The Miami News from Miami, Florida • 5

The Miami News Tuesday. January 5, 1 988 5A IP State alleges Hialeah drug traffic involved murder plot vr -i s' vi r. ft i I MAURICE MILLER Miami Nairn Aaporltr San Pedro and Redondo, now faces trial on bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery and unlawful compensation charges after the San Pedro trial is concluded. Dugan has denied any wrongdoing. San Pedro had two principle objectives, Dechovitz said.

He first wanted to become an American citizen and therefore needed to have his record cleared and wanted to know what police investigations of him were underway, the attorney said. Please see SAN PEDRO. 7A wanted to run that business and who wanted to perpetuate that business at any cost whatsoever." Opening statements from defense attorneys Irwin Block and Michael Rosen were scheduled for later today. Dechovitz said that San Pedro headed a business with two separate branches. The first dealt with drug trafficking and protection and was fronted by Redondo, she said.

The second dealt with influence peddling through bribery. It was to be operated by political publicist Donald Dugan, Dechovitz said. Dugan, originally scheduled for trial with Alleged corrupter Alberto San Pedro ran a business in which he trafficked drugs, plotted a murder and tried to gain control of public officials, the prosecutor in San Pedro's corruption trial said in an opening statement today. "This case is all about the the business of crime," Assistant Dade State Attorney Susan Dechovitz told the six jurors and three alternates that will hear the case against San Pedro and his bodyguard, Carlos Redondo. "This case is about the two individuals who 4 Ttw Miami Newi LENNY COHN San Pedro, left, with lawyer.

Irwin Block, in court today PJJoo over Miami A 4'" 'J K' tl I- m4 A -l- i-v. r6l-Vv- Hastings hears appeals for convicted killer U.S. District Court Judge Alcee Hastings began hearing appeals yesterday in the case of Omar Blanco, a Dade man sentenced to die for the 1982 slaying of chef John Ryan during a break-In at Ryan's Broward County home. Blanco, who was scheduled to die in Florida's electric chair on Sept. 17, won an indefinite stay from Hastings to allow his lawyers to present evidence of alleged errors in his trial: Blanco's lawyer.

Mark Olive, has argued Blanco failed to get a fair trial because of excessive publicity, ineffective trial lawyers and failure to present jurors with psychiatric evidence and evidence about Blanco's life in Cuba prior to his arrival in the 1980 Mariel sealift. Blanco, 37, was convicted of shooting Ryan during a residential robbery. lane lands with blown tire A New York-bound Eastern Airlines L-1011 jet made a safe but unscheduled landing at Miami International Airport after blowing a tire, a spokesman for the airline said. "Apparently on takeoff a tire blew, and a piece of the tire hit a portion of the (wing) flap," said Eastern spokesman Robin Matell. The impact triggered a flap warning light, but there was no emergency declared and the plane landed normally, said Matell.

None of the 314 passengers or 10 crew members was injured. Flight 884 from West Palm Beach took off about 11:15 a.m. yesterday and landed at Miami International about an hour later, Matelt said the plane was brought to the Eastern hub because of its extensive repair facilities. Pepper promises health-care bill Rep. Claude Pepper told cheering senior citizens last night he'll head to his 88th birthday battling for passage of a national plan for health care in catastrophic illness.

Pepper was honored by the Liberty City Christian Association with a dinner featuring gospel singing and a litany of good wishes from community leaders. Pepper said 1 million Americans a year become destitute because of catastrophic illness that wipes out their savings. He said catastrophic health care, contained in a bill filed last year could be paid for by taxing all income at 1.45 percent. It would be mostly funded by the wealthy, he said. The bill would protect not only the elderly from being wiped out by health costs, but also all other i i The Miami Newt ALBERT DIAZ Mike Martinez, of what else Moonlight Graphics, does at Northwest 27th Avenue and 93rd Street.

