CITYWIDE

CITY WORKERS IN GAY MARRIAGES TO GET EQUAL PENSION RIGHTS

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday he will direct his appointees on the city’s pension fund boards to treat city employees in gay marriages the same way as those in traditional marriages. Mr. Bloomberg’s decision, based on a legal opinion by the city Law Department, makes no immediate changes. It is unclear how many people will be affected. If the idea is approved by the city’s five pension fund boards, same-sex couples who are legally married or involved in a civil union with a city employee will receive pension benefits – including, for instance, accidental death benefits. New York State, however, does not officially recognize gay marriage, and state law prohibits pension benefits from being awarded to couples in city-sanctioned domestic partnerships. State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has ruled that although same-sex marriages can not be legally performed in New York, the state must recognize those performed legally elsewhere.

– Associated Press

MANHATTAN

9/11 FUND ADMINISTRATOR: EQUAL PAYMENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FAIR

The families of victims in the September 11, 2001, attacks would have been treated more fairly had they all received the same amount from the government’s $7 billion compensation fund, instead of giving some far greater awards based on incomes, the program’s administrator said yesterday. In his final report, Special Master Kenneth Feinberg said if Congress ever considers such a program again it should offer a flat amount to all victims and not account for families’ earnings, life insurance, or financial obligations. The average award to families of those killed was $2.1 million, though the 2,880 individual payouts ranged from $250,000 up to $7.1 million.

– Associated Press

BROOKLYN

JUDGE DISMISSES SOME CHARGES AGAINST NORMAN

The embattled Brooklyn Democratic leader, Clarence Norman, won a small victory yesterday when a judge dismissed several charges against him in a pending corruption case. State Supreme Court Justice Martin Marcus threw out several lesser charges against Mr. Norman in a case involving allegations that Mr. Norman, a Brooklyn assemblyman, stole a $5,000 check made out to his re-election committee.

Judge Marcus dismissed charges that Mr. Norman falsified business records of the state Board of Election, as well as alleged misdemeanor violations of state election laws. But the judge left standing other charges in the case, including the most serious allegation of grand larceny in the third degree. Mr. Norman also faces corruption charges in three separate cases.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

FBI INFORMANT INVOLVED IN THREE TERROR-FUNDING INVESTIGATIONS

An FBI informant who set himself on fire in front of the White House earlier this week played a role in at least three investigations of a network that allegedly funneled millions of dollars to terrorist groups, court documents show. Defense attorneys said yesterday they are re-examining Mohamed Alanssi’s role in the cases against their clients, who are accused of helping fund Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda, and the Palestinian Arab group Hamas.

– Associated Press

LONG ISLAND

AMMON SUFFERED THREE DOZEN BLOWS, MEDICAL EXAMINER SAYS

Millionaire investment banker Theodore Ammon suffered at least three dozen savage blows to his head, as well as numerous broken ribs and other injuries, before dying in the bedroom of his East Hampton mansion, a medical examiner testified yesterday. Dr. James Wilson also said the injuries were so violent they appeared to be more consistent with those suffered by a person involved in an automobile crash. “This is not a glancing blow in any way,” Dr. Wilson told jurors of one of the injuries suffered by Ammon. He testified as a prosecution witness against Daniel Pelosi, 41, who is charged with second-degree murder in Ammon’s death.

– Associated Press

POLICE BLOTTER

MAN DRIVING TRUCK RUNS OVER WOMAN

A New Jersey man drove his truck in reverse down a one-way street and ran over and critically injured a woman near New York University housing yesterday morning, police said. A woman in her mid-20s was stuck by a blue 2000 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck while crossing Mercer Street at the Bleecker Street intersection. She suffered “severe” head trauma, according to police. The woman, who was not identified, was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital in extremely critical condition. Police issued five summonses to the driver, Maher Safa, who is 38 and lives in New Jersey.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

POLICE ARREST BOY WHO SHOT AT OFFICERS

Police say they arrested a 15-year-old boy who shot at plainclothes officers while they were arresting drug suspects at Brooklyn yesterday. Members of the Street Narcotics Enforcement Unit arrested the boy, who was not identified, after he allegedly fired three or four shots at the police at 8:16 p.m. and missed, while standing outside the Bushwick Houses project. None of the officers were injured and they did not return fire, police said. Police arrested one or two drug suspects and used mace on a drug suspect who had resisted arrest, police said.

Before he was arrested, the boy passed the gun off to an unknown suspect, who fled the scene.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun