June 28, 1999

Case of Julio Perez, homeless schizophernic man accused of pushing Edgar Rivera onto New York City subway tracks on April 28, parallels that of Andrew Goldstein, man accused in fatal attack against Kendra Webdale in January, which provoked mounting criticism of New York State's mental health system; on day of attack he visited psychiatrist in emergency room of Veterans Hospital, police headquarters and criminal courts building, complaining in each case about his treatment at shelter for mentally ill, and telling law enforcement officers his enemies were following him; investigators say that, in each instance, people with only scraps of information about him and his violent past listened and sent him on his way to another part of same disjointed system that had been shuttling him between hospitals, jails and streets of city since 1995 (M)

Congress will start debate on July 1 on measure to overhaul way legal system resolves lawsuits brought by people harmed by asbestos: move follows request by Supreme Court to devise legislative solution to mass of asbestos cases clogging Federal and state dockets and enriching lawyers in protracted proceedings that ultimately leave many victims of asbestos poisoning with little or nothing; House Judiciary Committee will begin hearings in attempt to build support for legislation to alter current legal regime for settling cases by setting up new Federal agency responsible for resolving claims before they enter courts (M)

30 Years After Stonewall, Diversity Is Shown in Gay Pride Parade**Annual Gay and Lesbian Pride parade held on Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan; New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Fire Comr Thomas Von Essen are among city officials who marched; scene described; photo (M)

Neil Strauss reviews third annual Guinness Fleadh, Irish music festival held on Randalls Island; performances by Tommy Makem, Elvis Costello, Eileen Ivers Band and others noted; photo (M)

Profile of David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker magazine, who is far different breed of editor than was Tina Brown, who resigned last July; Remnick says he is inescapably dogged by the 'old comparison that Tina was the glitz, and I'm at home watching PBS'; gulf between Remnick and Brown has become defining hallmark of his first year at the magazine; photos, including Remnick and Brown; chart on magazine's decline in advertising since 1962 (M)