Press and Sun-Bulletin du lieu suivant : Binghamton, New York • 17

Community Group beautifying Binghamton2B Pa. mother charged in baby's death3B Senate revamps telecommunications8B Press Sun-Bulletin Friday, June 16, 1995 'iw ipm jtfff'-r! ed trigger Qyjr mony in his murder trial. "That's what happened. He shot him." Brunn said that two witnesses who have told two juries that they watched Brunn empty an eight-shot sawed-down rifle into Mitchell weren't even in the building about 3 a.m. April 14, 1994, when the killing happened.

Brunn didn't testify in his first trial, which ended March 4 with a deadlocked jury. Also Thursday, Broome County Judge Martin E. Smith made two rulings: Over objections of Mary Anne Lehmann, a senior assistant district attorney, Smith dismissed two charges of attempted first-degree robbery against Brunn, leaving only two counts of second-degree murder. The jury is expected to hear closing statements and deliberate today. The judge said there had not been sufficient corroborating evidence of Brunn's admissions to police that he was trying to rob Mitchell during the killing.

Smith refused a defense request that Joseph McCann of Binghamton, a forensic psychologist and lawyer, be permitted to testify that Brunn's history and the circumstances were consistent with Brunn's having given "a voluntary false confession" to police. The judge said jurors were capable of evaluating that explanation without expert testimony. Brunn said Jamaine "Ja" Keenan and Christopher Pryor, who lived at 137 Clinton Binghamton, had lied in claiming to have been in the apartment during the shooting. They were in a car outside, he said. Brunn said a woman he identified as Tammie Cummings drove Cintron, Biggs and Mitchell to the Conklin Avenue apartment and that Pryor drove Brunn and Keenan there in a second car.

When Brunn went upstairs to find out why Mitchell, Cintron and Biggs had not returned to the car he saw Mitchell bring out a paper shopping bag he assumed contained cocaine. Brunn demonstrated how Mitchell whirled after being shot from behind, then was beaten by Biggs and Cintron. Cintron and Biggs are in the county jail under a promise of a non-prison term for hindering prosecution if their cooperation is truthful. They have no immunity for any participation in the killing, Lehmann said. By KEITH GEORGE Staff Writer The defendant in a Binghamton murder case Thursday on the stand named Kenneth "Ebay" Biggs as the killer of Anthony Shadu "Uptown" Mitchell.

Alonzo R. "Pop" Brunn said he watched in drugged disbelief as Biggs shot Mitchell on Hugo "FaFa" Cintron's order after Mitchell started to the door during an argument over drug dealing. Cintron was accusing Mitchell of muscling into his cocaine business and as the argument heated up Mitchell headed toward the door of his apartment at 78 Con-klin Binghamton. "The next thing I heard was FaFa say 'Shoot that the strapping, 17-year-old told jurors, climaxing the ninth day of testi TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS Thursday: Defendant Alonzo R. Brunn, 17, testified that his confession was false and that he watched Kenneth Biggs shoot Anthony Shadu "Uptown" Mitchell on orders from Hugo "FaFa" Cintron.

The judge dismissed two charges against Brunn of attempted first-degree robbery then denied a defense request that a psychologist explain why Brunn gave a false confession to police. Today: Jurors will hear closing statements, then deliberate the two charges of second-degree murder. Victim may be from Broome The Schuylkill County coroner was waiting Thursday night for dental records before he positively identifies the deceased victim of a crash in Minersville, but Pennsylvania state police are "pretty sure" the dead man is from Broome County. According to reports by state police at Hazleton, the driver of a Chevrolet pickup lost control of it and rear-ended a tractor-trailer on Route 81 about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The pickup's front end was smashed in, trapping the driver, who burned to death in the truck, Cpl. Daniel Sist said Thursday. The pickup driver was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy was performed Thursday by county coroner Dr. Richard Bindie.

State police believe the dead man is a Broome resident, but were withholding his identity until Bindie can make a positive identification. "We're pretty sure who it is, but the coroner is waiting to verify that through dental X-rays," Sist said. The tractor-trailer driver was unhurt. Pa. man in jail accused of multiple rapes A 45-year-old Susquehanna County, man accused of repeatedly raping a Wayne County girl over two years remained in the Wayne County jail Thursday night in lieu of $200,000 bail.

