?Tuesday, August 11, 2009 Volume 125, No. 78 Price 75¢ Larry Miller Tribune Staff Writer Public outrage continues to rise over a grand jury?s exoneration of police officers involved in a case of alleged brutality. During a press conference on Monday, held outside the Police Administration Building, local and state NAACP leader J. Whyatt Mondesire stated that District Attorney Lynne Abraham has one of the worst records when it comes to prosecuting allegations of police brutality. ?Furthermore, the real failure again falls on the outgoing district attorney who after more than 20 years has one of the worst records prosecuting police brutality allegations of any big city prosecutor in the nation,? he said. ?When it comes to policing abusive police, the best that can be said of DA Abraham is that she has been AWOP ? absent without prosecution.? Mondesire said that if Abraham had been seeking justice in the case, a special prosecutor without ties to the Philadelphia Police Department could have been assigned to head the grand jury. Eric Mayes Tribune Staff Writer More than two months after negotiations started between the city and its two largest municipal unions and still no reportable progress in contract talks. ?We?re still in active negotiations,? said Maura Kennedy a spokeswoman for Mayor Michael Nutter. Contracts covering the city?s two municipal unions ? American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, locals 33 and 47 expired June 30. Talks started weeks before that deadline. And yet, neither side seems any closer to signing a new labor agreement. President Barack Obama, right, Mexico?s President Felipe Calderon, center, and Canada?s Prime Minister Stephen Harper pose for an official photo at the Cabanas Cultural Center in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Monday. Obama joined Calderon and Harper for a North American summit, where the swine flu epidemic and knotty disputes over cross-border trade dominated a lengthy agenda. ? AP PHOTO/ALEX BRANDON Across America Health Commentary Op-Ed Business
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Community leaders say grand jury misled in police beating case
Police ? Page 4A 4-5B 6-7B 8-9B 10B 12B There?s still outrage and questions after a grand jury recommended that no charges be filed against Philadelphia police officers who were videotaped last year beating three shooting suspects. The videotaped beatings led to disciplinary action against several of the 20 officers on the scene that night. ? PHOTO BY FOXThere?s still no deal between city, unions
Progress slow as all sides negotiate on labor contract
Officials from both unions remained quiet about ongoing negotiations. Neither organization returned phone calls on Monday. This year?s talks are overshadowed by the city?s growing budget troubles, which are in turn overshadowed by the state?s budget crisis. Faced with a $1.4 billion deficit, Nutter has proposed elimination of city set-asides to cover employee raises over the next four years. The administration is also hoping for another $125 million in savings by asking employees to contribute more toward their healthcare and retirement benefits. Sid Smith of Philadelphia Health Center No. 4 at rally last month by Mayor Michael Nutter Contracts ? Page 5ASwine flu planning leads North American summit
HEALTH Better Health Access for Minorities National Medical Association chief wants more diversity in the profession. 8A NEWS Clinton Visits Congo Meets victims of mass sexual violence. 3B Today Scattered T-Storms high: 86º low: 70º?How stupid does Philadelphia?s District Attorney Lynne Abraham think Philadelphians are??
? Local NAACP President J. Whyatt Mondesire to urge Harrisburg to approve legislation needed to avoid cuts in city services. ? HIROKO TANAKA/TRIBUNE STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERU.S., Mexico and Canada also discussing trade, drugs
Mark S. Smith GUADALAJARA, Mexico ? President Barack Obama huddled Monday with the leaders of Mexico and Canada for a swift North American summit, where the swine flu epidemic and knotty disputes over crossborder trade dominated a lengthy agenda. The three men met in the huge, domed room of a storied Tomorrow Cloudy high: 86º low: 68º Thursday Partly Cloudy high: 81º low: 67ºINSIDE BUSINESS,
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1B cultural institute before starting two hours of closed talks. They gazed up at the murals on the arched ceilings and chatted while photographers snapped pictures before the media were ushered out of the room. Obama flew into Mexico?s second-largest city late Sunday for a two-day speed summit with Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper ? a COMING FRIDAY Plan your weekend with Entertainment NOW!Don?t miss a single issue of The Philadelphia Tribune. Subscribe by calling (215) 893-4611
Sen. Pileggi: City budget requests will get vote
Time frame would still miss deadline for cuts
Eric Mayes Tribune Staff Writer After weeks of insisting that the state Senate would not consider a bill giving Philadelphia the authority to raise its sales tax and change pension fund accounting rules until after the General Assembly approved a full budget, Majority Leader Sen. Dominic Pileggi said on Monday that the bill would be voted on ?very soon.? ?I hate to predict timelines, but I think it will take at least two to three weeks to work through,? Pileggi told reporters. ?If there is a sense of cooperation and consensus that might be a sufficient amount of time. If it becomes divisive and partisan, it will probably extend that time.? The shift in Pileggi?s stance came the same day that Philadelphia?s Democratic senators gathered in the state capitol to criticize Senate leadership for its failure to move legislation that would allow the upper house to pass a bill Philadelphia needs to balance its budget. ?We?re being held hostage,? said Sen. Vincent Hughes, at the press conference. ?What kind of politics are we trying to play in Harrisburg right now?? He was not alone in his harsh words for Senate?s Republican leaders. ?They made a decision to hold Philadelphia hostage,? agreed Sen. Anthony Williams. ?I can only call it for what it is ? it is what it is ? hostage takers.? As the Senate majority leader, Pileggi controls the calendar giving him the power to decide what bills are voted on and when. ?Stop playing games, release Philadelphia,? said Sen. LeAnna Washington, adding that Pileggi?s insistence on waiting would kill Philadelphia. ?What they?re asking is suicide,? she said. ?The Republican majority has the ability to get this legislation to the Senate floor this week,? said Sen. Shirley Budget ? Page 5A Dominic Pileggi Vincent Hughes Anthony Williams LeAnna Washington Shirley Kitchen meeting whose main accomplishment will likely be a joint plan of attack for swine flu. But there was little chance of any breakthrough in long-running squabbles over Mexican trucks or U.S. ?Buy American? rules or how best to curb the deadly flow of drugs across the frontier. The so called ?Three Amigos? summit began over dinner at Obama ? Page 6A The Philadelphia Tribune, a reflection of you. The Philadelphia Tribune
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