WDBJ 7 morning news for 03/21/96

06:00-01

headlines

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=mornin
WRITER=mel
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=
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VO-NAT

Ahead on News 7 Mornin, a series of fires in Roanoke,
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ANCHOR=Melanie
and a teenager is sentenced for the drunk driving accident that killed a Roanoke County school teacher. wx-head
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live-head
(larry ad lib)
ANCHOR=Melanie 2 shot
SS=2 shot

Stick around, the News is next.

SchoolWatch

ANCHOR=Melanie 2 shot
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=nle
TAPE#none
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(mel reads boards)

Roanoke-Fire

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morning
WRITER=sly
TAPE#96-18
GRAPHIC=Fire

Two fires have kept Roanoke city firefighters busy this morning.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;

The first broke out shortly after four o'clock on Rorer Avenue on the city's Southwest side.
Shooting flames could be seen several blocks away.
There were no injuries but the home sustained heavy damage.
Meanwhile a second fire at an apartment building in the 23-hundred block of Memorial Avenue was reported just after five a-m.
This one was brought under control quickly and appeared to involve only one apartment--again no injuries.
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Drunk-Driver

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=KHu
TAPE#96-13
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales

A 16 year old drunk driver whose speeding car killed a teacher in Roanoke County last December- is now serving time as a youthful offender.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Salem/Yesterday;

The Judge told the young man that he hoped the teen would think of Mrs. Kitts everyday of his life.
Bonnie Kitts died when the young man who lived in the same neighborhood stuck her while she was out for a walk with her husband.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 16:30
IN Q=There's no justice
((THERE'S NO JUSTICE THAT WOULD REPLACE HER LIFE. I MEAN NOTHING THEY COULD DO IS EVER GOING TO BRING HER BACK. I WAS SAD TO WALK IN HERE TODAY, AND I'M SAD TO WALK OUT TODAY.))
SUPER=01-Gary Kitts/Victim's Husband
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=out today.
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VO-NAT

In court Gary Kitts pointed out that his son, Brian, is junior class president at Glenvar, a gifted kid boy, just, like the young driver, only "he didn't kill someone.
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ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=HOLD

The boy is serving an undetermined amount of time.
Youth corrections could keep him until he's 21, but the prosecutor said it's typically more like FOUR MONTHS.
The boy loses his driver's license for five years, and once he's released, he'll have to perform 100 hours of community service.

Shooting

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=mron
WRITER=tal
TAPEedit of c'burg-fire #96-11
GRAPHIC=Knowles

A 47 year old Christiansburg man faces six charges including murder.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Christiansburg/Yesterday; :00

Early yesterday morning, police say William Michael Knowles broke in through the back door at 109 Evans Street, where his estranged wife Angie and their children had moved about a month before.
During a struggle over his shotgun, he allegedly shot his wife in the abdomen, and his 18 year- old daughter in the finger.
Police say when they arrived, he turned his gun on them, and officers returned fire.
No one was injured in the exchange and Knowles was taken into custody.
Angie Knowles died in surgery.
A fund has been set up for all four of her children at First National Bank of Christiansburg.
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wipe wipe wipe

hostage

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=mornin
WRITER=mel
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=wipe/wipe/wipe
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Watford, ND;

A nine hour hostage standoff has ended in a North Dakota bar with the death of a police officer.
Authorities say a rancher who was apparently upset over the beer he was served took hostages and then fatally shot a police officer who tried to enter the bar.
The man walked out unarmed shortly after two this morning.
The hostages were not harmed.
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MENENDEZ

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=MORNIN
WRITER=MEL
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=legal scales

Death by injection or life without parole.
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VO-NAT

That's the choice a jury will have in the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez.
The brothers were found guilty of first-degree murder yesterday for killing their parents in the family's Beverly Hills home in 19-89.
The sentencing phase of their re-trial begins Monday.
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wipe wipe wipe

