The Greenville News from Greenville, South Carolina • Page 18

XHie Nous Section Markets Tuesday, February 3, 1987 By Marilyn Rauber News Washington bureau WASHINGTON U.S. Rep. Liz Patter 1 race. Graham said that while flattered, "at this point, I'm not making any explorations." A spokesman for Free Congress PAC, which last year channeled $240,000 into political campaigns, said it plans to watch closely Mrs. Patterson's voting record.

The target list spans 17 states and consists largely of freshmen, although some are longtime incumbents, said PAC spokesman Bill Kling. Mrs. Patterson is the only member from South Carolina. The PAC sees her as vulnerable because of her margin of victory last year and because the district is conservative, Kling said. The seat had been held by a Republican, now-Gov.

Carroll Campbell, since 1978, and traditionally by a Greenvillian. "I think it's going to be another closely contested, hard-fought race," said state Democratic Party Executive Director Chris Verenes. But Verenes also said, "Liz is going to work hard. She'll be an incumbent. She'll be a lot tougher to beat two years from now." Republicans already are discussing possible contenders, including challengers from her own turf of Spartanburg County.

In addition to those who vied for the seat last year Workman, Ted Adams and Tom Marchant, all from Greenville the names of former state GOP chairman George Graham, a Spartanburg dentist, and state Sen. David Thomas of Greenville have surfaced. Greenville lawyer Jim Miles; Spartanburg businessman Charles Bradshaw; Spartanburg Sen. Rick Lee, a Democrat-turned-Republican; and former Spartanburg County Council Chairman Bob Rowell also are being mentioned. At this early stage, Workman, Graham and Thomas are publicly denying any interest in the 1988 race.

"I've been asked by a lot of people," Thomas said. "I'm not interested I don't want to leave home." Workman said he's too busy running for mayor next May to think about another minded leaders across the country. "I would question the credibility of a group like that, that hasn't even waited til they see my voting record," Mrs. Patterson said Monday. However, she has begun gearing up for re-election, starting with a fund-raiser next week to help retire last year's $200,000 campaign debt.

Less than three months after Mrs. Patterson won the 4th District seat from Greenville Mayor Bill Workman, Republicans are talking about a GOP comeback. "We still feel like that's our district," said state GOP Executive Director Tony Denny. "There's no question that district is going to be a national target." son barely got her bags through the doors of Congress before conservatives vowed to send her packing in 1988. The Spartanburg Democrat is one of 23 Democratic House members targeted for defeat by the conservative Free Congress L.

Patterson Political Action Committee, which this month sent its hit list to several dozen like- I 4 I I (i State justices reverse man's death sentence in slaying of woman But Riddle's conviction upheld Tht News Mary Ann Chastaln Benjamin Anthony Joyner, center, is escorted to courtroom for jury selection He Is surrounded by an attorney, John Boswell, left, and security guards Man defends self in rape, murder trial COLUMBIA (AP) The South Carolina Supreme Court on Monday reversed the sentence of a 20-year-old Gaffney man sentenced to die for the murder and robbery of an elderly woman in 1985. But the justices let stand the conviction of Ernest Riddle, who was found guilty Jan. 30, 1986, of murder, armed robbery and first-degree burglary in the August 1985 slaying of Abbie Sue Mullinax, 76. Riddle also was sentenced to life in prison for the burglary conviction and 25 years in prison for armed robbery. Riddle's brother, Jason, who was 17 at the time of the slaying, pleaded guilty to murder, burglary and armed robbery and, in a plea agreement, was sentenced to two concurrent life terms plus 25 years.

The justices cited two errors by the trial judge in overturning Riddle's death penalty sentence and sending the case back to circuit court for resentencing. The first error was the exclusion of a report by a clinical psychologist that said Riddle was "very likely to adapt reasonably to prison life." The report "recited Riddle's personality characteristics as constructed from a battery of psychological tests." The second error was the admission of Riddle's juvenile record. Riddle's attorneys objected to the admission because the prosecution had "failed to provide" adequate notice that it intended to introduce it. The trial judge overruled the objection. However, the justices agreed with Riddle's attorneys, saying state law allows "only evidence in aggravation as the state has made known to the defendant in writing prior to the trial shall be admissible." Riddle, who was 19 at the time, and his younger brother broke into the Mrs.

Mulli-nax's Gaffney home early in the morning on Aug. 8, 1985, according to testimony. Ernest Riddle was in the kitchen while his brother went into the woman's bedroom and took money from her purse. Jason Riddle stumbled on his way to the kitchen, awakening Mrs. Mullinax and her stepdaughter, Marie Osment.

Mrs. Mullinax went to the kitchen where she found the two men. She screamed, and Ernest Riddle slashed Mrs. Mullinax's throat with a knife he found in the kitchen, according to testimony. The Riddles escaped through a window, and Mrs.

