The Journal News from White Plains, New York • Page 15

LOCAL ROCKLAND COUNTY, N.Y., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1980 Murder trial judge rejects Kunstler bid a vain effort to win Zada a new trial. "The tape was an appalling hoax that was perpetrated in order to stop the court from moving toward what must inevitably be the conclusion of this case," Rosenblatt said. He said the witness, 18-year-old Donald "Rockpole" Lewis of Nyack, went along with it under the mistaken assumption that "all he had to do was say on the tape that his testimony was false and somehow a new trial would materialize for Amer Zada." By JOHN CASTELLUCCI Staff Writer The judge who presided at the trial of convicted sex-killer Amer Zada Tuesday rejected a defense effort to reopen his case. Judge Albert M. Rosenblatt characterized as "unworthy of belief" a tape-recorded recantation of testimony by a key prosecution witness and accused 18-year-old Jomo Ke-nyatta Wilson, a friend of the defendant, of eliciting the recantation in Amer there, at the telephone, between you and me, man, seriously?" Wilson asks.

"That night?" Lewis "Yeah," Wilson says. "No, I didn't see him," Lewis answers. A moment later, he adds, "See, me and Amer got into something a little while ago, not too much, but I don't know anything about this murder, but I don't like him no way, so I just lied for a while." (Please turn to 2B) as saying. "Sure, why not?" he said the girl replied. His testimony was crucial to a case that otherwise consisted almost entirely of police witnesses.

Defense attorney William Kunstler moved to set the guilty verdict aside after members of the Zada family supplied him with the tape on which Lewis recants. The tape was recorded at the Wilson residence at 20 Prospect St. in Nyack. A transcript of it contains the following exchange: "What happened, man, you know, did you really see County exec may not make ballot this foil a "good friend" of the murder victim, said he saw Zada with her about 45 minutes before she was slain. Lewis made the statement during the trial, where he testified that he was walking home in Nyack about 4 a.m.

June 15 when he saw Zada emerge from a telephone booth on South Broadway and offer Miss Smith a chance to smoke some marijuana. "Hey Shirley, do you want to smoke a joint? Lewis quoted Zada Staff photo Art Sarno i 'L tSi II SSrf The minority claimed that a move to reconsider had to be made, the same day as a defeat. Chairman John Grant, D-Haverstraw, ruled that the Legislature technically runs in one session which happens to take place on alternate Tuesdays, so the rules did not apply. An appeal of that ruling by the GOP was won, bringing deb.ate to an end. The net effect was to return the proposal to the committee system and all the political roadblocks that entails.

The straight party line vote was something of a surprise, as Clarkstown Republican Eugene Grogan had been reported to be leaning towards approving the referendum in order to assure that his appointed county administrator plan would gain support. Grogan said he felt that the five previous referendums on the same subject since the 1960s were enough to convince him of the senseles-sness of another such balloting. Isaac Goodfriend, D-Ramapo, indicated, however, that Grogan's asking price had been too high when it-came to delivering the crucial 10th vote. Grogan requested that action on his administrator proposal be reserved because of his fear the Democrats might retaliate against-him. "If I pushed them tonight, it'dL go down," he said.

"They're mad because we outmaneuvered I had a proposal eliminating cancer tonight they'd vote it So I'm reserving decision and then going out to lobby." He was warned by Goodfriend that the administrator proposal would not succeed. "This thing is not going to fly because you are not prepared to accommodate yourself to our needs," he said. -V; round The ruling against a new trial came after four hours of testimony Tuesday at a hearing in state Supreme Court, New City. Lewis, who testified at the hearing, said he knew the recantation was phony when he allowed Wilson to tape-record it March 7. Zada, 18, of South Nyack, was convicted Jan.

25 of slaying a Nyack girl during a sex attack. The girl, 17-year-old Shirley Smith, died of multiple stab wounds in a Nyack parking lot last June 15. Lewis, who described himself as the committee's agenda Tuesday, and all three were "held" once again. If Connor wanted to kill the local fluoridation bill, he could subject it to a similar fate. But he said that wasn't his plan.

Mrs. Winikow, meanwhile, said she was concerned about Connor's decision but still gave her bill "an even shot" in the Assembly. If Levy decides against putting his name to the bill, it will go to the Health Committee as a "Senate handout." "I don't control the Assembly. The bill will have to go on its own merits," Mrs. Winikow said.