Coma-Rape

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=mornin
WRITER=mel
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=wipe wipe wipe
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Rochester, NY/Yesterday;

A man suspected of the rape of an upstate New York coma patient is in custody after authorities learned he was thinking of fleeing to Canada.
Fifty two-year old John Horace was arrested yesterday.
Horace has already pleaded guilty to fondling a 49-year old physically disabled patient at the same nursing home where a comatose woman was raped and impregnated last year.
The 29-year old woman gave birth to a baby boy Monday.
Authorities say there appears to be a genetic link with the newborn.
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1-Sports

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Mornin
WRITER=cro
TAPE#=sports cut in
GRAPHIC=none

Turning now to sports -- a Massachusetts guard makes quite an impact at an N-C-Double-A press conference.
Mike Stevens has the details.
Good morning Mike.
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IN Q=good morning
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OUT Q=little bit
$CCOFF

Blaze

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morning
WRITER=sly
TAPE#96-18
GRAPHIC=Fire

No injuries reported from two fires in Roanoke this morning.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;

Heavy flames were visible for several blocks when firefighters arrived at a home on Rorer Avenue in Southwest Roanoke shortly after four o'clock.
While no injuries were reported the home was heavily damaged.
About an hour later a second fire broke out, this one at an apartment building in the 23 hundred block of Memorial Avenue. Again, there were no reports of injuries.
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M'ville-Hospital

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#96-20
GRAPHIC=NONE

Four Martinsville nurses who were held at gunpoint during a hospital security drill say it was all a little too realistic.
They say the action deserves some legal treatment.
Kimberly McBroom has the story.
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SOT
IN Q=About four A-M
SUPER=03-Martinsville; :00
SUPER=01-Jim Shortt/Nurses' Attorney; :27
SUPER=01-Randy Smith/Martinsville Commonwealth's Atty; :58
SUPER=@Kimberly1; 1:08
RUNS=1:19
OUT Q=News 7, Martinsville

(( About four A-M on January 25th, the E-R at Memorial Hospital was invaded by five masked gunmen-- who took several nurses and other employees hostage.
Turns out, it wasn't a life- threatening situation in the E-R, but a War of the Worlds- type drama.
Now, four nurses who were on duty have sworn criminal warrants against the phony gunmen for brandishing firearms.
They say the make- believe drill caused them emotional trauma.
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SOT shortt tape 16:24:42
((JIM SHORTT/NURSES' ATTORNEY: CERTAIN EMERGENCY ROOM BUZZERS HAVE GONE OFF OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SIX WEEKS-- THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO REACT TO THEM WHEN THE BUZZERS GO OFF-- THEY START TO PANIC. ))
RUNS=:11
pre- pro here please
Meanwhile, the hospital had no comment-- and maintains that in order to make it realistic, some employees were not informed about the drill. end pre- pro
Meanwhile, the Martinsville Police Department has been asked to conduct an investigation.
But the Commonwealth's Attorney says if the drill involved actors performing a script-- it'll be hard to prove wrongdoing.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 20:14:28
((RANDY SMITH/MARTINSVILLE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: OBVIOUSLY, IF THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY WAS DOING AND THAT'S WHAT THEY INTENDED TO DO AND NOBODY DEVIATED FROM THAT, THEN I THINK YOU'D FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO PROVE ANY CRIMINAL INTENT. ))
RUNS=:09
STAND UP HERE, SECOND ONE PLEASE
The nurses are receiving psychiatric counseling.
Their attorneys say the'll likely seek punitive damages in a civil suit if the hospital doesn't settle with them first.
Kimberly McBroom, News 7, Martinsville.))

