Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 1

1 I Business of dying is jf life for Charles Riles 1 Southern Style, 1C I 1 2nd man held in McDonald's heist StateeMetro, 1B Delta trio fought; only Farmboy Terrell won WEDNESDAY FINAL I Volume 151 No. 238 1 4 sections 36 pages JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI January 20, 1988 TllMfc Mk. Mil Copyright 1988 SDins twisters across state I Il -f I III-" 4 AiJ' T.r Lvy institution bill close to House floor Trouble with Mabus'plan? IB By DAN DAVIS Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer A proposal for a 1989 constitutional convention appears on the brink of breaking a 40-year tradition of rejection by a House committee that has been the graveyard of past reform efforts. With 11 of the House Constitution Committee's 15 members included in the bill's 70 co-sponsors, the measure isn't expected to have any trouble making it to the House floor. Rep.

Ed Perry of Oxford, the Constitution Committee chairman who is a supporter of the bill, has scheduled an organizational meeting of the committee today at 8:30 a.m. "I would hope the committee would begin the process right away," he said. The committee, which in the past was controlled by former Speakers Buddie Newman and Walter Sillers, both of whom opposed a new state charter, has blocked attempts to rewrite the 1890 constitution that critics claim is anti-business, anti-black and antiquated. New Speaker Tim Ford last week picked Perry to head the committee and selected several other members who support constitutional reform. But the bill, which gained the endorsement of Gov.

Ray Mabus on Tuesday, won't get unanimous committee support. Rep. Mike Mills of Aberdeen, a committee member and former proponent of a new constitution, said he has changed his stance on the need for a convention. "I think the present constitution has been wrongly blamed for society's ills in Mississippi," Mills said. "Our problems are historical and social in nature.

No constitution can change the hearts and minds of people." The four committee members who are not among the bill's sponsors are Mills and Reps. Sonny Merideth of Greenville, Will Green Poindexter of Inverness and Morris Lee Scott of Hernando. Mills, who was a member of former Gov. Bill Allain's Constitution Study Commission in 1986, See House, back page this section JERRY HOLTThe Clarion-Ledger State, national weather, 8A By MARY DIXON Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer A powerful thunderstorm that spawned tornadoes moved across Mississippi on Tuesday, destroying houses and barns, derailing a train in Southa-ven and collapsing a house on top of an Attala County man. "I just fell down on the floor.

Oh, Lord. I saw the tree twist and I just fell down on the floor," said Toy Reynolds, 81, of the Liberty Chapel community in Attala County, as he sifted through the debris of his toppled 100-year-old house. Reynolds was treated and released from Montford Jones Hospital in Kosciusko for cuts and bruises to his head, face and left hand. He then rushed back to his flattened house where he searched for his eyeglasses and other belongings tossed in all directions. The storm, which many believe was a tornado, hit Reynolds' house, about 14 miles north of Kosciusko, at 11:20 a.m.

He finished remodeling his white clapboard house last week. Reynolds was the sole Mississippian reported injured in the storm that stretched from Southaven south to the Gulf Coast. Much of the state was under tornado watches from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. Strong winds or possible tornadoes also struck DeSoto, Bolivar, Webster, and Holmes counties.

Extensive damage was caused by a tornado that touched down four times in DeSoto County before heading into Tennessee, where it was responsible for five deaths and at least 15 injuries in three counties. Tornado warnings and watches were posted for sections of Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama and Tennessee. Officials reported that five homes were destroyed in Attala County, where deputies planned to patrol most of the night in Liberty Chapel to ward off looters and sightseers. Tuesday afternoon, several residents helped the Liberty Chapel families whose homes had been destroyed and their belongings scattered for several miles. Cathy Crossley, 35, escaped from her Liberty Chapel house into her parents' home next door just before the storm destroyed her house, scattering antiques over a nearby pasture.

