Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 1

Kentucky blows out Florida State, 106-81 Sports, 1E Vacationers relive worst misadventures Travel, 1H Support groups offer help to parents Tho Way We Uve, 1 Partly cloudy High, 57; low, 35 Ike BstoiiD: Mots AND "UP1 Serb soldier says he was just following orders Outlook, 1 Allegations of brutality rock Monroe Sheriff's Department: County already has paid 1 million as 3 agencies investigate charges. 4 By Said Deep THE DETROIT NEWS Federal, state and local authorities are investigating allegations of brutality by Monroe County sheriffs deputies, which have cost the county nearly $1 million in out-of-court settlements. The largest award, more than $600,000, went to 30-year-old Kenneth 'v Ml Mr. Basketball lives up name as Aquinas wins Covenant Christian Coach Kevin Van Engen holds up the Class to trophy after beating Muskegon Western Michigan Christian. 1 -l I- i i I If! I Watson, of Maybee.

In his lawsuit, Watson claimed his mouth was taped and deputies beat him while he was chained to a drain cover on the floor of his cell, bent backward like a pretzel by his shackles. "I thought I was going to die," said Watson, who was arrested for reckless driving and fleeing an accident scene on Jan. 15, 1989. In his lawsuit, which was settled in December, Watson said the beating stopped only after he be The old coach was sitting in the stands, watching the boys' basketball finals at The Palace on Saturday afternoon. But no longer does the shadow of Lofton Greene hang over the downriver game.

At least not like it used to in the days when he won all those titles at River Kenneth Watson struggles to resume his life. Rouge. The memory of his feats will never be forgotten how could they be? -but now here is a dedicated bunch of young men from Southgate Aquinas stepping into the spotlight them gan vomiting through his nose and passed out. In a similar out-of-court settlement in September, Charles Wilder of Temperance received nearly $300,000. He claimed a deputy beat him unconscious with a blackjack during a 1986 arrest.

Additional lawsuits are pending. A spokesman for Amnesty International, which monitors brutality complaints around the world, said what allegedly happened to Watson is similar to what happens to political prisoners in countries like Chad and India. The Watson case has prompted a number of agencies, including the FBI, Michigan State Police and the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office, to investigate Please see Sheriff, 12A JOE FALLS Jr. V- Victim: 'They beat me so much I started vomiting' Photos by CLARENCE TABB JR.The Detroit News Saginaw Buena Vista forward Chester Surles (32) and teammates celebrate their Class victory Saturday. nrnrr selves by winning their first Class title.

They were expected to do it all this season win their league, win their playoffs and win a state championship. It was asking a lot but they had an answer for every question, and on this pleasant springtime day, they completed their mission with a 50-44 victory over Pewamo-West-phalia, a consolidated school about 25 miles northwest of Lansing. Also claiming championship crowns Saturday were Grand Rapids Covenant Christian over Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, 53-42, in Class and Saginaw Buena Vista over Muskegon Heights, 69-52, in Class B. Now everyone will know where Southgate Aquinas is. It is sits on North Line Road near the 1-75 expressway, and that's where the celebration will go on all weekend long.

This was the Raiders' 28th victory without a loss and they can thank No. 24, a tall, controlled senior who not only led them to another triumph, but he put on a show of sportsmanship that should serve as a model for all the high school players. We are talking of Mr. Basketball so voted by the coaches in the state this past week oneJonGara-vaglia. He was everything.

He scored just 15 points but made Please see Aquinas, 10A Tournament results CLASS Saginaw Buena Vista 69 Muskegon Heights 52 CLASS Southgate Aquinas 50 Pewamo-Westphalia 44 CLASS GR Covenant Christian 53 Muskegon Christian 42 if---, 1', in By Said Deep THE DETROIT NEWS Four years after he was beaten unconscious by Monroe County sheriffs deputies, Kenneth Watson is still trying to put his life back together. The lifelong Monroe County resident was a construction worker and optimistic about landing a job as a hazardous waste materials worker before his run-in with deputies on Jan. 15, 1989. Arrested after returning to tl.e scene of an accident, Watson said he was handcuffed and beaten at the scene and again in a Monroe jail eel! cal'ed the "rubber room." Watson said he lay shackled and bleeding from the mouth, head and ears before one deputy decided to cut off the tape covering his mouth. "They beat me so much I started vomiting, and I thought I was going to die," Watson recalled in a recent interview.

"My mouth was taped up and it started coming through my nose and stuff. I kf-pt passing out on them." Please see Victim's claim, 12 A In Sports: Full game coverage. Page 1E, 4E iniir Southgate Aquinas made the key plays to defeat Pewamo-Westphalia in Class C. A hero stumbles: No longer 'Supernatural' Military budget would cut manpower, 'tread water' on weapons Fall from grace: His admirers hope for the best as Lem Barney's criminal case unfolds. By Donna Cassata ASSOCIATED PRESS ifrcc Vxcso Mitch Albom 1F Books 7J Comment 1F Crossword Puzzle 3J Editorials 2F Entertainment 1G Fashion 5J Homes Real Estate 1K Horoscope 2G Jumble 10K Movie Guide 7G BobTalbert 4F Susan Watson 4F The Way We Live Travel 1H Volume 162, Number 315 1993 Detroit Free Press Inc.

Printed in United States Detroit News Business 1D Classified 1L Comment 3B Y. Times Crossword 3B Death notices 6C Editorials 2B Essentials 7C Horoscope 1L Lottery 7C Metro 1C Obituaries 6C Outlook 1B Sports "IE Stocks 3D Weather 7C 1 19th Year. Number 213 Copyright, 1993, The Detroit News, Inc. Printed in the USA became a community friend through his public affairs job with Michigan Consolidated Gas Co. Barney's name graces a dozen civic boards.

He has headed civic projects, helped senior citizens with their golf game and told little kids to stay off drugs. His admirers say they can only hope for the best as Barney's criminal case unfolds. His arrest has dredged up earlier hints of drug use, as well as personal difficulties that troubled Barney in recent years. "He let a lot of people down, particularly the kids, and he feels bad about it," said Dave Bing, former Detroit Piston and businessman. "The magnitude of the situation he Please see Barney, 10A By Ann Sweeney THE DETROIT NEWS They called him "The Supernatural" a cornerback who flew down the field so deftly that Detroit Lions' fans said he was out of this world.

But Lem Bamey, enshrined in the Football Hall of Fame just seven months ago, showed some human frailty when he was arrested about a week ago for drunken driving and possession of drugs. "He was a hero, but he is a human being first," said his good friend and former teammate, Mel Farr. "And human beings are vulnerable." Fallout from Barney's arrest still reverberates in the city where he WASHINGTON Defense Secretary Les Aspin unveiled a slimmed-down military budget Saturday, stressing it preserves many weapons systems begun by the last two Republican presidents. "This is a cautious budget on the weapons side very cautious," Aspin said. "We are maintaining a lot of options water on two accounts research and development and procurement." Reductions of 108,000 active-duty person- nel, a pay freeze and modest cuts in the Strategic Defense Initiative account for much of President Clinton's spending trims in the plan for fiscal 1994.

Please see Military, 1 0A Lem Barney: Xj Lions cornerback was All-Pro three times..