February 25, 2000

Clyde Haberman, in NYC column, holds that Rev Al Sharpton got debate between Democratic presidential candidates Al Gore and Bill Bradley off to interesting start when he asked them how they would keep crime down and at same time confront problem of police brutality; maintains that his question struck certain balance not often evident in last year of tears and rage over Amadou Diallo killing; notes that many New Yorkers are accusing Bronx Dist Atty Robert T Johnson of having lost his balance in bringing murder charges against four police officers who shot Diallo (M)

Dozen members of Shinnecock tribe try to prevent contractors from clearing away land for 38-home subdivision on 62 acres near tribe's 800-acre reservation on East End of Long Island; state police arrest three protesters; developers say they are surprised by passions project has aroused in Shinnecock community; many Shinnecocks see development as latest insult in string that goes back over 300 years; map; photos (M)

Caryn James reviews four television programs about JonBenet Ramsey murder case: documentaries on A&E and MSNBC, and dramatizations on CBS and Fox; photos (M)

In John Frankenheimer's hard-boiled film ''Reindeer Games,'' Ben Affleck (above) plays Rudy, fresh out of prison, who assumes his dead cellmate's identity in hopes of getting his girl. But he also gets her brother, who needs help robbing a casino. Since that's not Rudy's specialty, he becomes a lowlife Scheherazade, spinning tales to save his skin. A review by Elvis Mitchell, Page 20.

Latest New York Times/CBS News poll shows that despite steady diet of speeches, candidate jousting and almost nonstop news coverage, New Yorkers seem largely to be locked in place in their attitudes toward Hillary Rodham Clinton, though first lady has begun to show some success in dispelling her image as carpetbagger; poll shows that New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has support of 45 percent of respondents, compared with 44 percent for Clinton, with only 9 percent undecided; that is essentially unchanged from last Times/CBS poll, in October; poll findings detailed; table (L)