Funds for defense of Fuhrman returned after tapes released
ARLINGTON, Va. Ÿ A police support group announced yesterday it was giving back donations collected for the legal defense of former Los Angeles Police Detective Mark Fuhrman, saying he expresses ''attitudes and opinions totally opposite'' of that of the group.
''What Mr. Fuhrman reflects in those tapes is inimical to what we believe,'' said attorney David Martin, who runs the nonprofit Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund from his Arlington, Va., law office.
The fund voted last spring to support a libel suit filed by Fuhrman and held a fund-raiser in August for his defense. More than 2,000 people contributed to the Fuhrman fund, said Martin, who would not disclose the amount of money collected, saying only it was ''substantial.''
Last week, after tapes in which Fuhrman used racial slurs were released to the media, the fund's board of directors, which includes former Attorney General Edwin Meese III and William Bradford Reynolds, former assistant attorney general for civil rights, voted to return the donations.
URI puts alcohol ban on student events
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. Ÿ There's no more BYOB at URI.
A week after it was named the nation's top party school by an annual guide, the University of Rhode Island banned alcohol at student events on campus.
''We cannot build the new culture for learning to which we aspire in an environment which is depressed and dampened every day by the impact of alcohol and drug abuse, and we should not, and we cannot, hide from that reality any longer,'' President Robert L. Carothers said yesterday in outlining the ban during an assembly.
Students who are 21 or older can have alcohol in their rooms, but there will be none allowed at fraternity parties, homecoming events and all other student activities, he said.
''More and more of our students are demanding that they not be imposed upon by others whose judgment and behavior is impaired by substance abuse. It is time to take a stand at URI,'' Carothers said.
Chile inquires about entering into NAFTA
MEXICO CITY Ÿ Chilean President Eduardo Frei thanked Mexico yesterday for supporting talks on Chile's proposed entry into the North American Free Trade Agreement.
The South American nation is bidding to join the United States, Canada and Mexico in the world's largest free trade zone, which opened in January 1994. The agreement eliminates or phases out tariffs among member countries.
During a three-day visit to Mexico, Frei is to hold talks with Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo about possible entry into NAFTA. They also will discuss economic and political ties.
Ÿ From Associated Press reports