Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • 1

Yankei-s Beat Red Sox In 13th; Amateur Leads U.S. Women's Open Sports, CI 1S ees WEATHER Chance Of Showers. America's Oldest Continuously Published Newspaper High Of 84. BIO VOLUME CLXVIII, NUMBER 184 COPYRIGHT 2004, THE HARTFORD COURANT CO. FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2004 IS New Haven CountyShoreline $100 in Fatfe) County and outside Connecticut 504 Mr SiNoiD in I Am Still The President Of The Republic A Defiant Hussein Appears In Court By JIM KRANE And HAMZA HENDAWI ASSOCIATED PRESS of Baghdad.

He used his hands constantly, poking the air, dragging a thumb across his black, bushy eyebrow, brushing a fly from his cheek. He quickly gained composure. At times waving his fist and lecturing a judge that could have been half his age, the 67-year-old Hussein appeared to dominate much of the 26-minute exchange. "I am Saddam Hussein, the president of Iraq," PLEASE SEE HUSSEIN PAGE A4 SADDAM HUSSEIN appears in a courtroom set up at a U.S. military base, formerly one of his palaces, on the western outskirts of Baghdad Thursday, where he rejected charges against him.

ASSOCIATED PRESS the shackles off for the proceedings, a fierce Hussein began challenging the young magistrate and the authority of the Iraqi court, scoffing at charges of war crimes and mass killings that could get him the death penalty. "This is all a theater by Bush, the criminal," he declared. Last seen shaggy-haired, haggard and somewhat dazed getting a dental exam on a military video clip, a trimmer, sharper Hussein made his first public appearance Thursday since his humiliating capture in a dirt hole nearly seven months ago. He was visibly nervous when he first sat down in the court, held at a U.S. military base set up in one of his former palaces on the western outskirts j-u-- rMmvMil HMrtin BAGHDAD, Iraq Wearing a crisp white shirt, charcoal pinstriped jacket and full but groomed beard, the man in court looked more like a businessman than a humbled prisoner, and his tone was defiant from his very first words: "I am Saddam Hussein, the president of Iraq." He was heard before he was seen in the courtroom, his chains clanking in the hall outside.

With FRcr.i gov. Ears ik-vogurai addelss: 'Let the message be clear: From this day forward, if you are entrusted with public office, you will uphold the highest standards of public integrity and ethical principles." Spada's Chief Of Staff Accused State Police Major Faces Fraud Charge By DAVE ALTIMARI And TRACY GORDON FOX COURANT STAFF WRITERS 7 I A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Public Safety Commissioner Arthur Spada's chief of staff, charging him with knowingly defrauding the state. Sources said Maj. Gregory Senick, Spada's chief of staff for the past four years, is accused of charging thousands of dollars in snow removal, plumbing and other bills to the state while he was living at a state-owned property for $1 a year. Senick, 47, is expected to turn himself in today to answer two counts of first-degree larceny and a conspiracy charge both felonies filed by the recently formed Public Integrity Unit of the chief state's attorney's office, sources said Thursday.

He will be the highest ranking state police officer ever arrested. He could not be reached Thursday for comment The arrest comes at a bad time for Spa- PLEASE SEE SPADA, PAGE A6 f- SH ANA SURECK THE HARTFORD COURANT NEWLY INAUGURATED GOV. M. Jodi Rell greets well-wishers from her hometown of Brookf ield. She spent two hours greeting the public in her second-floor suite in the Capitol.

Rell is expected to announce today which Rowland-appointed commissioners will stay and which will leave. New Governor Vows To End 'Culture Of Corruption' Manute Bol Seriously Injured In Taxi Crash By MARK PAZNIOKAS And CHRISTOPHER KEATING COURANT STAFF WRITERS our state for far too long," Rell said, drawing the day's loudest and most sustained cheers. 'To that end, my first order of business as the 87th governor of Connecticut is to Issue Executive Order No. 1, which imposes strict ethics restraints on those who serve in state government" Rell mentioned Rowland by name only once, at the conclusion of her speech: "These have been very difficult and trying times for everyone, including Gov. Rowland and his family.