An old syrup mill was tossed in the wind and a doctor's buggy was smashed by toppled trees. Crossley saved only one of her eight white doves. She held it close to her chest as she looked for her belongings. "The windows exploded and the roof went and that is all," Crossley said, explaining how the storm also ripped up Betty Errington, 51, of McCool sifts through the debris of her Uncle berty Chapel community about 11:15 a.m. Tuesday.

Reynolds, who Toy Reynolds' home, which was destroyed by a tornado in the Li- was in the 100-year-old house, suffered cuts on his head and hands. Southaven-Horn Lake area DeSoto County Dancy community Webster County 1 rm the home of her parents, Clarence and Corinne Crossley. The storm passed over Liberty Chapel as Crossley and her parents hid in a hallway, along with two dogs, Tinker Bell and Dumpy. "I don't know what we will do, but whatever we need to do, we should do it together," Cathy Crossley said. In Horn Lake in DeSoto County, a possible twister struck near the Church Wood estates subdivision, blowing a freight train off its tracks and leaving about 400 residents without power for most of the day.

DeSoto County Sheriff James Riley said the train, with about a dozen cars, was blown off the tracks shortly after 10 a.m. "I'm sure it was because of the wind," Riley said of the derailment westofU.S.51. Dusty Perkins, a spokesman for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, said packages were tossed about one-half mile from the derailment. "There appears to be within the trailers some aerosol cans. We do not know what material is in the cans and there is no report of leakage, but a hazardous-materials team has been dispatched," See Storm, back page this section sJ -ifcat nnn li --tin itt Cleveland, Bolivar County JH Liberty Chapel riBBrfJlJ community Goodman rJ 1 Attala County Holmes Attala County mm Touchdowns Toy Reynolds, 81, is hugged by his neighbor, Lottie Mae Harris of McCool, after he returned from Montford Jones Hospital in Kosciusko to see his home.

High court upholds Nixon sentence Nixon, 59, has remained on inactive status Nixon, the third federal judge ever indicted North fails in bid to block probe, 3 A tii'i'i? i and has been free pending appeal. "Within 60 days, we will ask the judge to set a date for him to report to jail," said John Russell, spokesman for the Public Integrity Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. The request will be made to U.S. District Judge James Meredith of St.

Louis, who presided over Nixon's 1986 jury trial. Nixon, a federal judge since 1968, had served as chief judge for Mississippi's Southern District since 1982. "I don't know what to say," William C. Keady of Greenville, a senior judge with the 5th District, said Tuesday. "Judge Nixon and I have been longtime friends over the years.

Naturally, I feel disappointed. But if that's the Supreme Court's decision, I think we all ha ve to live with it." for allegedly committing crimes while in office, continues to draw an $81,000 federal salary. He has surrendered his judicial and administrative duties. The two other federal judges indicted while in office are U.S. District Judge Alcee Hastings of Florida and former chief U.S.

District Judge Harry Claiborne of Nevada. Hastings was acquitted of bribery in 1983, and Claiborne was convicted in 1984 of failing to report $106,000 on his federal income tax returns. He was impeached by the Senate on Oct. 9, 1986. It was the first impeachment trial before the U.S.

Senate in 50 years. Russell said Nixon will continued to be paid even if in prison unless he resigns or the See Nixon, back page this section By JOHN MAINES Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer Federal prosecutors will seek imprisonment of U.S. District Judge Walter L. Nixon without delay following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Tuesday upholding his five-year sentence for perjury.

Nixon, an Ocean Springs resident, called a news conference for noon today at the Biloxi Hilton Hotel to discuss his future course, his lawyer, Boyce Holleman, said in a statement. Nixon referred calls to Holleman, who said comments will be made only at the news conference. The Supreme Court justices, without comment, rejected arguments that Nixon's prosecution was unfairly based on answers he gave to ambiguous questions before a grand jury. WALTER NIXON: Schedules news conference for today Davis' psychiatrist urges brain surgery By JERRY MITCHELL Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer HATTIESBURG A psychiatrist recommended Tuesday that Gregory Davis, accused in Jackson's serial killings, have brain surgery to control his violent tendencies. "If I'm correct in my diagnostic assumption that Greg has a significant abnormality in his brain which causes psychotic behavior, seizures and violent behavior, he probably needs to have a type of neurosurgery that would result in his not being a violent person," said Dr.

