Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 70

NEW MEXICO METRO Sunday, January 16, 1994 Albuquerque Journal Page 22, Section'lE Crowd Debate Health Care 1FI 1 1 PAUL BEARCE JOURNAL Portales High School mock trial competitors (from left) Tasha their case during Saturday's meet. Peters, Nadar Deghan, Brandon of the MM "We're losing out big he said. "When my daughter is sick I can't afford to take her to the doctor This is America. We can afford to do a better job." Small-business owners Brian and Carol Smith say they are at the mercy of insurers who care more about profit than health coverage. Employers of fewer thanj10 employees often pay more formless coverage, she said.

Schiff provided a comparison of comprehensive health plans in Congress President Clinton's proposal and four others. The plan Congress eventually adopts likely will be a compromise between the government-run national health-care system Clinton proposes and the more conservative plans that address specific inadequacies in the current health system, he said. Schiff said Clinton had identified accurately the problems that leave many people out of the current health system those who aren't insured because of pre-existing health conditions, difficulties in obtaining health care in rural areas, the uninsured and those who may lose insurance and access to health care when they move or change employers. But he isn't sure that the Clinton plan is the best approach. Schiff said he favors competing regional health-care providers without obligations for everyone to belong.

"Then you can join whichever one you choose," Schiff said. Schiff said he will continue his issue-focused town meetings on Tuesday with the topic of crime and gang violence at Manzano High School lecture hall from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday the topic is welfare reform from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at.

Del Norte High School cafeteria. An earlier meeting on congressional reform will be repeated on Jan. 29 at a location to be arranged, Schiff said. Schiff Outlines Possible Reforms By Donna Olmstead JOURNAL STAFF WRITER About 100 people came to talk to Rep. Steve Schiff, Saturday about national health-care reform.

But they didn't all agree. A slight majority of those attending his forum on health-care issues favored keeping a free enterprise approach to health care, but with reforms. Others wanted a system patterned after Canada's where the government contracts services from health professionals. One problem with the Canadian system, Schiff said, deals with capped medical payments when the money runs out, health care runs out. For example, Canadians were without health care recently for three weeks, except for emergency services, because the budget had been spent, Schiff said.

"Then it's take two aspirin and call me at the first of the fiscal year," Schiff said. One speaker said he was unwilling to turn over one-seventh of the country's total economy to the government to provide health care because of what he has seen of the inefficiency of government-run operations. The man said it was too early to compare details of plans when the main question of reallocating that much money from private industry to government control remains unanswered. "Why do we lose ourselves in minute details before we even answer this question," the man said. "I say, One speaker, Jonathan Siegel, said the health system as it exists doesn't work for many people.

As a self-employed businessman, he is "grossly underinsured." Taste of Courtroom Mock Trial By Phill Casaus JOURNAL STAFF WRITER The temptation is to describe a high school mock trial competition by using all the legal-eagle cliches whoops, sorry a layman can take. But just mention the words "L.A. Law" to a would-be litigator during this weekend's meet at Cibola High School, and th looks get absolutely frosty. "L.A. Law" is show business, buddy.

This this is as close to The Real Thing as a high school kid can get without losing his or her eligibility for the senior prom. "TV just glorifies it," sniffs La Cueva High School senior Krista Nuttall. "But so much on TV is totally different from the way it actually happens." Touching the courtroom setting, up close and personal, is precisely what brought six high school mock trial teams from around the state to Cibola on Saturday. The meet is a warmup to the more important regional and state competitions later this spring and by the looks of things, may be a preview of the New Mexico Bar's Class of 2001. "Some of these kids," marvels local attorney Rudy Chavez, "are better than some of the lawyers I see in court." Naturally, perhaps, not every competitor wants a future in law.

And in truth, mock trial events are designed more to help students think on their feet than to serve as Police Search State For Missing Teen Cibola's Chris VanThillo testifies during questioning from Portales' "prosecution" team during a mock sexual harassment trial. injustice in it. That's why I like it so much. I want to tell them that this will happen; this is what's wrong; this is what we need to do to fix it." There's not a lot of glory in being a young lawyer. The crowds and reporters and pep rallies usually follow the sports teams, not kids carrying leather briefcases.

