The Fresno Bee from Fresno, California • 17

'IS 1 -M vf 1 TOE FRESNO BEE FRIDAY DECEMBER 101999 A17 Nation IN BRIEF Two white men charged in death of black woman with manslaughter in mauling tlltMEMItMMtMtMMtKMtttMtMMtMMMMttMMMMMttM Gay marriage moot HONOLULU The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the effort by several homosexual couples to legalize gay marriage was rendered moot by a 1998 amendment to the state constitution overwhelmingly approved by voters The decision effectively terminates the move to recognize lii which marriage in Hawaii Thursday on charges of murder attempted murder and reckless endangerment They were arrested after lice received a tip Both i are from Millington where pickup first began tailing the women Saturday night Wilson 38 her mother Mer-iam Spriggs 67 and Clark- ASSOCIATED PRESS WINNSBORO SC An owner of two pit bullB was charged with involuntary manslaughter Thursday the death of a man who was mauled by the dogs while taking a walk in the middle of the night The dogs owned by Frank Paul Speagle 22 bit John Mickle 45 more than 1000 times and crushed his windpipe to the when they pulled him By Stephen Manning ASSOCIATED PRESS CHESTERTOWN Md Two white brothers were arrested Thursday and charged with killing a 73-year-old woman who was riding home with two other African-American women from a Christmas shopping trip David Starkey 24 and his brother Daniel 19 allegedly tailed the car last Saturday for 21 miles flashing the lights of their pickup truck and honking the horn Three shotgun blasts were fired at the car one struck Germaine Clarkston who died two days later The other two women in the car suffered minor injuries Authorities dedinedto specify a motive but the FBI is investigating whether the shooting was racially motivated "Michelle Wilson who was wounded by metal fragments from the side door said the only motive she could think of was that the men were angry that the women had driven too slowly The Starkey brothers were being held without bond ground early Saturday Coroner Joe Silvia said Mickle was stripped of his clothes and flesh was tom from his left leg The dogs had been loose in yard at the time of the attack and Speagle also was charged with failing to keep a dangerous animal restrained The involuntary manslaughter charge means authorities think Speagle should have known his dogs were potentially danger- ston had gone to Dover Del to shop for Christmas gifts They visited several stores had lunch and headed back for Chestertown Wilson said After crossing the state line they noticed a truck was following them Wilson said As the three drove through Chestertown the truck began flashing its lights and honking the horn Wilson said When she pulled onto another road the truck pulled up along side the car and three shots were fired Wilson said In a moment Clarkston was slumped over onto her happened so fast it made my head spin" Wilson said was blood all over her and I had blood all over me" Sheila Exum great-niece said: family nas no hatred toward these men" ASSOOATED PRESS John Mickle 45 of Winnsboro SC died from wounds he sustained from a pit bull attack as he was taking a walk Dec 4 The dogs bit Mickle more than 1 000 times flatten the tires of at least one car No one at house would comment Thursday There was no answer at Mickle's house Keith Lewis said The man told the dogs' owner but never told authorities Lewis said Authorities also said the animals had used their teeth to In November a 74-year-old man said the dogs bit him on the calf and thigh before he was able to get away by swinging his belt at them sheriffs Mqj was regarded by gay ists as one of the more places to win legalization mosexual unions Shuttle mission delayed CAPE CANAVERAL Space shuttle rescue mission to the Hubble Space Telescope has been delayed until late next week at least so workers can replace a dented fuel line NASA is targeting liftoff for next Thursday but assuming workers can quickly complete a job never been attempted before Until astronauts arrive with replacement parts Hubble cannot perform any astronomical observations Its pointing system shut down a month ago Electric clulr scrutinized TALLAHASSEE Fla Gov Jeb Bush called Thursday for a special legislative session Jan 5-7 to consider changing method of execution from the electric chair to lethal injection The state has a record of botched electrocutions and the US Supreme Court is reviewing whether the state's electric chair is an unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment Farm deaths Investigated LONSDALE Minn A man who is believed to have died in a suspicious farmhouse fire that killed five others was struggling with legal and financial problems before the blaze court records Bhow Autopsies were being performed Thursday to determine whether the bodies were those of Primitive Juan Rivas 48 his son Tyler 16 and daughter KiAnn 20 girlfriend Catherine Ranft 38 and her children Caroline 4 and Meredith age 5 or 6 Investigators hoped to learn whether they died in the fire early Wednesday or were killed before it Plane crash kms 6 BRANSON Mo A small plane crashed near the music resort town of Branson on Thursday killing Bix people fire officials said The twin-engine Cessna Citation went down five miles Bhort of its destination the College of the Ozarks said Ted Martin division chief of the Branson fire department Internet access a goal WASHINGTON President Clinton set a national goal Thursday of connecting every American to the Internet to make high-technology advantages as universally available as the telephone The aim is to slam shut the digital between the computer and the president said in a Rose Garden announcement A Commerce Department report in July documented a wide digital divide in America It found that African-American and Hispanic households are only two-fifths as likely to have Internet access as white households Households with incomes of $75000 and above in urban areas are more than 20 times as likely to have Internet access as households at the lowest income levels Gap Old Navy Issue recall WASHINGTON Six styles of Gap and Old Navy brand sleepwear that don't meet federal fire-resistance standards are being voluntarily recalled About 231000 pajama sets sold nationwide at GapKids ba-byGap Gap Outlet and Old Navy stores between August and December of this year are affected The pqjamas can be returned for a refund and $10 gift certifi- cate The style numbers of the recalled sets are 353558 353554 733002 733032 466291 and 674060 For more information customers can contact Gap Inc at (800) 427-78953 or (800) 653-6289 or online at wwwgapcom or wwwoldnavycom Free Long Distance On Rate Plans Starting At Touchpoint Phone VMBsWtfondhnalmdy Dud mode soda's PCS or olds anas Cahndot Cakdotor and 300 ante mnwy (000000(120) NOKIA Connecting Peoki Dud Mode iris in PCS or analog anas 37Sboarlal tins and owr 4 days standby feno 32 dtfndiw rings 17999 3000 Matin Mala 14999 Mtar Madia Rabata 500 Minutes For $50 PER MONTH Ado An Additional 200 off-peak minutes for 9" SiuTac WnbssfWtaody bnalmdy Dud node soda 's PCS and ondogomas 4 2 hours Ink ftno and aw 7 days standby (no 517867) NioFomtSeuit Phone ull -i- -L wines leroy prong hnainody BulNs peoonal data assistant (PM) Hat Sync midi yoar PC (NP1M0) 39999 3000 MdHnhbnta 34999 dftarMadinbboti "0 shta as pkass sri $1 00 skta too ftae bn nnt fm WMns km S20 aril ban Sprint 10 9Mb HW Smin Fsi bog Rstau not Mririi si psyoiri pbs onfutas in Is ConfesSri lii tag fence SfMst PC Fsi lug Kstanm Sms ssMdtas say applp Sis is dank Otis 199 6 1999 Im by news services I I.