Timothy Summers of Jackson, who has treated Davis. "This is the first time I've ever recommended surgery intervention. Surgery on parts of the brain that do with control would benefit him," he said. Summers' statement came during the sixth day of the cap-ital murder trial of Davis, 22, charged in the sexual assault and strangulation of Addie F. Reid, 80, of Jackson.

Davis also is charged in the slayings of two other elderly women. The Jackson psychiatrist testified that Davis suffered a seizure after he broke into Reid's house and did not know right from wrong. "A lot of it was outside his consciousness," he said. "Some of it was like a dream. He was not aware of what he was doing." Summers said Davis suffers from a schizophrenic-like psychosis and is legally insane.

"I think he did it because he's crazy," he said. "I think he felt like it was all right." Medical tests are still not complete on whether Davis suffers from a hormone-secreting tumor, which would affect behavior, he said. Davis reportedly told Summers that after he killed Reid, he intended to resuscitate her. "He thought she was dying and attempted to give her car-dio pulmonary resuscitation," he said. "He made efforts to give her resuscitation after he assaulted her.

He was concerned she might die." Summers related that Davis attempted suicide twice when See Davis, back page this section Cancer victim feared INPEX Reagan OKs weapons airdrop The Associated Press ernment will lead to peace for the region. sleeping during night By LYNN WATKINS Ann Landers 3C Business 8B Classified 6C Comics 4C Crosswords Deaths 2B Entertainment 2C Horoscope 2C Jumble 8C Names Faces 2A Opinion Southern Style 1C Sports ID State 'Metro IB Stocks TV-Radio Log 2C WEATHER High in 50s, dropping during the day. Details, 8A. "We must have the courage to stand behind those who continue to put their lives on the line for democracy in Nicaragua," Reagan said. The rebels are currently operating on a short-term infusion of humanitarian aid approved before Congress left for its holiday recess, including money to pay for CIA airdrops of previously stockpiled weapons and ammunition.

That money is expected to last through next month. The airdrops had been suspended for the past week because of the weekend meeting in Costa Rica of the five Central American presidents who signed a peace accord Aug. 7. To resume the supply flights, Reagan had to certify that no cease-fire had been achieved and that failure to do so was the fault of the Sandinistas. WASHINGTON President Reagan on Tuesday authorized the CIA to resume airdrops of weapons to Nicaragua's Contra rebels, as congressional opponents worked to offset an expected presidential lobbying blitz for an extension of military aid.

"This is really a gut issue for the president," said Rep. Lee Hamilton, an opponent of the aid renewal Reagan is expected to seek Jan. 26. "The administration will pull out every stop in order to win this vote." The House is to vote Feb. 3 on Reagan's request for an as-yet-undetermined amount of new military aid.

it approves the request, the Senate would vote the next day. In a speech to administration political appointees Tuesday, the president reiterated his belief that only continued military pressure on Nicaragua's leftist Sandinista gov Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer LEXINGTON Nathan Henry Horton slept mostly during the day the last few months before he died Jan. 27, 1987, from lung cancer he claimed was caused by smoking cigarettes. "I guess I'm scared to sleep at night," Horton testified in a 26-minute videotape made Dec. 4, 1986.

"A lot of times, I wake up choking. "Every day, everything keeps getting a little worse," said Horton, who smoked two packs of unf iltered Pall Mall cigarettes a day for about 35 years. "I have pain every day. It is so hard to explain the pain." As for warnings about the health dangers placed on cigarette packages in the mid-1960s, Horton testified in another See Smoking, back page this section.