February 25, 1982 – CBS World News Roundup – Newsbreak – Hourly News – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
February 25, 1982 – Aside from squabbles on Capitol Hill over President Reagan’s 1983 Fiscal budget, new anti-busing legislation and the economy in general, most eyes were turned southward in the direction of Central America and the increasingly worrisome situation in Nicaragua. President Reagan had proposed a trade initiative for the Caribbean region and most of the countries in the region were on board, except for El Salvador and Nicaragua. Seems the countries were in the midst of a civil war and political upheaval and a trade initiative just didn’t seem possible. Of all the countries on board for the initiative it was Nicaragua who voiced the biggest dissent. One of the members of the Nicaragua Directorate, Daniel Ortega, responded to Reagan’s address by saying “Now we won’t be able to sleep at night”. Ortega was referring to Reagan’s harsh stance against the country which Reagan said was “supporting subversion throughout Central America”. Another Nicaraguan official said the speech was “laughable, foolish and said nothing new”. But for the past several months Nicaragua has taken President Reagan’s tough talk as anything but lightly. Banners around Nicaragua urged Managuans to be “on alert” against U.S. intervention as there is fear of U.S. military action against the country in the form of a Naval blockade or even an invasion by U.S.-supported counter-revolutionaries.
The trial of Wayne Williams, accused of killing of two men in Atlanta, Georgia, and was believed to be responsible for at least 24 of the 30 Atlanta murders of 1979–1981, also known as the Atlanta Child Murders was nearing its end on this day, with closing arguments to be delivered tomorrow and the case could go to the jury before the day was over. Williams’ mother took the stand earlier and said the prosecution had no evidence to prove Williams was a Killer, and Defense asked the judge for an acquittal, but the judge refused.
John Hinckley, would-be assassin of President Reagan was finally to get his day in court. A federal judge expressing some impatience at the long delays in bringing Hinckley to trial, ordered defense and prosecution to be ready to begin the trial in two weeks. It was nearing the one year anniversary of the event and the waiting had gone on long enough.
And that’s just a sample of what went on, this February 25th, 1982 as presented by CBS Radio News.
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