Daily News from New York, New York • 33

i i Wednesday, October 7, 1992 DAILY NEWS She'll seek $20M in will answer." Said Westchester District Attorney Carl Vergara: "I've been in the law enforcement business for 44 years and been sued for more than $100 million but nobody's ever collected a cent The case has no merit" JEtiner, 20, was working only a month when she was arrested and charged with arson and murder in the death of infant Karen Fischer, who was severely burned and died from smoke inhalation. IIJL Phones News Bureai (718) 875-4455 Fax (718) 875-7795 Home Delivery 1-800 692-NEWS By TOM POSTER Daily News Staff Writer Olivia Riner, the Swiss nanny acquitted of setting fires that killed a 3-month-old girl, will sue Westchester County, the Town of Mount Pleasant, the district attorney and the state for $20 million, her attorney said yesterday Alleging false arrest and malicious prosecution, a notice of intent was filed in the State Court of Claims preserving Riner's right to take action, her attorney, Michael Fitzgerald, said. Mt. Pleasant Supervisor Robert Meehan would only say, "We've given that to our insurance carrier and they ffffkeirs By DONALD BERTRAND Daily News Staff Writer Three Housing Authority policemen from the Bronx were among five to receive the department's highest honor at its annual medal day ceremonies yesterday. In all, 98 medals were awarded at the ceremonies at City Hall.

Detective Sgt. Peter Ces-tare, Detective Isaac Richardson and Officer Alan Leifer were joined by Officers Paul Ciurcina and Thomas Kartelias of Brooklyn in receiving the top medal. Last May, Cestare was among a group of cops who were searching for Herman Spencer, wanted in the slaying of a man and in the attempted slaying of a state correction officer. Housing Authority police, acting on a tip, went to the apartment of Spencer's sister on E. 229th St.

in the Eden-wald Houses. Cestare was questioning several women and children just two or three feet inside the apartment when Spencer appeared behind the women and children and fired a gun, striking Cestare in the lip. Exchanged fire damages trial lawyer. She is a sister of Lou Brevetti, a partner in Fitzgerald's firm. "This is a preliminary action and gives the state and Mount Pleasant time to think what they will do," said Fitzgerald.

Riner is home in Switzerland taking up a new life. But the "Swiss nanny" case is the subject of three books and will be a television movie. The fatal fires erupted in the home of William and 3 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Bronx Botanical Garden will build a $32 million international plant research center to house its world-renowned herbarium and library collection, officials said. About two-thirds of the cost some $20 million, is to be contributed by the federal, state and local governments, the announcement said. The other $12 million will come from nongovernmental sources, including private individuals and foundations.

Elizabeth Moynjhan, wife of Sen. Daniel Moynihan and Mayor Dinkins formally announced the federal and city commitments to the project of $13 million and $6 million respectively, at a dinner Monday night New York State is adding $1 million, a Botanical Garden spokesman said. WES "The evidence is compelling that this was a reckless and malicious prosecution, and that the conduct of both the Mount Pleasant Police Department and the district attorney's office was questionable at best," said Fitzgerald, an attorney with the Manhattan firm of Scolari, Brevetti, Goldsmith Weiss. Fitzgerald did not represent Riner during her trial, but said the notice he filed will also seek additional fees for Laura Brevetti, Riner's cud scene, where he found two men shot on the street Richardson saw the gun- "iafVnin8 and chased him SifJkKTL The two exchanged on patron re sponded and joined in the foot chase. Both gunfire with the suspect, who was shot fatally.

Denise Fischer last Dec 2 while they were out They left their daughter with the nanny, who escaped from the home. Fitzgerald said he is asking for the high amount because Riner was subjected to conspiracy, false arrest, false imprisonment, fraud, loss of earnings, impairment of earning power, malicious prosecution, mental pain and suffering, negligence, prosecutorial misconduct, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, intentional and negligent unconstitutional conduct and violations of federal and state civil rights laws. the field in finding and cataloguing plants in this hemisphere's rain forests." The garden, occupying 250 acres in the Bronx, has the Western Hemisphere's largest herbarium and largest library on plant studies. The herbarium's 5.5 million specimens include more than 123.000 original samples used to name particular plants, some of them collected by such historical figures as Capt James Cook, Charles Darwin, Lewis and Clark. Col.

John C. Fremont and Gen. George A. Custer. The library's 1.2 million items, some dating to the 13th century, are listed in a computerized data base that is used by 14.000 other libraries and research facilities around the world and serves as the "essential foundation for environmental conservation," the Botanical Garden said.

"crisis as vanvVrent-Trrtron- mental concern." YOUNGSTER takes a seat near police officers outside new Bronx school yesterday, as they await the arrival of Mayor Din-kins for dedication of Public School 23, at 182d St. and Washington Ave. The state-of-the-art facility took two years to complete and serves 650 students. jack smith daily news Detained in Washington v. x.

Construction set for 94 Sen. Moynihan, who be- came chairman of the Senate Garden officials said con-Environment and Public struction would begin in 1994 Works Committee after the on the new center, which will recent death of Sen. Quentin provide "safe and environ-Burdick was to mentally controlled storage make the announcement but and research facilities' for was detained in Washington collections into the 21st ccn- 4y business, said Karl tury. iJ 'e Lauby, the spokesman. Gregory cF 'j fa 14 statement Moynihan r'tbe1 Bytani el i ij ft' After several exchanges of Detective Nilsa Torres re- gunfire, Spencer surren- ceived the Medal of Excep- dered.

tional Merit for her part in Lts. Robert Andretta and recovering the officers as thfev Cestare. 1 the seeond incident, De- national resourte1; toselrecogniza si i Vi tive Michael Gray received i Wiiiiw in i 1 1 -r v. the Police Combat Cross foTr helping in the rescue of Cestare and' jpreventing Spencer from escaping. was on Oct 2.

1991, when he heard numerous gunshots and went to the collections have no equi-a It leads' lent on Earth.