Daily News from New York, New York • 393

the appeals court ruling or calling some additional anti-Fuhrman wit back into court or mentioning his failure to testify, including: Trying to "compel" the prosecution to grant Fuhrman who testified he hadn't used the word in 10 years immunity so he can take the stand. But he did not explain how the defense would pull that off. Arguing that Fuhrman had no right to take the Fifth because he was already a sworn witness in the case. Asking Ito to strike part of Fuhrman's testimony including the ex-cop's, claim of finding the infamous bloody glove on Simpson's estate. Asking Ito to draft a new instruction to jurors about Fuhrman.

Sources told the Daily News that the defense was also mulling appealing an appeals court. The ruling scuttled Judge Lance Ito's order that the jury be told Fb.hr-man who invoked the Fifth ment against self-incrimination last week was "unavailable" and that that could be used in weighing his credibility. While Ito promised weary jurors last week that the defense would rest today, Simpson's lawyers vowed yesterday to press on until the Fuhrman controversy is resolved. "We cannot rest the case without the jury knowing what happened to Detective Fuhrman." defense attorney Gerald Uelmen told ABC television. He offered several possible strategies aimed at hauling the racist ex-cop By MICHELLE CARUSO in Los Angeles and JERE HESTER in New York Daily News Staff Writers Instead of resting, OJ.

Simpson's defense team will be busy today trying to drag Detective Mark Fuhrman's sullied name back into court And in a backflip, lead defense attorney Johnnie Cochran said yesterday that Simpson may yet testify topping his case with a grand finale. "Everything's on the table," he said, adding that a final decision would be made by today. "O.J. wants to testify. He wants to proclaim his innocence." Cochran's turnaround came as the defense plotted its next move after their bid to tell jurors about Fuhrman's failure to testify was rejected by nesses.

The defense claims that Fuhrman who was revealed as a racist in damning testimony and in taped comments framed the former football hero for the June 12, 1994, slayings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. Meanwhile, two brothers claimed that police burst into their apartment in 1978 and beat them in a search for a suspect after two cops were shot matching an incident described in the Fuhrman tapes. The account offered by Albert and Benny Morales largely matched Fuhrman's account, but neither placed him at the scene. 2 soon alter Cuds arrest dgh Wa. REUTER 35 abases (smsinjs LOS ANGELES Timothy McVeigh may have incriminated himself in the bloody Oklahoma City bombing, even before federal agents questioned him about it Asked if he knew why FBI agents were visiting him in a local jail two days after the April 19 blast at the Alfred P.

Murrah Federal Building, McVeigh replied, "Yes. That thing in Oklahoma City, I guess," according to yesterday's Los Angeles Times. At that point McVeigh had not been told he was a suspect He was being held in a county jail in Oklahoma on routine charges, and he could not have known why FBI officers were talking to him, officials said. Only after the FBI first indicated McVeigh was being held as a suspect in the bombing that killed 168 people did he begin to refuse to answer questions and ask to see a lawyer, the newspaper said. In his first two days in custody, McVeigh talked much more than previously reported, according to documents and interviews quoted by the newspaper.

Early descriptions painted him as a tight-lipped loner who, in military style, offered little more than "name, rank and serial number" to police. But the Times said McVeigh seemed jovial and courteous though restless after his arrest When FBI officers began questioning him and an angry group of citizens began forming outside, McVeigh grew nervous. He told agents he feared a "Jack Ruby" may be waiting outside for him, referring to the man who shot Lee Harvey Oswald as he was led from a Dallas jail in 1963 following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. "Everybody's out there," McVeigh reportedly told FBI officers.

"I'm getting kind of paranoid now. I might be Lee Harvey Oswald Jr." GOP eyes dropping Beginning September 10, NYC Transit will reduce serv ice on less frequently used bus routes and subway lines due to budget limitations. Be sure to pick up new schedules and service brochures, explaining the service changes in detail, on buses and in stations throughout the city. Lenox Avenue Shuttle (3 line) and 42nd Street Shuttle service will be discontinued during late night hours. Substitute bus service for the Lenox Avenue Shuttle (3 line) and alternative subway service for the 42nd Street Shuttle will be available.

Dean Street station for the Franklin Avenue shuttle in Brooklyn will be closed permanently. Affected bus routes: Bronx Bx3, Bxl3, BxH Bxl Bxl8, Bx20, Bx32, Bx33, Bx3 Bx55 Manhattan M9, M10, M16, M27, M34 M101102, M116 Brooklyn B2, B3, Bll, Bl B18, B23, B30, B3 B4762, B550, B54, B69 Medicare REUTER V) HI Q16, Q20, Q26, Q42, Q59, Q7 M35 Island S4S, S5556, S57, S59, S66, S76 For more information on the service changes, call (710) 243-7777. in Q. WASHINGTON Couples earning more than $125,000 would likely be excluded and other beneficiaries' payments would rise under a Medicare reform plan the House GOP will unveil this week, Speaker Newt Gingrich said yesterday. He said senior citizens would continue to pay the same as now until 2002, when they would pay an extra $7 a month.

But he said while costs would rise to $6,700 per senior citizen by then from $4,800 now, seniors would have options ranging from keeping the present government-paid health benefits to setting up their own health-care savings accounts. Gingrich told NBC's "Meet the Press" he hoped to consult with President Clinton as early as Tuesday on the plan. Republicans want a steep $270 billion slowdown in spending in seven years on the health program. New York City Transit Going your way.