Even the heaters are missing in action Cibola's frigid auditorium had the ambience of a meat locker Saturday. "It's not like I'm anti-sports," says Cibola's Jenna Gutierrez, who serves as a student trainer for the Cougars' basketball team. "But it'd be nice to get more people here. I think people feel better when they're being supported." Johnson and Tim White prepare Law The support that does exist big meets are sponsored by the New Mexico Bar Foundation is heartfelt. Parents watch in ecstasy as their kids make a closing argument with the verbal punch of a ball-peen hammer.

Teammates slap high fives with witnesses who refused to crack under pressure. "It's fun," says Los Alamos senior Kenji Gjovig. "I like the discussion. It's fun to watch both sides make valid points." Winners are judged by the persuasiveness of their arguments and the believability of their witnesses. To wit: Saturday's battles revolved around a sexual harassment case involving a young female lawyer and her more experienced male boss.

Depending on your point of view, the boss either suffered from a severe case of roaming hands, or his junior associate was too sensitive. On both sides, lawyers and witnesses talked with reckless abandon. In that respect, it was closer to the L.A. Raiders than to "L.A. Law:" Just win, baby.

"I guess it's like an attitude you have to have," says Kimberlee Brazell. "I mean, it's subtle; it's not like, 'Oh, I'm gonna kick your anything like like that. But it's the way you carry yourself. If you have your shoulders back and your head held high, you're going to be OK." In other words, you're going to be a lawyer. At least, for now.

Suspect Side Gives Teens The competition continues today at Cibola High School at 9 a.m. The championship round begins at 1 :30 p.m. The six high schools competing are: Alamogordo, Albuquerque High, Cibola, La Cueva, Los Alamos, Portales. a training ground for junior lawyers. "Just from the confidence it gives kids, you can tell how much it helps," says longtime La Cueva High School sponsor Larry Gore, whose team is the defending state titlist and finished among the nation's top 10 in 1993.

"The research skills it builds, the going through a case over and over it really sticks." Still, being the best attorney, now and in the future, is what drives some of the competitors. They love the endless preparations (some teams practice as many as 10V2 hours a week), the opening and closing arguments, and best of all, winning. At age 17, this is the next best thing to being a member of the bar. "I like to argue just ask my mother; she'll give you a quote about that," says Cibola senior Kimberlee Brazell, who aspires to earning a legal degree. "But there's just something about it for me.

I see a case, and I just see the police spokeswoman Mary Molina Mescall. Police had not yet located any relatives as of late Saturday. The driver, Enrique Ramos, 42, also from Albuquerque, was driving north on San Mateo at about 2 a.m. near Palo Duro when his car hit the median, then swerved across the road, hitting Shope and a guardrail before flipping and rolling, Mescall said. Ramos was taken to University Hospital, where he was listed in satisfactory condition Saturday afternoon, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Raul Pefia, 21, a passenger in the car, was taken to St. Joseph Hospital, where he was listed in satisfactory condition, suffering from bro- Store Owner ucts supply store shortly after he entered the store about 9:45 a.m. The man had tried to rob Walker and ordered him back to his office to get his money, police say. But when Walker got to his office, he slammed the door in the man's face, hoping he would go away. He pulled his 9mm gun from his coat, which hung on the back of the door, Walker said.

Then Reed allegedly crashed through a partion wall that closed the office from the store, Walker said. "I was afraid I would die," Walker Pedestrian Struck, IKilled on San Mateo Police spokeswoman Mary Molina Mescall said police fear foul play may be involved because they determined that his failure to return home was out of character. He dropped out of high school and was Francia: Last seen at 1 0 eatery's parking lot scheduled to take a test this week to get his general equivalency diploma, according to his father. "He was a real shy kid" who was very responsible, Larry Francia said. He worked part-time at a Taco Bell and lived at home.

He was driving a white-anctred 1978 Chevrolet Camaro. "It was his mother's car, and 'he would know never to stay out late in his mother's car," Francia said. "He was very careful about that." As of Saturday afternoon, friends and family had distributed more than 6,000 fliers throughout the state. Anyone with any information about Jonathan Francia can call the family at 247-3253 or 243-0209. APD also is taking calls at 768-1986.