James Hubert Thomas was accused of committing rape and other forms of sexual abuse against the girl when she was between the ages of 12 and 15, from July 1993 to April of this year at his 6 Casper9 friendly to Deposit cinema Residents rebuild theater; new ghost haunts screen Now playing Movie: Casper Showtime: 7 p.m. Cost: $6 for adults, $3 for children Donations: May be sent to the Deposit Community Theatre, P.O. Box 318, Deposit, NY 13754 Dundaff, Clifford Township, residence, according to a joint release by state police at Gibson and Honesdale. i Thomas is charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory rape and aggravated indecent assault, felonies; and several misdemeanor counts. Police charged Thomas Thursday while he was in the Wayne County jail.

He had been charged June 1 with committing similar offenses against the girl in Wayne County, police said. Thomas faces a preliminary hearing June 22 in Harford. Sherburne woman killed in car crash PITTSFIELD A 21-year-old Sherburne woman died late Wednesday SI 1 I in If "-kT-LJL. if ti 3 4- By PHILLIP PINA Staff Writer DEPOSIT Like the heroes and heroines that flickered across the screen inside, the residents of Deposit came to the rescue, once again saving the State Theatre. After a fire roared through the downtown movie house on Sept.

24, 1994, a small corps of volunteers rallied to rebuild the charred shell. Today, it will open to the public. As she watched a young girl stare at a movie poster on the outside wall earlier this week, Carolyn DeNys knew why the small 296-seat theater is so important to Deposit. "This for our children. This theater is a part of our family." The reopening is a sequel to an earlier struggle to rebuild after the roof of the theater collapsed in 1986 and its owners opted out of the business.

DeNys is the volunteer theater manager and a member of the Deposit Community Theatre and Performing Arts Center a not-for-profit group that oversees the building. A lifelong resident of the community of just over a thousand, DeNys remembers the theater's role in the lives of Deposit's children. For some 20 years, her mother worked as a cashier in the tiny box office that juts out onto Front Street. DeNys spent many of her childhood afternoons with the movie stars on the big screen. The site was a garage until it was remodeled into a movie house in the 1930s.

For five decades audiences were entertained, until 1986 when the roof collapsed because of snow, causing extensive damage. Its owners, fed up with declining attendance and the task of rebuilding, decided to let the building go to a tax sale. Residents would- n't have that, said Jeanne Owens. She, DeNys and a small number of others decided the theater must be rebuilt. A community group formed, bought the building and went to work.

Just as the finishing touches were put on the theater in 1994, all the work went up in flames. A fire set in a neighboring building that early September morning spread to the theater's roof and burned the village landmark. State police in Deposit arrested three 15-year-olds and charged them with third-degree arson, a felony. DeNys' husband, Sonny DeNys, has put in more than 1,700 hours to help rebuild the screening room. One Saturday afternoon, about 40 village residents were joined by construction workers who volunteered to raise the roof.

Even one of the youths blamed for causing the fire has stopped by to help. They are fighting an uphill battle, as multi-screen theaters pop up across the United States, said Mary Ann Grasso, executive director of the National Association of Theatre Owners, which represents about 15,000 movie screens. But the small mom and pop movie houses "are still the backbone of our industry, and for the small towns they are in." The theaters like Deposit sur- See THEATERPage 3B 1 i 1 LI I1 when she was thrown through a sun roof of a car, said state police at Oneonta. Michael J. VanPelt of Norwich was driving east about 11:20 p.m.

on Route 80 in the Town of Pittsfield when he swerved to avoid a deer. VanPelt lost control of the Pontiac Firebird and the car overturned. Christine Renee Anderson, who was not wearing a seat belt, was partially ejected through a broken T-bar window and was pinned underneath the car. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Otsego County Coroner Richard Swift. VanPelt, who was wearing a seat belt, was treated for minor injuries at Chenango Memorial Hospital in Norwich and released.

He was charged with failure to keep right of pavement markings, a violation, and will appear July 6 in Town of Pittsfield Court. North American racers in Binghamton Saturday Race fans will have a chance to meet the local contestants for the Great North American Race on Saturday, said local race spokesman Joseph Foody. Frank Whitney and Elliott Reitz will appear noon to 2 p.m. with their car outside the Main Post Office, Henry Street, Binghamton. They'll take their car on a race July 1 to July 15 between Ottawa, Canada, and Mexico City.

Racers will make an overnight stop on July 2 in downtown Binghamton. Broome to lose its chief attorney Broome County will have to start fishing around for a new chief attorney. County Attorney Joseph J. Slocum on Thursday confirmed that he plans to resign from county government around mid-September. Slocum, who joined the county in March 1989, said he's accepted a job as manager of Castine, a community in the State of Main.

