CITYWIDE

LAWMAKERS CALL FOR RELEASE OF PLAN TO AID 9/11 RESPONDERS Two members of New York’s congressional delegation are calling for the federal government to release its plan for aiding responders and volunteers who worked at ground zero after the twin towers collapsed on September 11, 2001. The demand from Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Vito Fossella of New York, and Christopher Shays of Connecticut, comes after an autopsy confirmed that the death of a Police Department detective, James Zadroga, was “directly related to the 9/11 attacks.” Zadroga died of respiratory disease in January. “Our government must take action now to help prevent any future tragedies,” Ms. Maloney said. “It is abundantly clear that we don’t have any more time to lose.” In February, the government appointed a former top health official, Dr. John Howard, to coordinate a federal response to ground zero health impacts. – Staff Reporter of the Sun

PEDESTRIANS HIT AS CAR DRIVES ONTO SIDEWALK Two pedestrians suffered minor injuries after being struck by a car that plowed onto the sidewalk in Lower Manhattan yesterday morning, authorities said. The incident occurred at 8:53 a.m. at the intersection of West Houston and West Broadway. It appeared that the pedestrians, and possibly the driver of the car, suffered trauma, a Fire Department spokesman, Charlie Markey, said. The pedestrians were taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center, he said. – Associated Press

GRANDMOTHER FILES CLAIM SIGNALING INTENT TO SUE IN GIRL’S DEATH The grandmother of a 7-year-old girl who was tortured and beaten to death has filed a notice of claim signaling she intends to sue the city. In papers filed Tuesday, Maria Gonzalez accused the city of “carelessness, recklessness, gross negligence, wanton disregard and willful misconduct” leading to the death of Nixzmary Brown.

– Associated Press

IN THE COURTS

BROOKLYN MOTHER GETS 10 YEARS FOR KILLING SON, DEFRAUDING WELFARE A mother of six, convicted of killing her toddler son and collecting his welfare benefits, was sentenced twice in the same courtroom to a total of 10 years by two judges. One of the Manhattan judges, a state Supreme Court justice, Edward McLaughlin, turned yesterday’s proceeding into a memorial for the dead boy, whose body was never recovered, giving what he termed a “sentence as victim impact statement.” Justice McLaughlin sentenced Diatra Hester-Bey, of Brooklyn, to 15 months to four years in prison on her conviction for criminally negligent homicide. Hester-Bey, 35, was convicted last month of killing 14-month-old Devon Rivers, her youngest child, six years ago. Minutes later, Justice McLaughlin left the bench. Then Justice Robert Stolz, who had presided over Hester-Bey’s earlier larceny trial, sentenced her to two to six years in prison for third-degree grand larceny and welfare fraud. – Associated Press

QUEENS SCHOOL BUS DRIVER CHARGED WITH TYING UP 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL A school bus driver was charged with using electrical tape and seat belts to tie down a 7-year-old girl he claimed was acting up, prosecutors said yesterday. Edwidge Jean picked up the girl from Public School 23 on the afternoon of April 4, the Queens district attorney’s office said. – Associated Press

NATALEE HOLLOWAY PARENTS OPPOSE MOVING CIVIL TRIAL FROM NEW YORK The parents of Natalee Holloway, the Alabama teen who vanished during a high school graduation trip to Aruba, say they oppose moving their civil trial to the Caribbean island from New York because witnesses are too terrified to testify there. – Associated Press

POLICE BLOTTER

BROOKLYN STUDENTS ARRESTED DURING PROTEST OVER CELL PHONE BAN A protest by teenage students upset with slow security procedures and a ban on cell phones at their schools resulted in five arrests yesterday. About 150 Brooklyn students walked out of their classes early and rallied for an hour outside the Secondary Schools for Law, Research, and Journalism starting around 1 p.m., the law school’s principal, Larry Woodbridge, said. Many of the students jumped up and down on the sidewalk, waved signs and chanted, “We want cell phones!” They said it’s unfair they’re not allowed to take their property to school and they need the cell phones for emergencies. – Associated Press