Attacks Cop returned. Joachem arraigned Saturday on the coil-' spiracy and assault charges and" was being held on $10,000 bond on the escape charge. Jail records indicated that'' Joachem had been shortly before Thanksgiving-' from a $250,000 bond.He origi-' nally was held on charges of rob. bery while armed with a weapon, aggravated battery and aggravated assault stemming4 from a June 18 incident. Albuquerque television station KOAT-TV reported that" Joachem pulled a gun and' attempted to fire at a Santa Fe' police officer at about 2:30 a.mr Saturday.

ts i 'v, 's- By Steve O'Neil JOURNAL STAFF WRITER Police agencies throughout New Mexico are conducting a statewide search for an Albuquerque youth who disappeared Wednesday evening. Jonathan Francia, 16, was last seen in his mother's Camaro at the JB's restaurant parking lot, 904 Medical Arts NE, Wednesday sometime between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., according to his parents, Larry and Betty Francia. Jonathan had driven a friend to the JB's to pick up a paycheck. When the friend returned to the parking lot, Jonathan was gone.

"He is the type of kid that always calls us if he is going to be late. If he is going to be a half an hour late, he'll call," Larry Francia said. "This is so out of character for him just to take off. He would never do that." He was wearing blue pants and a blue flannel shirt with a hood, according to his parents. He is 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds.

The last school he attended was Albuquerque High School. "If the person who has my son wants the car they can have it. I just want my son back," Larry Francia said. "There is no way I can replace my son." Man Allegedly THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SANTA FE A Santa Fe man was arraigned Saturday on charges stemming from an apparent attack on a police officer after the man allegedly pointed a gun at the officer and tried to fire. Nick Gonzalez, director of the Santa Fe County Detention Center, said James Joachem, 19, was being held late Saturday on charges that included conspiracy, assault with intent to commit a violent felony on a peace officer and escape from custody.1 Gonzalez said Joachem, 19, left the jail on furlough shortly before Thanksgiving and never JEFFREY MARTINEZ JOURNAL Albuquerque firefighters use the "Jaws of Life" to free the driver of a car involved in a fatal accident early Saturday.

ken ribs and chest injuries. woman. Two other passengers, Raul Gar- cia, 41, and Claude Garcia, 31, were Pohce are continuing to investigated and released from Presby- gate the accident and have not terian Hospital Saturday morning, issued any citations yet, Mescall according to a hospital spokes- vsaid. 1 Alcohol, Speeding May I Be Factors, Police Say Steve O'Neil JOURNAL STAFF WRITER I An Albuquerque man walking along San Mateo was killed early Friday when he was struck by a car 'that then hit a guardrail and rolled, "according to police. The driver and three passengers injured.

Police said it appeared the driver was speeding and that alcohol was involved, but they did not elaborate. Joseph Shope, who was believed to be in his 30s, was pronounced Jdead at the scene, according to IS. Broadway By Donna Olmstead I JOURNAL STAFF WRITER A South Broadway business own-er shot and seriously wounded a 'suspected armed robber Saturday Imorning, according to police. Douglas Reed, 45, was shot seven ov eight times in the arm, face and chest. He was in serious condition at University Hospital late Saturday.

Business owner Willie Walker, 38, said he thought he was going to die Reed allegedly pulled a gun on him and crashed through a partion in his hair-prod- Guns Down said. "It was all reflex, you know. I had never shot anybody in my life. I fired and then my gun jammed and I ran outside. I thank God I'm alive.

I hope the man doesn't die." Walker said he moved to Albuquerque four years ago and will not let this robbery attempt run him out of the neighborhood. Reed underwent surgery and returned from recovery about 8:30 p.m., hospital spokeswoman LeAnn McCorkindale said Saturday. Police spokeswoman Mary Molina Mescall said Reed is under police hold while they investigate. Reed is the third suspected robber in as many weeks in Albuquerque shot by private citizens. Eddie Torres, an Albuquerque teen-ager, remains in University Hospital in satisfactory condition after being shot when he allegedly beat and attempted to rob a 63-year-old man on his morning walk.

That incident happened about 6 a.m. Jan. 9 at Bridge and Sunset SW. Two weeks ago, a Iorth Valley businessman and an alleged robber, 20-year-old Robert Benavidez, shot each other at a Second Street NW recycling business. 4.

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