Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 57

SW USUI Yur NO. 101 CMcago Trttxm 6 SKttont Payoff scheme charged in Reynolds teen-sex case Woman was offered $10,000 to change story, court told agenda is a fair and impartial trial," Suria said in explaining his decision to seal the court documents. Indeed, much of the case against Reynolds, has been played out in the public arena, in part at the instigation of Reynolds and Heard, the chief witness in the case. Almost every court hearing has been followed by news conferencessome by prosecutors, some by defense lawyers Edward Gen-' son and Sam Adam, some by Heard and her attorneys in the See Reynolds, Page 22 By Maurice Possley Tribune Staff Writer U.S. Rep.

Mel Reynolds, under indictment on charges of having sex with a 16-year-old girl, offered $10,000 to another woman to recant her claim that she had sex with him as a teenager, prosecutors contended Wednesday. The allegation, disclosed during a pretrial hearing before Circuit Judge Fred Suria, was one of several aired Wednesday against Reynolds, 43, who is charged with sexual assault and Back from the casions she and Reynolds had sex with another woman, once in a suburban motel and twice Reynolds' campaign office. Heard has since recanted her charges and said that she does not want to testify in the case. The disclosures prompted Heard's attorney, Akim GurseL to ask Suria, who previously had issued a gag order barring lawyers on both sides from talking to the obstruction of justice. Prosecutors also mapped out additional details of Reynolds' relationship with Beverly Heard, who prompted the criminal charges against the Chicago Democrat when she claimed last year that they had sexual intercourse when she was 16.

According to prosecutors, Heard told a Cook County grand jury last summer that on three oc AS0N0J FMAMJ ASOND FMAMJ ASONOI FMAMJ brink: Chrysler's rebound In 1978, Lee lacocca was hired as Chrysler president He became a national hero by saving the company and thousands of jobs. In 1980, he convinced President Jimmy Carter to sign a $1.5 billion federal loan guarantee that rescued the company from bankruptcy. Chrysler' wotiUfodc y'1' 7 i' it i 1 1 i 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i i 1 1 1 i i 1 1 i i ASONDJ FMAMJ ASOND FMAMJ ASOND FMA investor group led by Kirk Kerkorian JAS0ND1 FMAMJ ASONOJ FMAMJ RSOND FMAMJ 1987 Chrysler pays $800 mil lion to make its biggest acquisition, American Motors which makes Jeeps. 1FMAMJ JASONDJ FMAMJ ASONDJ FMAMJ -1982 Chrysler re turns to profitability after reporting record losses in 1981. Sources: Securities Data Associated Press "-I 1983 lacocca the federal Mini-vans, are flies to Washington to pay off loan guarantees seven years early.

an important new vehicle segment, introduced the same year. pay $55 a share, or more than $20 for Chrysler, in what would be the second-largest takeover in U.S. corporate history, lacocca is a participant in the offer. media, to seal court files from public view. Suria granted the motion, saying he wanted to stifle prejudicial publicity in the trial, scheduled to begin May 5.

In an apparent reference to the O.J. Simpson murder trial, Suria said, "We've all seen what's happening in California and that's an outrage. "Unfortunately, the press has a different agenda than I do, and my ASOKD FMAMI ASONO FIKAMJ ASONO FMAMJ -1992 Robert Eaton is named vice chairman and chief operating officer, and lacocca steps down Dec. 31. 1995 An Full report in Business Kerkorian bets against the odds, and usually wins.

Carmaking legend lacocca still hungry for a challenge. Chrysler news puts spring back in market's step. MGM Grand, the world's biggest casino-hotel, in Las Vegas. If it fails and Chrysler says it has no intention of selling the attempt still focuses a lot of attention on the carmaker, which had a record $3.7 billion in profits last year. And for Kerkorian, who owns more than 10 percent of the com offers to billion, in 'M way Eerkori I I Hi.

mm A Vi 1 Tribune photo by Nancy Stone Starting lineups: The Sox, who've added Chris Sabo, should keep scoring runs in bunches. The Cubs have many more question marks. In Sports. New home: Loyola will announce plans to build a new basketball arena In Sports. Drawing laughter: Meet the cartoon some think will be the next "Far In Tempo.

Long way home: Karen Finley, whose controversial show was canceled here, returns. In ArtsPlus. Chicago: Thursday: Partly sunny, high 58 degrees. Thursday night Mostly cloudy; low 37. Friday: Cloudy; high 64.

Details, Sec. 2, Pg. 11. Bears tell cam lose on Qtaysler By Jim Mateja Tribune Auto Writer Kirk Kerkorian, one of America's richest businessmen, can't lose in his bid to buy Chrysler the nation's third-largest automaker. Kerkorian, Chrysler's largest shareholder, and Lee lacocca, at one time its savior, offered Wednesday to buy the company for $22.8 billion a takeover that would rival any of those made during the 1980's era of corporate raiding.

If the takeover succeeds, it could be the crowning jewel in the career of Kerkorian, a man who began his career as a day laborer and years later took control of Metro-Goldwyn Mayer, then built 5 largest mergers and acquisitions If the bid for Chrysler were included it would rank as the second largest deal RJR Nabisco Inc. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts Co. 1989 $25bOoa Wellcome PLC Glaxo PLC 1995 $15 MBkm Warner Communications Inc. Time Inc. 1990 $14.11 bilSon Kraft Inc.