"Clearly, if one of the assemblymen from Rockland County doesn't support the bill, it may have difficulties. But I certainly don't think it means it's dead." The bill itself does not mention fluoridation tjut would amend a section of the county sanitary code which applies only to that controversial issue. In so doing, it would prohibit the Board of Health from ruling on fluoridation without first obtaining the support of the Legislature. The Board of Health voted 4-3 to fluoridate Rockland's water supply in December 1978. The Legislature has since taken an informal 17-1 stance against it, with Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Dr.

Richard Sullivan, D-Stony Point, the lone supporter. (Please turn to 3B) gon. Nyack in the Landing a big one Kim Bremer of Pearl River is a kite enthusiast, not a fisherman. So what may look like a super catch for this part of the The photo was taken from the shore. The Tappan Zee Bridge is background.

Hudson is nothing more than a Japanese fish kite on the end of a fishing pole. Kim said a friend sent him the kite from Ore Fluoride opponents Legislative highlights 3B By KEVIN COUPE Staff Writer A proposal to provide a full-time, elected county executive may not make the ballot this fall. The County Legislature Tuesday night narrowly defeated a move to set the stage for a Nov. 4 referendum. The 9-8 vote in favor of the referendum fell one ballot short of the number needed for passage; it was the absence of one pro-executive lawmaker Philip Rotella, D-Ha-verstraw, missing because of illness in his family that appeared to kill the resolution, at least temporarily.

And in related legislative activity, the lawmakers reserved decision on a resolution calling for a legislative appointee to take over the reins of county government as a tool of the Legislature. Smiling broadly after defeating the executive resolution, Minority Leader Thomas Morahan, R-Clarks-town, said he was convinced the issue was dead for awhile. "It took them (the Democrats) a year and a half to get it out of committee this time," he said. "I don't think they'll get it up again this year. Maybe next year.

Who knows But there were those on the other side of the political aisle who differed. "We'll be back with this resolution," said John Meehan, D-Ramapo, promising quick movement to get the issue before the electorate. The defeat Tuesday night was technically not of the actual referendum proposal but of a move to reconsider a referendum proposal that was killed several weeks ago. lose a 'indictment, said Ronda Nager, a spokeswoman for District Attorney Eugene Gold. Carmela Calabro was listed as a missing person July 19, 1977.

Gold's office commenced an investigation into her death shortly after her body was found July 25 of that year. Her car was parked near a Brooklyn beach and the body was found by the Coast Guard in waters off Long Branch, N.J. both openings Johnson would member Marie both Cox and between the against a bill local health Valley, has Voting for Sam Colman, Reisman Hezekiah Opposing Diane Beljean; rahan, Theodore McDougall; Wagner; Orangetown verstraw Democrat Dr. Richard Philip Rotella, meeting because D-Ramapo, surprise by the balloting. but I also said.

"So, I'll just Winikow loses support in bid for health board mtbn) GIVE GIVE! is a listing of the needs of local health and social service agencies for volunteers or donations. The listing compiled by Brenda Grecnberg, Coordinator of Volunteer Services for the Department of Social Services appears in the ACTION column whenever the need arises. Organizations which wish to be listed may contact Mrs. Green-berg at 354-0200, extension 3210. Rockland Senior Centers Program The Rockland Senior Centers Program urgently needs substitute drivers who can be called when a van driver is ill.

If you're available, call 354-3448. Rockland County Office for the Aging, Pomona A new training program for Nursing Home Patient Ombudsmen has begun. If you're at least 21 years old, have an interest in being a patient advocate, are physically capable, and can spare a minimum of 6 hours a week, we need you. Training will be conducted by professionals in the fields of aging, long-term care, government regulations, advocacy techniques, etc. If you are interested, please contact Irene Jones at 354-0200 Ext.

2424. could be looked at in balance. have replaced pro-fluoride board Naismith had he been elected, while Winikow are anti-fluoride. The difference latter is that Cox has gone on record which would abridge the authority of panels, which Mrs. Winikow, D-Spring sponsored in Albany.