Pet-Pals

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=cst
TAPE# 96-15
GRAPHIC=none

Community Hospital has just unleashed a new team of mental health experts.
Their job-- to sit, be cute, and help patients laugh a little.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke/Yesterday; :

It's a new team of pet therapy dogs.
They started work yesterday-- meeting and greeting the patients in Pediatrics.
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SOT 10:41:01
IN Q=The testing
((JOAN ALLAN/C.H.R.V. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST: THE TESTING THAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH TO BE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM IS PRETTY EXTENSIVE, AS FAR AS TESTING THEIR TEMPERAMENT TO TOLERATE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING NOISE, PAIN STARTLING ASPECTS, GROOMING BY OTHER PEOPLE, PULLING ON THEIR HAIR, A WHOLE SLEW OF DIFFERENT THINGS, AND THEY ALL CAME THROUGH IT WONDERFULLY )) ((JANICE WILMER/THERAPY DOG TRAINER: THEY HAVE TO BE FAIRLY GOOD TEMPERAMENT AND FAIRLY WELL TRAINED OF COURSE I'M NOT ALWAYS SURE ABOUT THESE GUYS-- AND THEY HAVE TO KNOW THEIR BASIC OBEDIENCE COMMANDS. AND GENERALLY THEY JUST NEED TO BE FAIRLY CALM. IF THEY'RE TOO EXCITABLE THEN IT GETS THE CHILDREN OR THE ELDERLY PERSON OR WHOEVER THEY'RE VISITING UPSET.))
SUPER=01-Joan Allan/CHRV Occupational Therapist; :03
SUPER=01-Janice Wilmer/Therapy Dog Trainer; :32
RUNS=:45
OUT Q=visiting upset.
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VO-NAT

Pet therapy is one of the psycho-social components of patient care-- it will now be offered weekly at Community Hospital.
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2-scores

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=nba logo

In the N-B-A --
Toronto offered to help Charlotte end its four-game winning streak.
Let's take a look at the scoreboards.
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SUPER=#C-200;
SUPER=96-Toronto/107/Charlotte/=89//Atlanta/=98/Vancouver/=93;
SUPER=96-Orlando/112/Boston/=90//San Antonio/112/Washington/101;
SUPER=96-Miami/102/Detroit/=93//New York/102/Indiana/=99;
SUPER=96-Sacramento/122/Milwaukee/=97//Utah/107/Philadelphia/=84;
SUPER=96-LA Clippers/110/Minnesota/=96;

SUPER=97-Alabama/=68/South Carolina/=67//Tulane/=83/Illinois St./=72;

SUPER=103-Montreal/==3/Hartford/==2//Boston/==2/New Jersey/==1;
SUPER=103-Detroit/==4/Toronto/==3//San Jose/==7/Winnipeg/==1;
SUPER=103-Calgary/==3/Chicago/==2//Dallas/==2/St. Louis/==1;
SUPER=103-Colorado/==5/Los Angeles/==2;

2headlines

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=mornin
WRITER=mel
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

Here's a look at today's top stories.
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VO-NAT

Roanoke firefighters spent the early morning hours battling two fires.
Just after four o'clock a house went up in flames in the southwest section of the city.
One hour later firefighters were putting out a an apartment fire on Memorial Avenue.
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VO-NAT

A teenager is sentenced for the drunk driving accident that killed a Roanoke County school teacher.
The punishment brought little comfort to the victim's family.
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VO-NAT

And a Los Angeles jury finds brothers Lyle and Erik Menedez guilty of murder in the 1989 shotgun deaths of their wealthy parents.
The sentencing phase of their re-trial starts next week.
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ANCHOR=Melanie 2 shot

And that's what's making news on this Thursday March 21st.
ANCHOR=Beth

(ad lib)

SchoolWatch

ANCHOR=Melanie 2 shot
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=nle
TAPE#none
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(mel reads boards)

Blaze

VERDICT

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=NOON
WRITER=MEL
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=legal scales

Erik and Lyle Mendez could get the death penalty for killing their parents six and a half years ago.
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VO-NAT