Philip Moms Inc. 1988 $13.44 bHIk Gulf Corp Standard Oil Co. 1984 $13.4 MlHon KRT photo Chrysler's Robert Eaton arrives in Detroit Wednesday. He cut short a New York trip after Kirk Kerkorian's takeover bid was announced. pany's stock, that alone could make his efforts worthwhile.

What may happen, said David Cole, head of the office for the study of automotive transportation at the University of Michigan, is that investors will figure that if Kerkorian is interested "maybe we should be" too. Indeed, his offer $55 a share-sent Chrysler stock surging for a few hours Wednesday. But before the day was over, the trading reflected plenty of skepticism about whether such a bold attempt could succeed, as well as doubts over what the prospective buyers would do with the company. The stock closed at $48.75 on the New York Stock Exchange, an in- See Chrysler, Page 25l history, Chicago Tribune man, a professor at Boston University Law School Ito met privately on Wednesday with Jeanette Harris, a 38-year-old juror who was excused from the panel last week. Harris has said that jurors were discussing the case against Ito's orders and that racial tensions on the panel were high.

She also was critical of the prosecution's case against Simpson. Defense attorneys then charged that prosecutors were investigating pro-defense jurors, such as Harris, in an attempt to have them thrown off the paneL If so, defense attorneys argued, Ito should dismiss the case and prohibit prosecutors from retrying Simpson. Legal experts said that allegation, which they characterized as See Simpson, Page 5 "49485" 00001 Odds are good Ito won't declare Simpson mistrial Tfca tsllzft tHis vs. ths yea and the msrk In 1971, the U.S. dollar was first allowed to ftoat in the International currency market Since then, the dollar has exhibited periods of strength and weakness against the Japanese yen and the German mark.

Jarwst yea par dollar Number of yen $1 will buy i -i i i i I i I I I 350, 7172 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 "89 '81 -l i l1 i i 1 i 2w TTTiNmSl 150 i i i i i 1 1 3 sites on wish list $185 million sought from public for arena By Patrick T. Reardon and Don Pierson Tribune Staff Writers In April 1975, George Halas, the founder and owner of the Chicago Bears, unveiled a proposal to move his professional football team to northwest suburban Arlington Heights. Mayor Richard J. Daley ranted and raved, but he need not have worried. The plan fell through when Arlington Heights balked at II New stadium a necessity, Bears president says.

In Sports. paying for construction of a stadium to house the team. Ever since then, the Bears, upset with conditions at Soldier Field, have continued to dream of finding a new home whether it be a domed stadium next to Chicago's McCormick Place convention center or, more tantilizing, an arena in the suburbs, where most of the team's season ticket-holders live. On Wednesday, Halas' grandson, Michael McCaskey, made public the team's latest proposal: A $285 million, stadium to be financed primarily by public funds and located at one of three sites, two in the suburbs and one in the city. That city site is the western-most portion of O'Hare International Airport and is actually in DuPage County.

"We are not invoking a threat to move," McCaskey said. "We are part of Chicago, and we fully in- See Stadium, Page 18 -iiirrTT)- WfKVWWjd: -V 1 1 1 1 LaxS5Sj fc German msffcs pr dollar Number of marks $1 will buy Figures not adjusted for Inflation. Sources: Securities Data Associated Press 82 '83 '84 '85 '86 '87 '88 '89 '90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '83 '84 '85 '86 '87 '88 '89 '90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 Chicago Tribune long-term erosion of the dollar reflects the erosion of our political position globally." "It is a further sign of a diminishing American role in the world," said Robert Hormats, a former White House and State Department economist and now vice, chairman of Goldman Sachs (International). "That is the ultimate cost." "We're still the biggest bully on, 'See Dollar, Page20( rw: I I I I I I I it I I i i 1 II i i i i T-rr-i -pjj 1 April fVi tyi'" iyT" 3.5 10 2i 2.0 15 LO U.S. power falls along with dollar, analysts say By William Neikirk Tribune Staff Writer WASHINGTON The dollar's rapid plunge sends a powerful signal to the Clinton administration and Congress that an unsustainable U.S.

economic policy is undermining American influence around the world, many analysts say. the dollar's troubles' raise little concern among most Americans, its decline is seen as damaging to confidence in the nation's ability to manage its own affairs in an era when trade is regarded as an essential element of foreign policy. Economists blame many factors for the dollar's latest weakness, but they said the basic cause is that the world is awash in dollars from a trade deficit running in the hundreds of billions of dollars -annually. Thflir near-universal prescrip- Starting over again seen as too difficult By Jan Crawford Greenburg Tribune Staff Writer Despite the confusion and conflicting testimony in the O.J. Simpson murder trial, one thing is virtually certain: Judge Lance Ito will do whatever he can to avoid declaring a mistrial.

Faced with allegations of prosecutorial misconduct and charges that jurors were improperly discussing the case among themselves, Ito must determine if wrongdoing occurred and whether it is so damaging that it mandates starting the case over a rarity in the criminal justice system. Despite rampant speculation in the news media over the past week about a possible mistrial, legal experts say the prospect is highly unlikely. "A mistrial is his Ito's worst nightmare, because the clock is ticking and money is pouring out of the budget" said David Ross- 71 72 73 74 15 76 77 78 79 '80 '81 Source: Bloomberg Business News tion at a time when Congress is talking about cutting taxes: Slash the federal deficit to cool the economy and the U.S. passion for consumption of imports, and prevent the creation of so much debt "The dollar's decline has a definite effect on our ability to sustain and project power," said Alan Stoga, economist for Kissinger Associates, the consulting firm headed by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. "The '82.