National Desk
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
WAR IN IRAQ
ENGLAND SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS
FORT HOOD, Texas – Army Private First Class Lynndie England, who said she was only trying to please her soldier boyfriend when she took part in detainee abuse at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison, was sentenced late yesterday to three years behind bars.
The jury of five Army officers needed about 90 minutes to determine their sentence for England, a 22-year-old from rural West Virginia. The charges carried up to nine years, but prosecutor Captain Chris Graveline asked the jury to imprison her for four to six years. The defense asked for no time behind bars. England was convicted Monday on six of seven counts involving prisoner mistreatment.
– Associated Press
WEST
SAUDI IMPROPERLY OBTAINS TRANSPLANTED LIVER
LOS ANGELES – St. Vincent Medical Center, one of the largest organ transplantation centers in California, has suspended its liver program after discovering that its doctors improperly arranged for a transplant to a Saudi national using an organ that should have gone to a much higher priority patient at another hospital, officials said.
Hospital staff members then falsified documents several times to cover up the alleged maneuver, pretending that the transplant was for a patient who was near the top of the regional waiting list, hospital President and Chief Executive Gus Valdespino confirmed Monday.
The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia paid the $339,000 cost for the transplant and hospital stay, which is 25% to 30% higher than what the hospital would typically be paid for the procedure by insurance companies and government programs, Mr. Valdespino said.
– Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON
REPORT: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION INCREASES
Illegal immigrants are increasing despite tighter border security and now outnumber foreigners moving to America legally.
Total immigrants to America declined after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, partly because of increased security measures, the Pew Hispanic Center reported yesterday. The 2001 recession also was a likely factor, reducing jobs available in America. Now the number coming to the country is on the upswing again.
Immigration – both legal and illegal – topped 1.5 million people in 1999 and 2000, according to the report. The number of people entering America then plummeted to 1.1 million people by 2003, the same level as in 1992.
– Associated Press
HIGH COURT TO REVIEW CAMPAIGN FUND-RAISING, SPENDING LIMITS
The Supreme Court yesterday agreed to review a campaign finance law in Vermont, where reformers are trying to limit donations and spending in state political races. The Vermont case has been watched closely by campaign finance reform advocates around the country, and by those who argue that limiting political contributions or expenditures would violate the First Amendment’s free-speech guarantee.
In addition to the Vermont case, the court said it would hear an appeal from a Wisconsin anti-abortion group over political advertising restrictions in a 2002 campaign finance law.
– Associated Press
MIDDLE ATLANTIC
WITNESS CITES ANTI-EVOLUTION BIAS DURING ‘INTELLIGENT DESIGN’ TRIAL
HARRISBURG, Pa. – A rural school board showed a clear bias against teaching evolution before it pushed through a plan to introduce “intelligent design” to students, a former board member testified yesterday in a trial over whether the concept has a place in public schools. Aralene “Barrie” Callahan, who was once on the Dover school board and is among the challengers, said she believed the policy to teach intelligent design was religion-based. Eight families are trying to remove the theory from Dover Area School District curriculum, arguing that it violates the constitutional separation of church and state.
– Associated Press