"It's an extraordinary opportunity; a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he said. "But it's going to be hard, because I love this area." Although he expects to begin the new job some time around the middle of September, Slocum said he will have to regularly return to Broome for some time to finish unresolved cases. Slocum, a former member of Binghamton City Council, is paid $66,037 per year. HOLLY MCQUEENPRESS SUN-BULLETIN Eric Slocum, 1 7, of Deposit, spells out the reopen- theater was heavily damaged by fire in 1 994 and ing of the historic State Theatre of Deposit. The then rebuilt, using funds raised by volunteers.

ityJLi ojnmuni Court suspends former town attorney's license 1 Community Line appears in the Press Sun-Bulletin on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. To contribute, call 798-1151 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays. COUNCIL OF CHURCHES HONORS HELPERS: The Broome County Council of Churches gave its thanks to those who put food on the plate for the needy.

Volunteers from the 23 Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse sites were honored June 8 with a reception at St. Cyril Method Church in Binghamton. Each has contributed to the community in the fight to end hunger, said Billie Briggs, CHOW coordinator. Those receiving special recognition: Barbara Oldwine for community service. Patrick Greene, who attends Union-Endicott High School, for youth service.

Carrie Denniston, of Johnson City High School, for youth service. The chow pantries are run exclusively by nearly 500 volunteers, Briggs said. Jacqueline A. Rangel, executive administrator. Mom's House, with locations in Binghamton and Endicott, provides free day care for single parents enrolled full-time in school.

In February, the agency celebrated its seventh anniversary. To date, 68 single-parents have graduated. 3 said, because the board was aware of an "impropriety" concerning Place and one of his accounts. No problems were found at that time, Supervisor John Bertoni and Kunzman said. "We've been having yearly audits anyway," Bertoni said.

"There were no improprieties with town business. Dick Place was a good town attorney." Upon resigning, Place was given between $17,000 and $19,000 under a contractual payout agreement for sick days and vacation days he accumulated since 1981. Place's former partner Charles H. Collison would offer no details on the case and had no comment. The law firm is now known as Thomas Collison Meagher.

David M. Gouldin, Place's attorney, would not discuss details of the case. Gouldin did say that "it was important to recognize that the charges are related to just one client and that Dick has cooperated fully into the investigation." "During the time he was working with this client there were never any complaints from the client himself," Gouldin said. "He was aware of all the transactions with which he (Place) was involved up to the time of his death." Gouldin would not say where his client was and Place could not be reached for comment. By NADINE SLIMAK Staff Writer The license of the former Town of Union attorney has been suspended following allegations made concerning his handling of funds in aclient's estate while at Thomas Collison Place in Endicott.

Attorney Richard F. Place's license was suspended by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court pending further action by the state's Committee on Professional Standards. The committee has 43 days to begin disciplinary proceedings or Place may petition the court to reinstate his license, said Kenneth H. P. Bryk, associate attorney for the committee.

Place's license was suspended "in view of the allegations concerning conversion of estate funds, his admissions," court documents state. "The conversion of funds is to take, remove or put funds where they should not be," Bryk said. Details of cases before the Committee on Professional Standards are confidential by law, Bryk said, therefore information on the estate and the amount of money involved is not available. Place resigned from his position as town attorney May 12. The town did conduct an internal audit of its books, Councilman John Kunzman HE U-E GRADUATE TAKES ST.

LOUIS JOB: David M. Zevan formerly of Owego, has joined the law firm of McAvoy, Bahn and Tolin in St. Louis. He is a 1983 Union-Endicott graduate, 1987 University of Scranton graduate, and 1991 graduate of St. Louis University School of Law.

Zevan was formerly of the St. Louis Counselor's Office, said his father, David Zevan Sr. of Owego. He will focus primarily on medical malpractice and general litigation in both Missouri and Illinois. Questions or comments? Have an item you want published in the Press Sun-Bulletin, but uncertain to whom to send it? Call our HELP-Desk at 798-1 363 from 8:30 a.m.

to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. For matters regarding community news, call Assistant Managing Editor Bruce Estes from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 798-1154.

To fax information: 798-1113. MOM'S HOUSE HONORS 17 GRADUATES: Mom's House had a special graduation party for 17 parents who have graduated from school. The day-care center had the party last week to honor the women for finishing school. All have worked hard to be good students and parents and they deserve to be commended for their success, said Arte.