Mullinax died a short time later. Joyner fires attorneys in Rossi case By William Fox News staff writer The retrial of a man charged in the 1984 rape and murder of a University of South Carolina nursing student started Monday in Greenville with the defendant, Benjamin Anthony Joyner, defending himself after dismissing his court-appointed attorneys. Jury selection Monday afternoon moved briskly when Joyner did not oppose selection of potential jurors. His court-appointed attorneys, Jack Swerling and John Boswell, looked on from the spectators' seats, available to offer procedural advice if Joyner asked. Wearing a dark blue suit and multi-colored cap symbolic of his Muslim faith, Joyner did not ask for advice as he declined to make an opening statement to the jury and did not cross-examine any of the state's first four witnesses.

The trial marks the second time Joyner has been tried on charges of murder, kidnapping, rape, grand larceny and conspiracy in the death of 20-year-old Barbara newly married daughter, Terry Rossi Win-stead. The two identified photographs of the victim, her car and a diamond ring given to the victim by her father, Ray Rossi. Rossi is president of Citizens Against Violent Crime, a group that lobbies for victims' rights and judicial reform. FBI agent Mark Babyak testified that Joyner's blood group was consistent with the semen found on the victim and stains discovered on a blanket found at the scene. Earlier, Circuit Judge Bill Traxler ruled Joyner competent to stand trial.

The competency hearing was halted several times when Joyner objected to his attorneys, insisting they be dismissed and the trial be delayed. "How can I get rid of them?" Joyner asked, as he playfully choked Swerling. Traxler rejected the motion to delay the trial. Lynn "Bobbi" Rossi. Miss Rossi was abducted in a Richland County shopping center parking lot Sept.

17, 1984. Joyner and two co-defendants were convicted three months later, and Joyner and William Anthony Nesmith were sentenced to life in prison. The third man, Marcellus Pierce was sentenced to death. New trials later were ordered for Joyner and Pierce after the state Supreme Court ruled the trial judge had erred. Nesmith had stopped his appeal.

In his opening statement Monday afternoon, 5th Circuit Solicitor Jim Anders outlined the events surrounded Miss Rossi's death and said his case would link Joyner to the murder through driving her car and by 22 of his fingerprints found on various items, including the car and a liquor bottle. Anne Marie Rossi, the victim's mother, was the first to testify, followed by her Research institute plans to fight dredging projec WLOS-TV Anchor Media buys that he expects the new ownership to bring stability and predictability to the station. During the past lJ AS 1 year, several proposals to buy the Gehring hase, he said, its ABC affili-WLOS' pro-network, ing its Green-It. around the iction of the said. ove to down-ens Road because "we're ning in down- dia's primary anding televi-ressive track that up." In ida company is, Las Vegas iting, exciting Gehring said expected because of the pure and the station will continue ation.

About 70 percent of gramming is supplied by the i WLOS, Channel 13, is mov; ville office to 105 N. Spring first of April once constri space has been completed, The station decided to town Greenville from Laur cause of convenience and be excited about what's happei town Greenville." Gehring said, "Anchor Me interest is in producing outst sion, and they have an imp record in broadcasting to bac addition to WLOS, the Flor owns radio stations in Dalla and Albuquerque. He added that "it is an exc opportunity for all of us." By Jenny Munro News business writer WLOS-TV expects to have new ownership by April, said Mike Gehring, the station's vice president and general manager. The station also plans to move its Greenville operation to a new location at the same time. The station, based in Asheville, has been sold to Anchor Media of St.

Petersburg, for an estimated $50 million, said Gehring, who was in Greenville for the announcement. Alan Henry, founder, president and chief executive officer of Anchor Media, signed a contract with Kolhberg, Kravitz and Roberts, the investment group that now owns the station. The Federal Communications Commission must approve the transaction. That approval is expected by April, Gehring said. No management or staff changes are company have been made.

Henry's proposal was made about a month ago, Gehring said. Henry has more than 20 years experience in broadcasting and formerly was president and chief executive officer of Gulf Broadcasting, which operated five television stations and six radio stations before merging with Taft Broadcasting. Gehring said that WLOS wants to increase its presence in the Asheville-Green-ville-Spartanburg market. One way of doing that will be to add equipment to the news department. By Bill Lightle News Grand Strand bureau GEORGETOWN Officials with a nationally known research institute announced Monday that they will appeal a decision by the state to give approval to a dredging project they say could disrupt the.institute's studies.

The state Department of Health and Environmental Control Monday issued a 401 Water Certification for the dredging project at DeBordieu Colony, an existing development in Georgetown County. Scientists with the Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine Biology and Coastal Research will probably appeal the decision before Friday, said Dr. Dennis Allen, assistant director of the Georgetown County facility. Allen said he and Dr.

