Banner Graphic, Volume 20, Number 187, Greencastle, Putnam County, 13 April 1990 — Page 2

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THE BANNERGRAPHIC April 13,1990

Death is the punishment that fits the crime, Bianco’s father says

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) Execution would fit the crime, says the father of a woman slain by her convict ex-husband while he was on prison furlough. “It’s a just sentence recommendation for the crime he committed,” said Eugene Bianco, his voice trembling. “I hope it doesn’t drag on for years.” A JURY THURSDAY recommended Alan L. Matheney die in the electric chair for the 1989 beating death of Lisa M. Bianco. The same jury Wednesday rejected Matheney’s defense of insanity and convicted him of murder and burglary. Matheney, who listened impassively to the verdict, stood quietly as the judge read the recommendation. Lake Superior Court Judge James E. Letsinger set sentencing for May 4. The defendant’s mother, Martha Matheney, showed no emotional reaction as she sat in the back row of the courtroom. BIANCO, THE grandfather of Ms. Bianco’s two daughters, said her children still have nightmares from their memories of Matheney’s

On welfare? Don’t do drugs, Bayh warns

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) federal officials approve, Indiana will launch a new anti-drug program that would cut off welfare assistance to convicted drug offenders. Gov. Evan Bayh signed an executive order Thursday outlining a plan to suspend benefits in the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program to a person convicted of the drug offense but offer that person the chance to receive benefits again by completing a drug treatment program. BAYH SAID THE order, which

FBI, residents keep lid on steel drums packed with millions

VEGA BAJA, Puerto Rico (AP) The FBI is investigating residents of this coastal community after several of them unearthed millions of dollars believed hidden by drug traffickers and went on a buying binge, the U.S. attorney says. U.S. attorney Daniel Lopez Romo said late Thursday that the

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“The jury was out quite some time, so it was obviously not a snap decision.”

breaking into their Mishawaka home, armed with an unloaded shotgun, and threatening their mother. “The kids miss their mother more, and they wish Mr. Matheney was no longer their father,” Bianco said. Matheney chased the partially clad Ms. Bianco into the street and beat her outside a neighbor’s home. Ms. Bianco, 29, a counselor at a women’s shelter, had no warning of his release hours earlier on a pass from a Pendleton prison. Matheney was serving eight years for assaulting her in 1987. LETSINGER EXTENDED a gag order on the trial attorneys until the sentencing. St. Joseph County Prosecutor Michael P. Barnes cited the order and declined comment. Defense attorney Scott L. King, however, held a brief news con-

also puts anti-drug restrictions on contractors with state government and state employees, “combines toughness and compassion.” Jeffrey Modisett, chairman of the Commission for a Drug-Free Indiana, said the executive order “is among the toughest in the nation.” “We want to extend a helping hand but we absolutely draw the line against state subsidy for those who are not willing to enlist as participants in the war against drugs,” said Bayh. THE ORDER’S SECTION on cutting off public assistance

money was believed inside drums dug up two weeks ago in a fanner’s field in Vega Baja, 35 miles northwest of San Juan. LOPEZ SAID OFFICIALS became suspicious after residents began buying luxury items with “great sums” of cash. Authorities found one drum with $1.5 million still inside but others had been emptied, he said. Newspapers said between 10 and 11 empty drums were found nearby. “So you can speculate that we’re

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—Scott L. King, Defense attorney

ference outside the courthouse and said he will argue for a prison term. “The jury was out quite some time, so it was obviously not a snap decision,” he said. The Lake County jury, brought with Letsinger to South Bend on a change of venue, declined to speak with reporters. The jury was dismissed, and the members returned to Lake County. THE NINE MEN AND three women began deliberations around 2 p.m., broke two hours for dinner, and signaled a decision around 8:15 p.m. The final sentencing decision rests with the judge. Before deliberations began, Letsinger told jurors he could override their recommendation only if “no reasonable person” could agree. A murder conviction carries a maximum prison sentence of 60

benefits would have to be approved by federal Health and Human Services authorities before it could be enforced, said Bayh. The governor said he plans to call national drug czar William Bennett to seek his assistance in winning federal approval of the plan. If the plan is approved, a family receiving AFDC benefits could lose part of its payments if a family member is convicted of a drug offense. However, a special “protective payee” would be appointed to ensure that others in the family still received benefits.

talking about extraordinary amounts of money,” Lopez said. “The FBI is interviewing a number of people to find out where the money came from and what legal action to take,” he said. “But we can’t make anything public about the investigation.” NEWSPAPERS REPORTED residents were snapping up new houses, boats, cars and VCRs with the cash. They said federal authorities descended on the town after a car mechanic paid $170,000

Bush, Thatcher share sun ‘just to catch up’

WASHINGTON (AP) President Bush and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher are meeting today against the backdrop of Bermuda’s coral beaches to “stay in touch” on the changing landscape in Eastern Europe and state of superpower relations. Bush scheduled an early-morn-ing departure for the session, one of a series he plans with NATO allies in advance of his five-day summit with Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev beginning May 30. “HE WANTS TO GO into the session with Gorbachev with a firm view of the attitudes of other members of the alliance,” White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said Thursday. Next month’s superpower summit, arms control negotiations, the unrest in Lithuania and German reunification headed the agenda for the day-long session between Bush and Mrs. Thatcher. Bush planned to brief Mrs. Thatcher on his talks last week with Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze. At the time, the

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years, and burglary carries a maximum 20-year sentence. A death sentence is automatically appealed to the Indiana Supreme Court. IN CLOSING arguments, St. Joseph County deputy prosecutor John D. Krisor said the state proved two circumstances burglary and laying in wait to justify the death penalty. King pleaded for Matheney’s life. “Let him live,” he said in his final words to the jurors. Krisor presented no additional evidence at the hearing, but King called witnesses who testified to what he called the defendant’s “good qualities.” KENNETH W. CARRICK, a business acquaintance through Matheney’s plumbing business, said the defendant once surprised his granddaughter at a pizza party after her open-heart surgery. “Alan wasn’t invited, but he showed up just for a few moments with a big doll wrapped up,” he said. Sharon Coots, who described herself as a friend, said the 39-year-old Matheney was a helpful and generous man.