STATEWIDE

LAWMAKERS SEEK TO STRENGTHEN PENALTIES FOR GANG-RELATED VIOLENCE Some lawmakers are seeking to toughen criminal penalties for gang-related violence in an effort to curb the growth of gang activity in New York State’s cities and suburbs. New York is currently one of the few states that has no penalties specifically to deter gang-related crime. Yesterday, an Assembly member, Peter Rivera, a Democrat of the Bronx, along with law enforcement officials and community leaders, gathered on the steps of City Hall to advocate tougher legislation. The proposed legislation would create mandatory minimum sentences of two to five years that judges would give to criminals involved in nonviolent gang activity. It would also mandate 10 additional years of prison time for violent felonies. Two other bills proposed by Mr. Rivera would mandate that all law enforcement officers in the state be provided with bullet- and knife-proof vests.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

DOWNED ARMY PILOT IS BURIED DELMAR – Captain Timothy Moshier, whose fatal helicopter crash in Iraq was followed by the release of a bloody propaganda video, was tearfully eulogized yesterday as a sometimes goofy but always goodhearted friend. Moshier, 25, and another pilot were killed April 1 when their AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter crashed about 10 miles southwest of Baghdad during a patrol. The military has said the crash possibly was caused by hostile fire.

– Associated Press

EPA: TOXIC POLLUTION IN NEW YORK FALLS 9% Chemical pollution released into the environment in New York State fell by 9% to 2004 from 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency said yesterday.

– Associated Press

4,400 SEX OFFENDERS DON’T HAVE TO SUBMIT TO MEGAN’S LAW EXTENSION About 4,400 sex offenders don’t have to submit to a January change in Megan’s Law meant to keep them on a public registry that tracks them, a judge ruled yesterday. – Associated Press

TRIS TATE

COAST GUARD ACADEMY TO COURT-MARTIAL CADET NEW HAVEN, Conn. – A U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadet will face a court-martial on rape and other charges, the first such court-martial in the academy’s history, the school said yesterday. Webster Smith,22,will face nine charges including rape, sodomy, extortion, and assault. He had faced accusations of misconduct ranging from rape to improper touching from seven female cadets. But after considering evidence from a hearing last month, a rear admiral and the academy superintendent, James Van Sice, opted to dismiss five charges, including indecent assault and one sodomy charge.

– Associated Press

JUSTICE SCALIA SAYS HE’S PROUD HE DIDN’T RECUSE HIMSELF IN CHENEY CASE HARTFORD, Conn. – Supreme Court Justice Scalia yesterday called his 2004 decision not to recuse himself from a case involving his friend Vice President Cheney the “proudest thing” he’s done on the court. Justice Scalia’s remarks came as he took questions from students during a lecture at the University of Connecticut’s law school. The case in question involved Mr. Cheney’s request to keep private the details of closed-door White House strategy sessions that produced the administration’s energy policy. The administration fought a lawsuit brought by watchdog and environmental groups that contended that industry executives, including the former Enron chairman, Kenneth Lay, helped shape that policy. The Supreme Court upheld the administration position on a 7-2 vote.

– Associated Press

SMOKING BAN TO TAKE EFFECT SATURDAY TRENTON, N.J. – As New Jersey prepares to become the 11th state in the country to impose an indoor smoking ban on Saturday, the health department is stepping up a campaign to familiarize business owners and residents with the ins and outs of the new law. The law banning smoking inside nearly all public places will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, barring a successful challenge by restaurant and bar owners who filed a federal lawsuit to have the Smoke-Free Air Act struck down as unconstitutional.

– Associated Press

REGULATORS WEIGH NEW ELECTRIC PRICING SYSTEM FOR NEW ENGLAND Federal regulators are considering a new electricity pricing system for New England aimed at promoting the development of new power plants in the region to meet increasing energy demands. Supporters of the plan have asked for a decision by June 30 from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The new plan replaces a federal proposal that sparked a regionwide controversy last year because it allowed power companies to charge more in high-demand areas where supplies are tight.

– Associated Press