No one could say some work on the neon lighting for the sign at the Farm Store he was 'cowering' under to the job ahead of him. people hit by any disabling disease, ranging from cancer to AIDS. Witness says 'river cop' Coello helped steal Search for bone marrow donor on The search for a bone marrow donor for Elsa Glazer continues. Glazer, who was the subject of KAREN PAYNE conversations with various defendants in the "river cops" case. With former Miami cop Roman Rodriguez, who has entered a guilty plea, Un wearing a body bug -r discussed Coello and mentioned Carballo in a conversation recorded on Dec.

5, 1985. "Coello wasn't on duty 'cause he was with me and had a T-shirt on," Un said of the Jones Boat Yard raid. In a separate conversation, Armando Estrada, )V-. 1 1 1 a Miami News column Dec. 14, suffers from chronic leukemia and has been unsuccessful in finding a match for a life-saving transplant.

To date, about 2,400 people have been tested, but no compatible donor has been found. Anyone interested in being tested as a DOtential donor should call The only other defendant remaining in the trial is suspended Miami cop Mario Carballo. Their co-defendant Omar Manzanilla entered a plea of guilty yesterday to cocaine and Quaalude conspiracy charges and to one count of income tax evasion. Like Coello, 27, Carballo, 31, faces drug and racketeering charges. Continuing his testimony today, Un further detailed his life as a drug dealer and how that led him to becoming involved with corrupt policemen.

Un said he became a small-time dealer in 1984, selling minute amounts of cocaine, his earnings averaging $300 to $400 a week. In 1985, he struck it big, he said, when he worked with police and other drug dealers stealing drugs along the Miami River. That work netted him more than $300,000, he said. All the while, he was using cocaine, he said. Prosecutors played tapes yesterday of Un's Admitted drug dealer Armando Un Roque testified that former Miami cop Osvaldo Coello one of two remaining defendants in the "river cops" trial helped him unload bags of cocaine during a 1985 boatyard rip-off.

Un who faltered when asked to identify Coello in court during the first "river cops" trial had no trouble yesterday pointing to Coello as the man who allegedly worked at his side during the rip-off. Coello faces drug and racketeering charges and also is charged with causing the drowning deaths of three drug dealers. The trio jumped Into the Miami River while fleeing men in police uniforms during the July 1985 raid at Jones Boat Yard on the Miami River, the incident that gave the case its name. another ex-cop who has pleaded guilty, described Coello to Un as "the big one, the strong one, that monster, that big gorilla, the one that put you into the hole" of the boat. Prosecutor Trudi Novicki yesterday estimated the guilty plea by Manzanilla will reduce the number of government witnesses in the trial by about 15.

She said the government will probably rest its case against Coello and Carballo this week or next. GUzer Roche Laboratories at 445-1452 for further information. There is no charge for testing, though donations to defray the cost of testing are welcome. If there is an initial match, further testing will be necessary. All information will be kept on file for other leukemia victims who need transplants.

Metro police start fund to repay cancer victim who eased work MICHAEL LASALANDRA Miami Newt Reporter and ADRIAN WALKER Miami Mwt Vstf Liviana Avello, a language instructor, spent 18 months developing a program to aid Metro police Man pleads guilty to mail fraud A former salesman has pleaded guilty to mail fraud in a case involving phony guarantees to customers in the federally run oil and gas rights lottery, according to U.S. Attorney Leon Kellner, A Fort Lauderdale indictment charged Charles Mason was a salesman for Trans World Resources which offered to file in the 1982 and 1983 lotteries. At the core of the sales pitch were false statements to customers, including bogus guarantees that customers would win a lease, and overrated estimates of lease values, the prosecution charged. Mason faces up to five years in prison, $1,000 in fines, and restitution based on his profits from Trans World. Mason's plea yesterday concludes the government's case against nine defendants indicted for participating in Trans World Resources.

