VOL. 101, NO.51
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5.1990
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NEWS:864-4810
Jury finds Grissom guilty of murder
Rv Eric Gorski
Kansan projects writer
OLATHE — Richard Grissom Jr. was found guilty yesterday of first-degree murder of three Johnson County women, including 1987 KU graduate Joan M. Butler, all of whom disappeared in June 1989.
After 12 hours of deliberation during the weekend, jurors found Grissom, 29, guilty of killing Butler, then 24, of Overland Park, and Leneana Brown, 23, of Pleasant Valley. Christine Rusch, then both 22. The women never have been found.
Grissom also was found guilty of eight of nine other charges stemming from the disappearances. He was not found guilty of the June 1989 burglary of the apartment of Carla Dinkel, a neighbor of Butler's.
Grissom sat stonefaced as the verdict for each charge was read by Johnson County District Judge William Gray. He was emotionless as jailers led him out of the courtroom to his cell.
Grissom faces a maximum sentence of five life terms along with 101 years in jail.
When the nine-woman and three man jury finally was dismissed, the courtroom — consisting mostly of the missing women's families and friends and investigators of the case — filled with tears and hope.
was filled with tears and hugs.
Thomas Erker and Kevin Moriarty, Grissom's court appointed defense attorneys, said they file a motion to retry the case, and if that failed, an appeal. The appeal, Erker said, would entail a multitude of charges.
Gray said any post-trial motions had to be submitted by Nov. 20.
Moriarty said that Grissom leaned to him at one point yesterday after the verdict and maintained that he was innocent.
"This case is a big puzzle. It's always been that evidence came in small pieces," he said. "Everyone has a case, but the case pat together with small pieces."
Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison, who built his case mostly from circumstantial evidence in the trial, has been a certified investigators' hard work.
"We're very disappointed with the verdict," Moriarty said. "Our opinion was that there was not a sufficient amount of evidence."
weighed 10 days of testimony, including more than 100 state witnesses and 200 pieces of evidence. The state rested Friday, and soon after, Mortier announced that the defense call no witnesses and rest its case.
Daleh Butler, Joan Butler's father, embraces courtroom supporters minutes after Richard Grissom's verdict was announced.
During deliberation, jurors
During dramatic closing arguments Saturday, for which each side was given an hour, Moriarty attacked the foundation of the state's case, calling the evidence presented garbage. He compared the evidence to a house of cards that would fall if one piece were removed.
He said many of the prosecution's witnesses just wanted to be famous for 15 minutes.
Morrison, who spoke for a half hour before Moriarty and for a half hour after, said that Moriarty had muscled his arm to give jurors to review the testimony.
"This is Mr. Grissom's trial, but this case also is about three poor girls. Everyone feels sorry for them, except Mr. Grissom. His only concern is 'What's in it for me?' " You tell him what's in it for him."
He also keyed on an FBI agent's interview with Grissom the day he was arrested in July 1989 in Dallas. He made a deal, according to testimony.
Deliberation began about 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jurors, who had been sequestered during the trial, left about 4:30 p.m. with no verdict.
They arrived at 9 a.m. yesterday and reached a verdict about 4:10 p.m.
"Gosh. I hate Richard Grissom. I'm sorry, but that's all I have to say about that," he said.
After the verdict was read and journals released, Morrison and the parents of the missing women, followed by a slew of television cameras at the courtroom and a new courthouse down the hall in another courtroom.
Ralph Butler, Joan's father,
thanked the jurors, Morrison and
the investigators who, by Morrison's
estimate, put 15,000 hours into the
David Rusch, Christine's father,
david, "I know that we can't bring
back Joan, Christine and Theresa
on the victory
that will go on forever."
Butler was asked about Grissom and paused.
Butler family can begin life again after verdict
By Eric Gorski
Kansan projects writer
OLATINE — Almost 17 months after the disappearance, a burden has been placed on her relatives.
The man they think killed Joan was (judged guilty yesterday of first-degree murder.
"Finally, we have someone off the streets who is very, very guilty, guilty." We did not include them. We know he did.
said. "It was a big sigh of relief."
Richard Grissom Jr., 29, was found guilty of the murders of Joan, a 1987 KU graduate who then was 24, of Overland Park, and Lenexa roommates Theresa Brown and Christine Rusch, both then 22.
Jada Butter sat in the front row of the courtroom yesterday as the 12 charpes were read. Joan's
that sigh was shared in the courtroom by her husband, Ralph, and their children, Julie, 22, and Chris, 18, both KU students. Family members embraced each other and cried when jurors finally convicted them. The courts called their other son, Tim, 24, a financial analyst in Austin, Texas, and told him of the verdict.
At a post-verdict news conference, Ralph Butter had said that the investigators who had spent an estimated 15,000 hours on the case.
"I was breathless as soon as I heard it," she
Jada Butler said, "They all cried, too. I'm
hanny. They all worked so hard."
