THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, July 7, 1995                   TAG: 9507070388
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: NEWS &  OBSERVER 
DATELINE: RALEIGH                            LENGTH: Medium:   51 lines

WILDER WON'T DROP AIRPORT FROM LAWSUIT OVER TUSSLE RALEIGH-DURHAM THOUGHT IT HAD AN AGREEMENT LAST WEEK.

First, former Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder claimed he couldn't get past security at Raleigh-Durham International Airport without being manhandled by a guard.

Now the airport authority is finding it hard to get past Wilder.

Last week, the authority thought it had reached an agreement with Wilder that it would be dropped as a defendant from his $5 million damage suit.

``My understanding is that they will voluntarily take us off the motion after the Fourth of July break,'' airport authority attorney Lewis Cheek said June 28.

But on Wednesday, Wilder's son and attorney, Lawrence Wilder, said the authority will not be released.

``We're sticking with the motion as filed in June,'' Lawrence Wilder, 33, said. He declined to discuss why Cheek expected him to ask a Virginia court to dismiss his father's complaint against the authority.

The motion describes the authority as ``the owner, the operator and manager of the Raleigh-Durham Airport'' and responsible for setting security guidelines. The suit seeks $3 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages.

Cheek said Wednesday he didn't know Wilder had changed his mind.

``I haven't heard anything different from him since we spoke last week,'' he said. ``If that's their opinion at this point, they haven't communicated it to me.''

The suit stems from an exchange March 7 between Wilder and a guard, Ferdinand Faison Sloan of Carrboro. Sloan, 33, worked for Globe Security Systems Inc. and was fired the day of the incident. USAir contracts with Globe for security at Raleigh-Durham.

Wilder complained on his nationally syndicated radio talk show that Sloan made him pass through the metal detector several times when his suspenders repeatedly set off the alarm. Wilder accused the guard of choking him when Wilder took offense at Sloan's attitude and tried to read his name badge.

Wilder suffered ``severe and painful bruises to his head, back, face and throat,'' the motion says. It also says Wilder was ``subject to public scorn and ridicule, and was caused great mental anguish and anxiety.''

The suit names USAir, Globe and Sloan as defendants, along with the authority. by CNB