New York 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.

MANHATTAN
JUDGE RULES GOVERNMENT MUST RELEASE ABU GHRAIB PAPERS
A federal district court judge in Manhattan ruled yesterday that the government must make public two briefs filed by high-ranking military officials explaining their reasons for withholding photos and video footage related to the Abu Ghraib prison abuse case. The Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, General Richard Myers, the highest-ranking military member of the American military, wrote one of the briefs. The ruling was a victory for the American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union, the plaintiffs in the case. Judge Alvin Hellerstein gave the government until Thursday to decide whether it would file an appeal. As a result, the documents were not released yesterday. The ruling, however, could benefit the plaintiffs, who are hoping the judge will side with their arguments for public disclosure as they continue pushing to get 84 photographs and four videotapes released. The suit stems from an ACLU Freedom of Information Act request that the government denied in 2003. The Manhattan U.S. attorney, David Kelly, spoke at yesterday’s hearing, but declined to comment further on the case when court adjourned. The government has argued that the documents and photos are not included in materials it is required to disclose under the freedom of information act because they could endanger the safety of American troops. A hearing on the release of the photos and videotapes is scheduled for August 30.
– Staff Reporter of the Sun
MAN ROBBED BY NEW ACQUAINTANCE
A 42-year-old man from South Africa was the victim of a grand larceny at the hands of a newfound friend, law enforcement officials said. On Saturday the victim met the soon-to-be perpetrator, a man who called himself “Tony,” and appeared to be in his late 30s, while window-shopping in Greenwich Village. The victim invited the acquaintance back to his hotel room for a drink. It was about 6 p.m., and the hotel guest decided to take a shower inside the room at San Carlos Hotel at 150 East 50th St., leaving his companion in the hotel room. When the victim got out of the shower, his visitor said he had to drop off a gift and would return in five minutes. After the man left, the hotel guest realized “Tony” had stolen his wallet, containing $150, two credit cards from South Africa, a cell phone, and a gold necklace and ring. All together, “Tony” stole roughly $650 worth of items from the victim.
– Staff Reporter for the Sun
STATEWIDE
MANURE SPILLED IN RIVER IS DISSIPATING
CARTHAGE, N.Y. – A 3 million gallon liquid manure spill that killed a massive number of fish in the Black River last week was largely dissipated yesterday, though officials said the pungent plume remains a concern. Between 15,000 and 100,000 fish were killed after the manure flowed into the northern New York river. An earthen wall of a lagoon holding the manure blew out late Wednesday or early Thursday at a farm near Lowville. Emergency officials tried to flush the river clean last week by increasing the flow from a feeder river. There was some evidence that it worked: Oxygen levels were beginning to rebound yesterday, and state Department of Environmental Conservation officials expected the number of fish deaths to drop off.
– Associated Press
QUEENS
THREE OF 36 CHARGED IN ILLEGAL GAMBLING OPERATION PLEAD GUILTY
Three of 36 individuals charged with participating in an illegal gambling operation run by an organized crime family pleaded guilty to promoting gambling yesterday, the Queens district attorney, Richard Brown, announced. One of the recently convicted felons, 39-year-old Dominic Valila of Floral Park, Long Island, was supplementing his income as the head groundskeeper at Shea Stadium by working as one of 25 runners in the $180-million a year operation. Judge Richard Buchter found no fault with the New York Mets, who cooperated fully with the investigation.
“We have no reason to believe the Mets, players, front office, or managerial or coaching staff were involved. However, thanks to the coordinated efforts of the New York City Police Department and my office, we have managed to close down this highly lucrative gambling operation that benefited organized crime, in particular the Bonanno crime family, to the tune of millions of dollars each year,” the district attorney’s office said in a press release. The Mets’ spokesman Jay Horowitz said the judge “twice indicated that no player or coach or anyone in the Mets’ office was involved.” Prosecutors estimated that the crime circle, allegedly run by the Bonanno family, one of New York’s major mafia clans, ran wire rooms in Kew Gardens and Flushing, Queens, and in Costa Rica, and handled up to 2,000 bets every day.
– Special to the Sun
CITYWIDE
PANEL APPROVES MAYOR’S PLAN FOR 7TH-GRADE SOCIAL PROMOTION
The Panel for Educational Policy last night overwhelmingly approved Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to extend the city’s policy of holding back failing students to the seventh grade. In March 2004, when the panel first voted on a plan to end the practice known as social promotion in the third grade, there was so much discord that the mayor fired two of his appointees hours before the meeting so he could get a “yes” vote. When a similar plan for fifth graders was up for a vote, there was hardly any dissent. Last night’s meeting at Tweed Courthouse was also uneventful. Nine panel members supported the proposal, and two abstained. Earlier in the day, the mayor said the plan was going to pass because it is proven to work.
“I think if you go back and take a look, I know it was controversial at the beginning, but what we tried to do was find out which students need more help and then give them the help that they need,” he said.
– Staff Reporter of the Sun