UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, April 21, 1994
4
THE NEWS in brief
LAS VEGAS
Federal judge dismisses most assault claims in ruling on Tailhook
A federal judge dismissed most of the claims against the Navy contained in a lawsuit by five women who said they had been sexually assaulted at the 1991 Tailhook convention.
For the most part, the women did not have the legal standing to sue the Navy, U.S. District Judge Philip Pro said in his ruling Tuesday. But he did not dismiss the women's claims against the Las Vegas Hilton, where the convention took place, or the Tailhook organization of current and retired Navy aviators.
Pro ruled that people could not sue the federal government for sexual assault or seek punitive damages from it under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
The five women contended in their lawsuit that the Navy "intentionally attempted to cover up the actions of conventioneers." They sought unspecified damages on charges of sexual assault and battery, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and punitive damages.
Pro also said the women could pursue their allegations that the Navy had failed to protect them from being groped and fondled by drunken aviators.
Pro did allow the women to pursue their argument that the Navy controlled the area on the Hilton's third floor, and he ruled that it was possible to show that Navy personnel had a duty to "act reasonably" toward those on the premises.
Those filing the lawsuit were Suzanne Hallett of San Diego; Lisa C. Reagan and Marie Weston of Sacramento, Califf; Judy Mas, Los Angeles; and Rhonda Rama, whose hometown was not available.
Ulundi, South Africa
Trusting fists, clubs and spears into the air, Zulu nationalists celebrated the end of their election boycott yesterday and launched a jubilant campaign for next week's elections.
Ulundi, South Africa Zulus end election boycott
The sudden end to the boycott left the Zulus only six days to campaign for the April 26-28 elections, the first in the country's history in which all races can vote.
"Two days would be enough — five minutes even," said Ceblise Khmalo, who had traveled more than two hours to Ulundi for an exuberant rally of Mangosuthu Buthelezi's Inkatha Freedom Party.
"It will be a miracle if we do well in the election," Buthelezi told about 30,000 people who had waited several hours to hear him speak. "But your spirit and enthusiasm give me hope that something miraculous will happen despite our late start."
Buhelezai agreed Tuesday to end the Inkatha boycott in exchange for a pledge that the Zulu kingdom will receive constitutional recognition. Additional demands for federal-style autonomy will be subject to mediation.
The agreement raised hopes that political violence between the ANC and Inkatha would diminish. Thousands of people have died in factional fighting between the rival groups in the past three years.
SINGAPORE
Teen-ager pleas for mercy
An American teen-ager sentenced to a flogging for vandalizing cars made a final plea for mercy yesterday, but there was no sign that Singapore's president would spare him.
Lawyers for Michael P. Fay delivered the 13-page petition for a pardon to the Istaan palace residence of President Ong Teng Cheong. They did not reveal the contents of the document, but a decision is expected within days. The date of the flogging has not been scheduled.
"It's not entirely clear that his confession wasn't coerced from him," Clinton said in Washington. Clinton earlier sent a letter to Ong asking that he repeal the sentence.
President Clinton spoke out Tuesday on Fay's behalf.
Fay said in a letter to his father in Kettering, Ohio, that he had confessed only after a beating by police.
George Fay, the teen-ager's father, said people who favored the punishment — as do many Americans fed up with crime in the United States — had never really considered his son's circumstances or thought about the severity of flogging.
"I mean, taking the flesh off your body?" Fay said. "I wouldn't do that to a felon. I think it's unnecessary in a civilized society."
But Singapore's former prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, said criminals sentenced to corporal punishment should "take the medicine like a man."
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. School rejects NOW head
The president of the University of Rhode Island rejected feminist leader Patricia Ireland as a graduation speaker, replacing her with a man the campus selection committee never considered.
Committee chair William Lynn McKinney, a professor of education, said he would quit the selection group because of the decision by school president Robert Carothers.
In a memo obtained by the campus newspaper, the Good 5 Cent Cigar, McKinney told the committee that Carothers had rejected Ireland for the May 22 commencement because she was "too controversial."
Carothers named Leonard Coleman Jr., president of baseball's National League, as the keynote speaker.
"No one on the committee had ever heard of Leonard Coleman," he wrote.
In an interview with The Providence Journal-Bulletin, Carothers praised his choice and declined to elaborate on his decision to dump Ireland, president of the National Organization for Women.
Compiled from The Associated Press.
African American Legislative Caucus Saturday, April 23, 1994 University of Kansas - Kansas Union
Working Together for Change: We Make a Difference
Theme
Registration: 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.
General Assembly: 9:00 a.m.-9:45 a.m.
Workshops: 10:00 a.m.-12:10 p.m.
Luncheon, Speakers, Awards: 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Burge Union) Luncheon Speaker: Judge Cordell D. Meeks, Jr.
Registration Fee:
$10.00 General Public $7.00 Students/Senior Citizens
Everyone invited to attend this annual statewide event.
Contact person: Representative Barbara W. Ballard, Conference Coordinator, Tel. 841-0063
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