Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 1

Time is money Got the cash but no time to shop? Ask a professional tcchnopolis Holiday movie guide Sandra Bullock's 'Miss Congeniality' Tom Hanks in 'Cast Away' Movies and more, El If Forecast High Low 53 40 Mostly sunny. Details, BIO J. 1 Ti r. -1 endorsement record Business, CI 50 CENTS www.austln360.com FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2000 lftllH.HI Ml, iWt. AY MS 'I owe so much to the people of this state, and 'What matters most is that we do the business I hope I've repaid your the people of Texas have sent us here to President-elect George W.

Bush Texas Gov. Rick Perry 5) Bush gives way to Gov. Perry; more Cabinet picks likely today il i 1 I I If 7 Y-- v. -1 1 1 i I i A Police conduct facing review Rangers, others asked to help study officers' handling ofDePriestcase By Laylan Copeun and David Hafetz American-Statesman Staff Austin Police Chief Stan Knee has called in Texas Rangers and the U.S. attorney's office to help police review whether officer misconduct contributed to the wrongful conviction of two men for the 1988 rape and murder of a Pizza Hut worker.

In announcing the unprecedented investigation today, Knee will say there is insufficient evidence to link Christopher Ochoa and Richard Dan-ziger to the murder of Nancy DePriest, a 20-year-old mother. His conclusion follows an almost five-year investigation after a third man confessed to the crime in 1996 and comes amid mounting evidence, including DNA analyses, that Ochoa and Danziger were wrongly convicted. Austin police and Texas Rangers will review how the DePriest case was handled by homicide officers Hector Po-lanco, Bruce Boardman and Ed Balagia. A key question for investigators: Was Ochoa's confession illegally obtained, or did he lie about killing DePriest for his own, unknowable reasons? "We have nothing at this time that indicates any misconduct by any police officer," Knee said Thursday. "But when the chief can't tell you how two people can be sent to prison for several years with no evidence to connect them to the crime, he needs to look into it." Polanco and Boardman could not be reached for comment Thursday.

But Randy Leavitt, a lawyer who said he consulted Polanco on this matter, said the officer did nothing wrong. Polanco is now a lieutenant in the patrol division; Board-man is a sergeant in the office of See Police, A4 For one off icer, another controversy Lt. Hector Polanco, below, has played a role In several of the Austin Police Department's most controversial cases, A4. rm 1 mi mil ii iii ill mil mill in nun ii Taylor JohnsonAA-S With 'the father of Stephen F. Austin, as a backdrop, President-elect George W.

Bush wraps up his resignation speech Thursday in the Senate chamber. 4: Emotional speech ends governor's 6-year term Inside Perry promises a prosperous future for Texas By Gary Susswein and Michele Kurtz American-Statesman Staff just outside President-elect George W. Bush's shadow, Rick Perry on Thursday took the oath of office to become Texas' first nonelected governor in more than a half-century. Perry, who faces re-election in less than two years, laid out a vision that includes increasing access to higher education, improving transportation and upgrading the quality of life along the Texas-Mexico border. The 50-year-old West Texas rancher also hailed Bush as "an inspiring leader" and praised Bush's efforts in education and welfare reform.

"These important accomplishments and our economic prosperity have transformed Texas into a haven of opportunity, a place where vivid dreams and bold ideas await their realization," he See Perry, A6 By Ken Herman American-Statesman Capitol Bureau Chief He left office two years before his term ended, and wrapped up his farewell speech two paragraphs before it was supposed to end. Feeling the emotion of the moment and figuring he had found a good exit line, President-elect George W. Bush on Thursday capped his resignation speech with a comment he thought said it all. "My wish is that the new governor enjoys living in the mansion as much as we did," he told a Senate chamber audience. "It won't be our home, but Texas always will be." He clutched for a moment, said "God bless," waved twice, took wife Laura's hand and headed off one stage and onto a larger one, promising to do for America what he helped do for Texas.

"I am proud of the good we have done together in Texas, and I'm looking forward to the good we will do together in America," he said. Though some critics may question how much See Bush, A7 Text of speeches by President-elect George W. Bush and new Gov. Rick Perry. A6.A7 Laura Bush's mother released from hospital a day after fainting at party.

A7 Security for President-elect Bush means downtown lane closures and bus stop changes. Bl 1 Rebecca McEnteeAA-S Rick Perry hopes to build on the 'foundation George W. Bush laid. 'My vision Is not to merely celebrate that progress but to advance he said Thursday after he was sworn in as governor. 1 CSC to lease space A shrinking work force has prompted Computer Sciences Corp.

to seek tenants for some of the office space it is building downtown, CI. UT wins round in battle over affirmative action Index led to a dismantling of affirmative action programs at Texas colleges, public and private. "This or other subsequent panels of our court may well disagree with the aggressive legal reasoning employed by the Hopwood II panel," the court said of the 1996 group, "but it cannot be said that, as matter of law, the panel's decision is 'dead The judges sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks in Austin, leaving lawyers to figure out a new strategy. UT lawyers said that although the ruling Business Cl-6 Deaths B3-4 Editorials, Opinion A14-15 Metro State Bl-10 Movies and more El-6 Life Arts Fl-8 Sports Dl-8 Technopolis Hl-6 World Nation A2-28 Cfassttteds I 7T i i Judge Sam Larry Sparks: Ruling Faulkner: UT sends back his president calls order not to ruling a win but consider race sees more in admissions, battles ahead.

Appeals court says Hopwood ruling may have gone too far but doesn't overturn it By Mary Ann Roser and Sharon Jayson American-Statesman Staff The University of Texas won a partial victory Thursday in its long legal fight to defend affirmative action, but the battle appears far from over, and UT won't be Important events concerning the Hopwood decision. A10 changing its admissions policies anytime soon. On the most significant issue in the nationally watched case, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a previous three-judge panel probably overreached its authority when it slapped down UT's use of racial considerations in admissions. But the new panel did not overturn the March 1996 ruling known as Hopwood, which appeared sympathetic to UT's past use of affirmative action, the decision makes a laborious process even longer and fraught with uncertainty.

"I think it's a win for us but a win in another battle on this road," UT President Larry Faulkner said. Doug Laycock, a UT law professor who has been involved in UT's legal defense since 1996, called it "a step on the way to finally getting this resolved in the Supreme Court." See Hopwood, A10 C2000. Austin AmencafvStatesman For home delivery, call 445-4040. 7 'iLk'loioiL.