MICH. MEN ARRAIGNED IN DATE-RAPE CASE

WOODHAVEN, Mich., March 16 (UPI) - Four young men near Detroit have
been arraigned for allegedly poisoning three teenage girls, one
fatally, with the date-rape drug GHB.

The oldest in the group, 25-year-old Erick Limmer, is also accused of
supplying the drug that was slipped into the girls' drinks during a
party at his Grosse Ile (EEL), Mich., apartment in January.

Police say toxicology tests determined high levels of GHB, also known
by the street names ``scoop'' and ``liquid ecstasy,'' killed
15-year-old Samantha Reid. A 14-year-old girl who ingested the drug
lapsed into a coma but later recovered. The third girl was not hurt.

Relatives of the victims expressed anger and grief in the courtroom
today after 33rd District Judge James Kersten set bond at 10 percent
of $80,000 each instead of the $100,000 cash sought by
prosecutors.

Each man is charged with three counts of poisoning, punishable by life
in prison, and one count of homicide manslaughter.

Limmer and 17-year-old Nicholas Holtschlag were released on bond.
Defendants Daniel Brayman and Joshua Cole, both 18, were unable to
post bond immediately.

The judge ordered a March 30 hearing to schedule a preliminary
examination.

GHB was a common diet drug before it was banned by the Food and Drug
Administration in 1990. Now the tasteless liquid or powder is made
illegally from common ingredients.

Prosecutors say the girls were served GHB-laced drinks including beer,
orange juice and Mountain Dew.

After two girls passed out, the defendants allegedly tried to cover up
the party by cleaning the apartment and waited to call for an
ambulance until it was too late.