My thoughts and prayers are with them." PLEASE SEE RELL, PAGE A8 "Today, we begin to restore faith, integrity and honor to our government. It is our solemn obligation," Rell said in her inaugural address on the north steps of the state Capital. "It will be our lasting legacy." A noontime audience estimated by Capitol police at more than 2,000 including activists, curious office workers, commissioners whose jobs are in Rell's hands and the state's political elite interrupted the new governor's speech with applause 11 times. "We must and we will recommit ourselves to ending the culture of corruption that has plagued M. Jodi Rell took office Thursday as Connecticut's 87th governor with a pledge of honor, respect and modesty and a stinging rebuke of the "culture of corruption" underher predecessor, John G.Rowland.

Rell, 58, a Republican elected three times as lieutenant governor under Rowland, blamed her former running mate's ethical misconduct for shaking the public's faith in government and its belief in public service. By TRACY GORDON FOX And JIM FARRELL COURANT STAFF WRITERS HELEN An unexpected optimism, A8 SUSAN CAMPBELL Why kiss the governor? Dl ONLINE: Video of address: www.ctnow.com Manute Bol, the towering former NBA shot-blocking phenomenon from Sudan, was critically injured on Route 2 in Colchester late Wednesday in a one-car crash that killed the cab driver who was taking Bol home. The 7-fbot-7 Bol was believed to be returning from one of the casinos, which he is known to frequent. He was riding in a A Second Hot Tub Emerges And The First One, Which Rowland Gave Away, Is Still Causing A Stir i I Neville H. Robinson, 48, of Hartford.

Police said the cab was trav- By DAVE ALTIMARI, JON LENDER AND EDMUND H. MAHONEY COURANT STAFF WRITERS INSIDE Police In Conflict A Hartford police officer says a lieutenant ordered him to racially profile and arrest non-whites in downtown Hartford. Connecticut, Page Bl Shrinking Lawns A quiet movement is afoot to downsize big, grassy yards for environmental and aesthetic reasons. Life, Page Dl B0L eling westbound at "an accelerated speed" along Route 2 when Robinson lost control, struck a guardrail and swerved across both Lines before striking a ledge and rolling over, state police said. The crash occurred just west of Exit 16 shortly before 9 p.m.

The first troopers to arrive found that Bol and Robinson had been ejected from the car. Bol was unconscious and Robin- Lake hot tub, he recalled, was square. Fleming queried DPW administrator Darren Cugno about the discrepancy, the sources said. Cugno was particu-kirly qualified to discuss the issue, having supervised the transport of the gubernatorial spa from Bantam Like to the residence and back again a few years ago at taxpayer expense. After what sources described as some discussion, Cugno acknowledged that PLEASE SEE TWO, PAGE A12 Bantam Lake in Litchfield.

It had been given to Rowland by gubernatorial aide Christine Corey, and it figured prominently in various investigations into the former governor's conduct This latest inquiry is the result of some detective work by DPW Commissioner James B. Homing, according to sources. While at the Executive Residence in Hartford List week for Rowland's resignation speech, Fleming noticed a hot tub on the grounds a round hot tub. The much-publicized Bantam The infamous hot tub that became the symbol of ex-Gov. John G.

Rowland's ethical lapses has turned out to be a gift that keeps on giving nothing but trouble. The state Department of Public Works is looking hi to how one of its employees came to own the spa, last smi outside Rowland's summer cottage on PLEASE SEE BOL, PAGE A5 40702 Breaking news. All the time. Obituaries B8.B9 Public Notices B6, F3 Sports CI Crossword D7 Editorial A10.A11 life Dl Business El Classified F1-F4 Connecticut Gl '( Lottery A4 Movies D7 N.ition World A2.A3 II A.