Winikow were: Ramapo Democrats Sam Gdanski, Isaac Goodfriend, Herbert and Rubenstein: and Orangetown Republicans Easter and John Murphy. Winikow were Orangetown Conservative' Clarkstown Republicans Thomas Mo- Dusanenko, Eugene Grogan, Catherine Clarkstown Conservative David Democrat Edward Clark; Ha-4 John Grant; and Stony Point Democrat Sullivan. D-Haverstraw, was absent from the of family illness. But John Meehan, expressed perhaps the biggest political leaving the legislative chambers just before "I don't want to vote against Winikow, don't want to vote against Cox," he leave the room." By KEVIN COUPE Staff Writer The husband of state Sen. Linda Winikow is no longer a candidate for a seat on the Rockland Board of Health, following action by the County Legislature Tuesday night.

The 9-7 vote against Arnold Winikow, a pharmacist, crossed town and party lines, with not even all the lawmakers from his hometown of Ramapo rallying to support him. The defeat came amid cries of nepotism which surrounded his nomination for the board and cries of anguish which accompanied the planned striking from the board of Dr. George Cox, a Suffern physician. The Legislature also tabled the nomination of Blau-velt physician Dr. Fletcher Johnson for an Orange-town seat on the board and shelved for further study a resolution which would have directed the county attorney to fight in every legal way possible a board-set deadline of April 1 for fluoridation of the county water supply.

Democratic Majority Leader Sanford Rubenstein of Ramapo said despite Winikow's defeat, Cox's reappointment to the board was not likely. He explained that Johnson's nomination had been withdrawn so that By RICHARD WOLF Staff Writer ALBANY A hands-off stance by Assemblyman Robert Connor has reduced the chances of stopping Rockland's scheduled water fluoridation at the state level. A bill which would give the opposing County Legislature power over the supportive Board of Health passed the state Senate last week by a 55-2 margin and was sent to the 'Assembly. But in seeking out a sponsor there, Sen. Linda Winikow; D-Spring Valley, has received at least one cold shoulder.

Mrs. Winikow wanted Connor to lend his Democratic majority status to the bill, a move which would virtually assure its timely passage in the Assembly. Now she is left with Eugene Levy, a Suffern Republican with misgivings about the measure, or no sponsor at all. "I really want to let the bill advance on its own merits," Connor, of New City, said Tuesday. "If it comes to the floor of this House, I won't vote for it." Perhaps more importantly, however, Connor did not say he would order the bill held in committee for posterity.

Three separate bills dealing with fluoridation on a statewide basis one to ban, one to mandate and one to subject all proposals to a public referendum have been pending before the Assembly Health Committee for a year. All three were on eance murder stemming from marital problems Calabro and his former wife were having before she died. Carmela Calabro, 29, drowned more than two-years ago under circumstances that authorities have not yet been able to fully explain. Bergen County Prosecutor Roger W. Breslin, who is handling the probe, would not respond to questions about the Brooklyn suspects nor whether any search war- Brooklyn men suspects in shotgun slaying In another development, a spo- kesman at Manhattan police quarters said that the department Internal Affairs Division has begun an investigation to learn whether an; address at 20 Hillside Ave.

in Sloatsburg was actually the slain detefw tive's real home address. It was initially believed that'Ca-labro, having finished his shift for the day, was heading toward his (Please turn to 3B) Division, the police department division to which Calabro was attached, confirmed that the detective had received death threats some years ago when he and his former wife were experiencing marital problems. His first wife's death lei to an in-, vestigation by the Brooklyn District Attorney's office. The case was presented to a Brooklyn grand jury, but it found no evidence warranting an By FRANK LEONARD Staff Writer Two Brooklyn men have emerged as suspects in last Friday's shotgun slaying of a New York City detective who listed a Sloatsburg address as his home. The two are suspected of shooting Det.

Peter Calabro, 36, to death on a snow-covered northern New Jersey road in what a source close to the investigation said was a veng rents have been sought or obtained in the shotgun killing. A snow plowing crew discovered Calabro's body inside his Honda station wagon early Friday morning along West Saddle River Road in Saddle River, N.J. The vehicle had veered off the road and skidded down a 20-foot embankment. Cala- bro had been shot in the head and the left shoulder by shotgun pellets. A spokesman at the Auto Crimes At A.