All nine have now been convicted. Mason, 40, is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 19. Judge Margolius to fill Gross void To fill a void created with the suspension of Circuit Judge Howard Gross, Chief Circuit Court ay iiji-ii i mm vt a 1 i officers responding to crisis situations even as she underwent radiation therapy to fight cancer spreading through her body. Now, Metro police want to return the favor by raising money for Avello, whose medical debts otherwise could make it impossible to ppt the trpatmpnt she sppks Fort Lauderdale cops walking whisker-thin line DAVID H.

CITRON Miami Maw Ceffatpanatnt Fort Lauderdale police Sgt. Rick Szymanski will have to call the county courthouse before reporting to work Friday afternoon. Otherwise, he won't know whether to shave his beard. Broward Circuit Judge Linda Vitale heard arguments yesterday from the Fraternal Order of Police, which is seeking an injunction to block enforcement of the police department's new no-beard rule for uniformed officers. The rule was to take effect yesterday, but Vitale took the case under advisement and told the police chief to take no disciplinary action against bearded officers until her decision Friday.

"I have great respect for the judicial system," commented Szymanski. "I'll wait for them to render their decision" before shaving. Szymanski estimates "a handful of sergeants and about 20 patrolmen" sport beards. When the rule change was announced, the FOP filed an unfair labor practice grievance with the Public Employee Relations Commission, charging the city changed conditions of employment without bargaining with the union. A commission hearing is set for Jan.

13. "For several years we've had the option of wearing beards." commented FOP President Frank DeRusso. "With the change in administration, some top administrator doesn't like a beard." Police Chief Joe Gerwens was unavailable for comment. Police spokesman Ott Cefkin said the policy permitting beards originated in 1985 to soften the image of the police department and to get officers more involved in the community. left at least $30,000 in debt after five years of fighting cancer.

Avello, a former language professor at the University of Wisconsin, hasn't been able to work for three months and is confined to her bed as she fights the disease. She has undergone several operations and treatments. "She's a fighter." Wilson said. Wilson said Avello also was seriously ill throughout the span of the state-funded program, yet commonly worked 12- to 14-hour days to get it off the ground, sandwiching work around radiation treatments, and working as a volunteer when funding for the program was unavailable. "She's a person who got involved with the police department for what she could give to it.

rather than what she could get out of it, said Wilson. "She's concerned about the quality of the program, the quality of service and the ability of the officers to respond to emergency situations." Dr. Charles Vogel. an oncologist at Jackson Memorial Hospital who is Avello's doctor, said her breast cancer has spread to her spine. While the cancer has been controlled through surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, a tumor persists in her spine and threatens to paralyze her, he said.

It was surgically removed once, but grew back. Since then, radiation and chemotherapy, including novatrone chemotherapy treatment available in Canada, have been tried without success, said Vogel. Specialists are now trying to find a treatment which can attack the tumor without damaging the rest of her spine. Donations to the fund may be made to: The Liviana Avello Cancer Fund, co Metro Police Department Training Bureau. 9601 N.W.

58th St. Miami. 33178. i Judge Gerald wetnerington has appointed County Court Judge Richard Margolius to the criminal division of the circuit court on a temporary basis. Margolius, 45 and a former assistant public defender and assistant state attorney, will serve until March 19.

Under the Florida Rules of "If you were going to Avello make a movie, she's the kind of person you'd want to make it about," said Lt. John Wilson, of the department's training bureau. "She's a real heroine." The 39-year-old mother of three teen-age boys developed an award-winning language training program to train police officers to speak and understand at key words and phrases of other languages. The program won an award from the National Association of Counties. She was to be presented with a plaque today to honor her work and offer her inspiration in her battle with cancer.

County Manager Sergio Pereira was to make the presentation at Avello's home. In addition, Wilson and other officers have set up a fund to aid Avello, whose family has been i i 1 i Margolius Judicial Administration, the chief judge of each circuit can appoint acting circuit judges. Adrian Walker.