Yesterday a Los Angeles jury found the brothers guilty of first- degree murder.
The same jury now chooses the sentence; either lethal injection or life in prison without parole.
They begin deciding on Monday.
Erik and Lyle gunned down their wealthy parents in 19-89 in the family's Beverly Hills home.
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Drug-Bust

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=cro
TAPE# none
GRAPHIC=drug bust/cocaine

Two Roanoke brothers accused of buying about four pounds of cocaine from undercover officers are being held without bond.
Federal agents had been investigating Ronald Jones and Jackie Mc-George for two years.
Officials say the brothers had 37-thousand-dollars with which to buy the drugs when they were arrested last week outside a Quantico restaurant.
A raid last year at a Roanoke car wash owned by the brothers turned up no drugs.
After the raid, they closed the car wash and moved away.

emergency-landing

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=mornin
WRITER=mel
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=none

Some high drama yesterday over the skies of Seattle.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Seattle, WA;

A passenger aboard a Cessna was forced to land the plane when his pilot collapsed and died of a heart attack.
The airport tower instructed the passenger, who made a bumpy, but successful landing on his second try.
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WIPE/WIPE/WIPE

SHUTTLE

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=MORNIN
WRITER=MEL
TAPE# net
GRAPHIC=WIPE/WIPE/WIPE
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Cape Canaveral, FL;

Atlantis will not be flying today.
The shuttle was scheduled to lift off early this morning for a docking mission with the Russian Space station Mir.
But NASA says it's delaying the launch at least 24 hours because of wind at the Kennedy Space Center -- and high seas in the area where ships recover the shuttle's booster rockets.
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3-Sports

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Mornin
WRITER=cro
TAPE#=sports cut in
GRAPHIC=none

In sports, Mike Stevens has hoop action, including the latest from the high school hardwood and a March Madness preview.
Good morning Mike.
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SOT
IN Q=good morning
RUNS=2:19
OUT Q=nice thursday
$CCOFF
Birthdays
TALENT=Larry
SS=none
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IN Q=(nat sot music)
RUNS=1:55
out= back to you.

Roanoke-Fire

Kitts-React

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Mornin'
WRITER=sly
TAPE#96-13
GRAPHIC=Legal Scales

The victim's family says there's little comfort in the sentence but a 16 year old drunk driver begins serving time as a youthful offender today.
The teen's speeding car hit and killed a high school teacher.
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VO-NAT

Bonnie Kitts died when the young man who lived in the same neighborhood struck her while she was out for a walk with her husband.
Gary Kitts refused to fill out the court's "Victim Impact" form, because he was offended by questions that call for a statement on economic loss and the extent of property damage.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT16:30:35
IN Q=Tha majority
((GARY KITTS/VICTIM'S HUSBAND: THE MAJORITY OF THAT DIDN'T APPLY TO THIS CASE. IT'S A GENERIC FORM I ASSUME THAT'S NOT TAILORED TO THE CASE THAT WE'RE IN. I TOOK IT AS BEING IMPERSONAL AND NOT RESPECTFUL OF MY FAMILY AND SURELY NOT RESPECTFUL OF BONNIE.))
SUPER=01-Gary Kitts/Victim's Husband
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=of Bonnie.
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VO-NAT

The boy is serving an undetermined amount of time.
Youth corrections could keep him until he's 21, but the prosecutor said it's typically more like FOUR MONTHS.
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ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=hold

The boy loses his drivers license for five years, and once he's released, he'll have to perform 100 hours of community service.

