeks. About 1.2 million of the 8 million people filing personal tax returns used computers last year. Carey said that number will rise to 1.5 million this year. Pataki was able to put an additional $500 million toward tax refunds because the state is expected to finish this fiscal year, which ends March 31, with a surplus of nearly $2 billion. Includes reporting by The Associated Press.

SOME SNOW 32 15 Weather 6B CLASSIFIED IE COMICS 6C CROSSWORD 7C DEATHS 2B 10A EDITORIALS 2C HOROSCOPE AC MOVIES 7C TELEVISION For home delivery call: (716) 232-5550 Copyright 2001 Gannett Rochester Newspapers Six Sections Region 00 to GANNETT NEWS SERVICE WASHINGTON President Clinton bid farewell to the American people last night, thanking the country for its support during a two-term presidency that ends tomorrow. "Working together, America has done well," Clinton said. In a speech televised live from the Oval Office, Clinton offered his best wishes to President-elect George W. Bush. But the brief address just more than seven minutes also contained not-so-subtle warnings to Bush against changing some of the guiding principles of Clinton's years in office.

Clinton urged the next administration to "maintain our record of fiscal responsibility," work harder for racial and ethnic harmony and remain engaged in world affairs. Clinton's message on trade was particularly pointed. While urging Bush to continue his free-trade policies, Clinton warned that the new administration must not ignore a growing segment of the world that is not enjoying the benefits of the global economy. "Global poverty is a powder keg that could be ignited by our indifference," he said. The global gap "requires more than compassion it requires action," Clinton said.

Bush's campaign slogan was that he is a "compas- SHAWN DOWD staff photographer Aledia Givens, center, hugs family members after the jury's verdict was read yesterday at the Hall of Justice. The city school district was found partially responsible in her daughter's stabbing death. Stephne Givens 13-year-old died in a fight over a boy in September 1995. whose name was not made public because she was charged as a juvenile, was found guilty in 1996 in Family Court and sentenced to 18 months in a juvenile detention center. Aledia Givens sued the Ashcroft, then a senator, willfully misrepresented his record as a Missouri judge, made unwarranted personal attacks on him and damaged his reputation.

He said he was testifying both to have his say about his judicial record and to let committee members know of his experience with Ashcroft as they considered the nomination. "I deeply resent those baseless misrepresentations. In fact and I want to say this as clearly as I can my record belies those accusations." BY STAFF WRITER LARA BECKER A six-person jury yesterday found the Rochester School District partially responsible for the death of 13-year-old Stephne Givens and awarded Stephne's mother, Aledia Givens, $1 million for her pain and suffering. Stephne was stabbed to death before classes at Jefferson Middle School on Sept. 21, 1995, during a fight about a boy.

Her killer, Keough wins Athena Award Ashcroft accused of distortion 1: so much the community has not heard. They need to know what kind of school we're sending our children to. They need to see how this can happen, so hopefully it will never happen again." The bus company was cleared of any wrongdoing. But the jury found the district to be 43 percent responsible for Stephne's death and her killer 57 percent responsible. GIVENS, PAGE 2A Inside Interior nominee defends her record, 8A Senate panel approves Powell for State, 9A had blocked the nomination because federal judges have enormous power and can even overrule a state supreme court.

Simple arithmetic seems to favor Ashcroft. Republicans have vowed to all vote to confirm him and at least one Democrat, Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia, has said he will vote in favor, giving Ashcroft at least a theoretical majority. It is unclear if there would be enough support 60 votes to break a filibuster, a 1 Judge says attorney general nominee misrepresented him. THE NEW YORK TIMES WASHINGTON Missouri Supreme Court Judge Ronnie White told a Senate panel yesterday that Attorney General-designate John Ashcroft blatantly distorted his record to block White's appointment to the federal bench in 1999.

White, the first black member of the Missouri Supreme Court, was the first and probably the most powerful witness to testify against Ashcroft. White told the Senate Judiciary Committee that The Women's Council of the Greater Rochester Metro Chamber of Commerce honored Katherine E. Keough with the 15th annual Athena Award yesterday. Keough, president of St. John Fisher College, was.