IF THE CONVICTED drug felon went through a state-certified treatment program, the special status would be removed and benefits, which are based on the number of people in the family, could be paid again to the entire family. Another part of the order could eventually allow state authorities to deny or terminate housing assistance to drug offenders. That portion of the order is contingent on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development giving final approval.

cash for a house and a sports car, and deposited $50,000 cash in a bank. Lopez said the FBI interviewed several people and many local residents were returning goods bought with the found cash. Many also weren’t, he said. El Vocero, the tabloid that broke the story, said the FBI had confiscated “millions” mostly in SIOO and S2O bills from residents and from the drum recovered by agents.

Soviet Union indicated it might be willing to accept a unified Germany that is not neutral. THE UNITED STATES insists that a unified Germany be part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Britain favors a somewhat slower approach toward German reunification than the United States and the rest of the NATO alliance. On Lithuania’s strive for independence from the Soviet Union, the two countries agree on the need for restraint. Bush and Mrs. Thatcher, who flew to Bermuda on Thursday, planned to take time out from their discussions of global issues to participate in Bermuda’s Good Friday kite-flying celebration, a tradition started by a Sunday school teacher seeking to explain to his students Christ’s ascent into heaven. A JOINT NEWS conference was planned at the conclusion of the talks. “It’s not a meeting to make decisions. It’s a consultative meeting,” Fitzwater said. “This is a meeting to stay in touch.”

CASH

Lottery plans a week of events to start new game INDIANAPOLIS (AP) A week of special events have been scheduled across the state to mark the beginning of the Hoosier Lottery’s “Lotto Cash” computerized numbers games April 30. The lottery will hold preliminary rounds of its weekly “Hoosier Millionaire” game show in five cities and finish the week with a special edition of the show that could have as many as six $1 million winners on May 5, officials said Thursday. THE LOTTERY ALSO WILL PLACE in newspapers across the state April 29 approximately 2 million coupons good for free plays in the “Lotto Cash” game during its first week. Tickets also will be given away during local celebrations of the start of the new game. “Starting Indiana’s first lotto game is an exciting endeavor, and we want to share the excitement with Hoosiers across the state,” said lottery director John R. Weliever. Preliminary rounds of the lottery’s television show will be held in South Bend April 30, Merrillville May 1, New Albany May 2, Vincennes May 3 and Indianapolis May 4. Six contestants selected at random from holders of television show entry tickets will compete at each site. THE FINALIST FROM EACH OF the five preliminary rounds will then play the final “Hoosier Millionaire” game board, which contains prizes up to $1 million, during the regular taping of the show on Saturday, May 5. At the end of the show, the first winning combination of numbers in the “Lotto Cash” game will be drawn. That game, in which players try to match six numbers ranging from 1 to 44, has a minimum weekly jackpot ofsl million. If no one matches the winning six numbers, the prize amount will roll over into the next week’s game. PEOPLE WHO TURN OUT to watch the preliminary rounds of the show during the week will have chances to win an eight-day, sevennight Hawaiian vacation, plus SSOO in spending money for the trip. While making the “Lotto Cash” announcement Thursday, lottery officials also said they have had the first SIOO,OOO prize claimed in the new “SIOO,OOO Money Match” instant game that began Wednesday. Beech Grove Street Commissioner Bruce Bray, 38, claimed the prize at the lottery’s Indianapolis redemption center Thursday morning. He received a check for SBO,OOO the prize minus the 20 percent in federal taxes the lottery is required to withhold. Bray purchased three of the “Money Match” tickets at a Village Pantry in Beech Grove. One of those tickets had a free ticket prize, and that free ticket produced the SIOO,OOO prize.

VEGA BAJA, A bustling community of 30,000 nestled between a pristine beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and tropical hills, was quiet Thursday and few residents would talk about the money. Most said they didn’t know anything about it City Hall was closed and many shops shuttered their doors early in preparation for Good Friday. Parents took children to the beach and fishermen climbed atop coral hills to cast for red snapper.

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Bush and Thatcher They meet in Bermuda this time

He said the president hopes to meet frequently with allied leaders, suggesting that not enough of this had been done in the past. Bush is scheduled to meet next week with French President Francois Mitterrand in Florida. “The United States and Britain believe that in this period of rapid change, the cohesion and stability

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“If I found that money, I wouldn’t have touched it for anything in the world. It’s dirty money that’s for sure. Something real fishy about it,” said one woman who ran an outdoor case and gave her name only as Carmen. THERE WAS SOME confusion as to where the money had actually been buried. Many said the beach. Lopez said the location of the buried treasure couldn’t be revealed because “there would be a gold rush to the site.”

of the Western alliance is most important,” Fitzwater said. “The United States is firmly committed to Europe’s stability and defense and to the continuing role of NATO.” Bush planned to play golf Saturday before returning to Washington.