On this day
Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
In 2005, the world population was approximately 6,586,970,132 people[†]
2005Todd Bell, American football player (born 1958)[†]
Todd Anthony Bell was an American professional football player who was a safety for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) during the early 1980s. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
2005Ralph Erskine, English architect, designed The London Ark (born 1914)[†]
Ralph Erskine ARIBA was a British architect and planner who lived and worked in Sweden for most of his life.
2005Dick Radatz, American baseball player (born 1937)[†]
Richard Raymond Radatz was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Nicknamed "The Monster", the 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), 230 lb (100 kg) right-hander had a scorching but short-lived period of dominance for the Boston Red Sox in the early 1960s. Radatz is reported to have gotten his nickname during a game against the New York Yankees in Boston in 1963. Radatz came in to pitch with the basis loaded and no one out. Radatz consecutively struck out Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Elston Howard, and Mantle grumbled about Radatz being "that monster". Over his career Radatz struck out Hall of famer Mantle 44 times in 63 at-bats.
2005Israel officially hands over Jericho to Palestinian control.[†]
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. It occupies the Palestinian territories of the West Bank in the east and the Gaza Strip in the south-west. Israel also has a small coastline on the Red Sea at its southernmost point, and part of the Dead Sea lies along its eastern border. Its proclaimed capital is Jerusalem, while Tel Aviv is its largest urban area and economic centre.
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Kirk Johnson article on accepting challenge by super-distance ultramarathon runner Dean Karnazes to run with him; Karnazes' first book, Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, has just been published; Karnazes, who slowed down for benefit of reporter during 10-mile run, comments on highs and lows of long-distance running, his achievements and goals; photo (M)
LEGAL STRATEGY -- Mr. Ebbers's evasiveness hurt him, but he had to take the stand. NEWS ANALYSIS, PAGE C1 NEXT IN LINE -- The conviction sends a chilling message to other executives charged with wrongdoing. PAGE C1 A FIRM HAND -- Judge Barbara S. Jones ran a tight courtroom and even added some levity. PAGE C8
New York City Democratic mayoral aspirant Fernando Ferrer attends meeting of Sergeants Benevolent Association and says that fatal police shooting of Amadou Diallo was not a crime; Ferrer originally criticized police for Diallo incident in 2001 mayoral campaign (M)
Homeland Security Department, trying to improve focus of antiterrorism spending, identifies dozen possible attacks considered most plausible or devastating, including detonation of nuclear device in major city, release of sarin in office buildings and truck bombing of sports arena; National Planning Scenarios document reads like doomsday plan, estimating deaths and economic damage; chart; officials say they are not trying to frighten public and have no credible intelligence that such attacks are planned; official Matt A Meyer explains, after draft is inadvertently posted on Hawaii state Web site; Pres Bush requested list of priorities 15 months ago to address widespread criticism that administration wastes money by spreading it out rather than concentrating on key areas and targets; new Sec Michael Chertoff is also emphasizing risk-based planning; three catastrophic natural events are included: influenza pandemic, 7.2 earthquake in major city and slow-moving Category 5 hurricane hitting major East Coast City (M)
Convictions of dozens of death-row inmates in California may be scrutinized because of accusation by former prosecutor John R Quatman that Jews and black women were systematically excluded from juries in capital trials in Alameda County; Quatman makes charge in habeas corpus appeal of Fred H Freeman, sentenced for 1987 robbery-murder in Berkeley; Quatman says late Judge Stanley Golde advised him that 'no Jew' would send defendant to gas chamber; says black women were excluded as sympathetic to defendants; his declaration is also being used by inmate Mark Schmeck because prosecutors at his trial challenged two prospective Jewish jurors; review for both appeals finds that, in 25 capital cases in Alameda from 1984 to 1994, Jews and people with seemingly Jewish surnames were excluded at rate of 93.10 percent, compared with 49.97 percent rejection rate for others; Golde, who died in 1998, was dean of jurists in county considered model operation since time of Earl Warren; photo; colleagues and his sons, both lawyers, strongly reject charge; Goldes say father felt it his duty as judge to come to grips with death penalty despite own Jewish religious beliefs (M)
Matt Lee and Ted Lee article on roasting oysters; recipes; photos (M)
Article on New York City's popular hip-hop radio station Hot 97 (WQHT-FM), which critics contend has tilted from credible arbiter of rap trends to ratings-hungry promoter of violence and racism; station, owned by Indianapolis-based Emmis Communications Corp, has endured monthlong battering for airing song mocking victims of tsunami tragedy; gunfire erupted outside Greenwich Village offices recently after 50 Cent announced on air that he was firing his protege, the Game, from his G-Unit clique; landlord of building, citing track record of shootings, fights and verbal abuse of security and building management and personnel, has threatened to oust station; photos (M)
THERE is reason to pity the nearly perfect. They have so many ways to falter. In thrall to their own legend, they might well overreach, trading glory for folly, or they might simply coast, converting acclaim into idle narcissism. They might allow self-assurance to bleed into arrogance and let down their guard against error. These are a few of the traps that Le Bernardin has faced -- and avoided -- for nearly two decades. It grabbed hold of four stars from Bryan Miller in The New York Times less than three months after it opened in early 1986 and has never let them slip from its grasp, maintaining its superior rating more than twice as long as any of the other New York restaurants in its elite company. (The runner-up, Jean Georges, earned four stars in mid-1997.) None of its peers have built legends so large and sturdy.
Dave Anderson Sports of The Times column discusses NFL's likely decision to approve New York Jets' proposed stadium on Manhattan's Far West Side (NYC) as site of 2010 Super Bowl (M)
Anthony Vitiello is released from prison after serving 9 years of what was to be 19- to 54-year sentence when Queens (NYC) District Attorney Richard A Brown's office admits it did not reveal criminal activity of witness John McDonnell, who testified against Vitiello as supposed law-abiding citizen; days after Vitiello's conviction for attempted murder, McDonnell was arrested for role in drug ring that had been under investigation for a year; Vitiello will leave prison with same convictions he went in with formally attached to his record; photo (M)
Bernard J Ebbers, former chief of WorldCom, is found guilty in federal court in New York of orchestrating record $11-billion fraud that came to symbolize telecommunications bubble and financial excesses of 1990's; photos; chart; Ebbers is convicted of securities fraud, conspiracy and filing false reports and faces 5 or 10 years in prison on each count; WorldCom's acquisition of dozens of phone companies and phantom growth pushed once-mighty rivals like AT&T to slash prices and costs in crippling race from which they never fully recovered; MCI, which WorldCom acquired in 1998, was tainted by WorldCom bankruptcy, dismissed thousands of workers and may soon be acquired; verdict suggests juries may not be easily persuaded by executives' claims not to have known of crimes on their watch; Ebbers, 63, had modest background and little technical schooling when he turned tiny reseller of long-distance phone service in Mississippi into global titan; case came down to former chief financial officer Scott Sullivan's testimony that he was directed by Ebbers to doctor books to hide slowing sales; Sullivan pleaded guilty and could face 25 years in prison; Ebbers is free on bail until June 13 sentencing; case could lead other executives to strike deals and may affect WorldCom shareholders' civil suits; Asst US Atty David B Anders' methodical case, defense claim that Ebbers did not know of fraud and Ebbers' uncertain, evasive testimony reviewed (L)