F. John Vernberg, the director of the facility, which is operated by the University of South Carolina, will meet Tuesday to determine their strategy for the appeal. "I think we have a good chance to overthrow it (the certification)," Allen said. If the dredging is given final approval by the state's Coastal Council, research sites at the institute would be flushed with pollutants, Allen said. "The bottom line is the whole thing that's proposed is selfishly motivated it's not in the public's interest," Allen said.

By law an appeal within 15 days must be made to DHEC's seven-member board, which has the authority to overturn the staff's decision to issue the certification. Staff officials agree the dredging will not cause an "adverse effect" on the research facility, said Chester Sandsbury, DHEC'S director of the Division of Water Quality and Shellfish Sanitation. The decision was largely based on technical information provided by the developers, Sandsbury said. "The project will not lower water quality," Sandsbury said. The North Inlet Corp.

of Columbia, which plans to sell lots with access to the ocean, received the certification. Wallace Street, the project's general manager, refused to comment on the research institute's decision to appeal the certification. Street did say that the plan will improve the overall water quality of the development, where currently 50-60 families have permanent residences. DHEC's certification would allow developers to dredge a foot canal. Sandbury said the canal would connect a "low water quality" holding pond, Yahenny Canal, with DeBordieu Channel on the north and DeBordieu Creek on the south.

Sandsbury said that the developers' proposals will improve the water quality at DeBordieu Colony. Scientists at the institute say the holding pond is polluted, but that it could be cleansed by other methods such as mechanical aeration. Sandsbury said 800 feet of wetlands will be dredged. Final decision on the project will be made on Feb. 12, during the Coastal Council's permitting committee meeting in Charleston, said Coastal Council spokeswoman Donna Gress.

The dredging project is about a mile from where the institute is conducting ecosystem studies. Allen said these studies would be affected by pollutants flushed into the ocean. One of the facility's projects that would be affected by the dredging is an ongoing 12-year study of animals in an inner tidal mud flat, Allen said. "We're very disappointed. This is a shortsighted decision, but we are not surprised," Allen said.

Allen said DHEC officials almost always make decisions of this nature in favor of developers. The pristine North Inlet estuary is part of the institute, which was established in 1969. With its 8,000 acres of wetlands, the estuary is one of 11 long-term ecological research sites in the country and the only one on the East Coast recognized by the National Science Foundation. Since its inception, federal and state agencies and individuals have given the institute $11 million to conduct research, scientists said. Dr.

James T. Callahan with the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C., said Monday that several weeks ago he was asked by DHEC to comment on the proposed dredging. To protect the valuable research work at the institute, developers should not be granted the permit, Callahan said. resolution opposing papal visit Baptists pass By Herb Reeves News Laurens bureau Columbia area during the pope's visit. The organizer of the billboard campaign, Gene Chapman, was also at the meeting.

He said plans are to place billboards in all eight cities nationwide to be visited by the pope, and that a budget of $100,000 had been approved and was being raised. Billboards will contain Bible verses supporting opposition to the visit. Clark said that Orrin Briggs, a Columbia attorney, was researching the legality of the pope's visit. He said he had not known beforehand of evangelist Billy Graham's appearance as the University of South Carolina's commencement speaker in January but opposed his visit on the same grounds. "We feel like the state ought to be consistent," he said.

"If they're going to invite these men, they ought to allow prayer in schools." mote a one-world church, and violates the separation of church and state. The paragraph critical of other Protestant leaders, Clark said, was submitted by Dr. Bob Jones chancellor of Bob Jones University in Greenville. That paragraph read: "Be it further resolved that we speak out vigorously in condemning the way in which apostate Baptists and so-called "Protestant" religious leaders fawn over this papal figure who comes under the Biblical description of "the man of sin" and "antichrist" and declare that these men are traitors against Almighty God and betrayers of the Martyred saints who suffered and died under the heavy hand of the Roman Church which declares that it never changes The resolution urged churches to support the Independent Baptist Billboard Mission's project to place billboards in the LAURENS Castigating Protestants who "fawn" over the pope as "traitors against Almighty God," the South Carolina Baptist Fellowship passed a resolution Monday protesting his Sept. 11 visit to Columbia.

The Rev. Dr. Jerry Clark, newly elected moderator of the Upper South Carolina Baptist Fellowship, read the resolution, which passed without opposition. About 300 people, including 41 ministers, attended the business meeting Monday at the Faith Baptist Church in Laurens, said secretary Tom Martin. The resolution opposes Pope John Paul II's visit on the grounds that he will conduct an ecumenical prayer meeting at the University of South Carolina at taxpayers' expense, that it furthers his efforts to pro-.