C'burg-Shooting

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=morn
WRITER=tal
TAPE#96-11
GRAPHIC=Knowles

A 47 year old Christiansburg man is accused of killing his wife.
William Michael Knowles allegedly shot 43 year- old Angie Knowles and their teenage daughter yesterday.
Tracy Altizer has the story.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT
IN Q=As police escorted him
SUPER=03-Christiansburg/Yesterday; :00
SUPER=01-Sgt. Hank Epperly/Christiansburg Police; :31
SUPER=01-Peggy Ridgeway/Neighbor; :51
SUPER=@Tracy2; 1:05
RUNS=1:18
OUT Q=Altizer, News 7.
(( As police led him in handcuffs to the Montgomery County magistrate's office, Michael Knowles expressed regret.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 13:39:56
((IT WAS A BIG, BIG, BIG MISTAKE. ))
RUNS=:04

Around 6:30 a-m, police say Knowles broke in through the back door at 109 Evans Street, where his estranged wife Angie and their children had moved about a month before.
During a struggle over his shotgun, he allegedly shot his wife in the abdomen, and his 18 year- old daughter in the finger.
Police say when they arrived, he turned his gun on them.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 8:00:53
((SGT. HANK EPPERLY/CHRISTIANSBURG POLICE: HE EXITED THE REAR DOOR AND FIRED TWICE AT OUR OFFICERS WITH A SHOTGUN. THE OFFICERS RETURNED FIRE. HE WENT BACK INTO THE HOUSE FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES AND THEN CAME BACK OUT AGAIN UNARMED. ))
RUNS=:16

Police say that's when the teenager threw her father's gun out the front door, and they arrested him.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 7:18:30
((PEGGY RIDGEWAY/NEIGHBOR: WELL I WAS AWAKENED BY A GUNSHOT AND THEN I CAME TO MY FRONT WINDOWS AND POLICE WERE RUNNING AROUND EVERYWHERE AND THEY HAD GUNS. AND THEN A LADY CAME OUT AND DROPPED HER GUN AND I THINK THAT MUST'VE BEEN THE END OF IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THEY STARTED BRINGING PEOPLE OUT. ))
RUNS=:14

The two younger children in the house at the time were not hurt.
Angie Knowles died during surgery at Montgomery Regional Hospital.
A fund has been set up for all four of her children at First National Bank of Christiansburg.
Tracy Altizer, News 7.))

Hospital

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morning
WRITER=sly
TAPE#edit of 96-20
GRAPHIC=NONE

Four nurses at Memorial Hospital in Martinsville say a mock hostage situation at the hospital in January was a little too realistic.
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VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Martinsville;

The drill, complete with masked gunmen, was designed to test the ability of hospital employees to handle such emergencies.
Now, four nurses who were on duty have sworn criminal warrants against the phony gunmen for brandishing firearms.
The Martinsville Commonwealth's Attorney thinks it will be tough to prove wrongdoing.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 20:14:07 SMITH TAPE
IN Q=I could not
((RANDY SMITH/MARTINSVILLE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: I COULD NOT SEE HOW YOU CAN PROVE CRIMINAL INTENT IF THE ONLY THING THE PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE THING DID WAS SIMPLY ACT AS ACTORS IN A SCRIPTED- TYPE SITUATION. ))
SUPER=01-Randy Smith/Martinsville Commonwealth's Atty;
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=scripted type situation
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VO-NAT

But the nurses' attorney insists the make- believe drill caused his clients emotional trauma.
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SOT shortt tape 16:26:02
IN Q=The U.s. Army
((JIM SHORTT/NURSES' ATTORNEY: THE U.S. ARMY, WHEN IT CONDUCTS A DRILL, EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S A DRILL. YOU DON'T USE REAL BULLETS. YOU DON'T TELL HALF THE SOLDIERS THAT IT'S A DRILL AND FAIL TO TELL THE OTHER HALF. IT'S A CRAZY, CRAZY IDEA. ))
SUPER=01-Jim Shortt/Nurses' Attorney;
RUNS=:16
OUT Q=crazy, crazy idea
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=None

The hospital had no comment on the nurses' action, but maintains in order to make it realistic, some employees were not informed about the drill.

SchoolWatch

ANCHOR=Melanie 2 shot
NEWSCAST=cutin
WRITER=nle
TAPE#none
GRAPHIC=2 shot
(mel reads boards)