December 19, 2002

Sir Christopher Gent, dealmaking chief executive who turned Vodafone Group of Britain into largest wireless telephone company in world, says he will retire in summer of 2003; will be replaced by Arun Sarin, Indian-born American citizen who ran Vodafone's US and Asia Pacific operations; chairman Lord MacLaurin comments; photos (M)

Most early honors for this year's movies are going to ones from mini-studios and small, independent distributors based in Manhattan; speculation centers on whether reason is that Hollywood moguls seem to have other priorities or that portion of Oscars event may be broadcast from New York; lists; photos (M)

National Basketball Assn awards next expansion franchise to Robert L Johnson, making him first African-American to become principal owner of major professional sports team; Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television, will pay $300 million expansion fee for new franchise in Charlotte, NC, which will begin play in 2004-5 season; he acknowledges significance of his selection, but says his race was not primary reason for his unanimous selection by league's expansion committee over group that includes Larry Bird; cites his track record in business and his ability to identify talented people; Jerry Colangelo, head of expansion committee, agrees, saying Johnson shows 'passion and commitment' league wants; Bird, whose financing was provided by investor Steve Belkin, says he is heartbroken at losing Charlotte bid; photos (M)

Article on cassette tape of Jamaican guitarist and singer Bob Marley found in New York apartment of composer and singer Jimmy Norman; rare pre-reggae demo tape is being auctioned by Christie's; photo (M)

States are laying off prison guards, or giving prisoners emergency early releases, to reduce budget deficits; some states have gone so far as to repeal mandatory minimum sentences or to send drug offenders to treatment rather than to prison in effort to slow down inflow of new inmates; in some locales, prosecutors or courts are placing moratorium on misdemeandor cases; since early 1970's, number of state prisoners has risen 500 percent, making corrections fastest growing item in most state budgets; Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that bill for corrections has reached $30 billion, with more than two million inmates currently in state and federal prisons and local jails; Iowa has laid off prison guards, and Ohio and Illinois are closing prisons; Montana, Arkansas, Texas and Kentucky are releasing convicted felons early, finding loopholes to get around strict truth-in-sentencing laws and no parole policies passed in 1990's; Gov Frank Keating of Oklahoma, law-and-order state that has added 1,000 new inmates a year, now asks Pardon and Parole Board to find 1,000 nonviolent inmates to release early as result of state's budget crisis; photos (L)