Ralph and Jada, who have been staying at a Kansas City area motel during the trial, will return home to Wichita today and begin working again — Ralph at a television station and Jada at a flower shop. Jailie and Chris plan to focus more on their classwork.
For members of the Butler family, who have been within 30 miles of each other throughout the three-week trial, the verdict is the end of a year-and-a-half wait. But it also is a beginning.
"I'm really relieved it's over," Joule said. "But we still don't have that final bit. That's my sister."
In two weeks, the Butters again will be together — for Thanksgiving.
Julie said the holiday would be much happier this year than last, now that the ordeal of awaiting Christmas is over.
Christ said, "I'm really glad it is over with. We've been waiting sixteen months now. We're finally here."
Candidates discuss fiscal situation in final debate
Iraq willing to go to war officials say
The Associated Press
In a new outburst of belligerence, Iraq said yesterday it was ready to fight a dangerous war rather than ever give up Kuwait.
"Iraq is not going to negotiate on Kuwait," Iraq's information minister, Latif Jassim, said at a news conference in Baghdad. He insisted Iraq's annexation of Kuwait, which it overran three months ago, would
By Carol Krekeler
The new Iraqi wow to keep Kuwait at all costs came only hours after a former Japanese prime minister, Yasuhiro Nakaoose, the first Iraqi president had demonstrated great earnestness and seriousness about seeking peace.
Meanwhile, four U.S. ex-hostages were on their way home a day after being freed, and 15 Europeans arrived in Jordan after being released by Iraq. They were among thousands of foreigners trapped in Iraq and Ruwait when Saddam Hassan took troops over the embassy Aug. 2.
The first prisoners of war of the Persian Gulf crisis — three French soldiers — had a homecoming of their own in Paris yesterday, but it was not exactly a here's welcome. French officials said that the soldiers, who were captured last week, might have strayyed into Iraqi territory and that they probably faced punishment for their carelessness.
Kansan staff writer
"We are going to defend our 19th province on any condition, even if we have to fight a dangerous war," he said in reference to Kuwait.
The Baghdad government also said it was recalling an unspecified number of retired army officers to active duty.
TOPEKA — A vote for independent gubernatorial candidate Christina Campbell-Cline will give Gov. Mike Hayden the advantage he needs to win the race for governor, Democrat Joan Finney and candidate Joan Finney said last night.
"I hope that the people will not waste their vote because they could not decide," Finney said after a campaign hearing that was televised on WIWB.TV.
Hayden, who squared off with Finney in the last live debate before the
gubernatorial election tomorrow, said he thought an independent candidate had a right to campaign and win votes.
During the debate, each candidate was given the opportunity to ask their opponent one question.
"I think that Mrs. Cline is entitled to run," he said. "I think people have the right to speak out, and I don't consider any vote wasted."
one claimed that the undisclosed financial information, which each county submits to the public every year, is the state's poor monetary situation.
Finney said she thought her best jab at Hayden was when she questioned him about asking counties to hold polls on his ten statements until after the election.
"The tax statements that are not going out to the people will not give the electorate the time it needs to retract its vote." Finney said.
She said voters should request the information from their county treasurers today so they could have the information before they vote tomor-
Hayden denied that he had asked county treasurers to withhold any
fiscal information. He said that about 25 counties had revealed their fiscal 1990 tax statements and that under the new law, he could inform the information after the election.
Hayden said he did not know of one particular moment when he had the advantage over Finney.
Hayden, who claimed that the state's budget balance was now $160 million compared to $10 million when he took office in 1986.
"We just wanted to make sure that viewers reaffirmed our position on the issues," he said.
Hayden concentrated most of his statements on how he had improved state finances during his term.
For his question, Hayden asked Finney, who has been state treasurer for the past 16 years, to reiterate how the state's financial situation had improved during his term as governor.
"The state is in fact 16 times better off than it was four years ago," said
Finney said the governor was painting an untruthfully rosy picture of the state's financial reserves.
"The reserves today are diminishing," she said. "We are on the verge of bankruptcy."
Kansas trips OSU, 31-30 on two-point conversion
By Derek Simmons
Kansan sportswriter
STILLWATER, Okla. — Trailing the Oklahoma State Cowboy 30-29 with 1:20 remaining in Saturday's game, Jayhawks had to make a decision.
Quarterback Chip Hillery had just thrown a touchdown pass to wide receiver Jim Licursi and pulled Kansas to a one-point deficit. The team had to decide whether to attempt the extra point or two-point conversion or two-point conversion and play for the victory. A failed two-point attempt would mean a loss.
"Normally, the smart thing to do in that situation, where we are in the conference, is to go for the tie," Kansas coach Glen Mason said. "I called the team together and told them how would he have to make the decision.
decision.
"I knew what decision they would make, but I told them the smart thing to do is kick the field goal.
After two timeouts, Hilleary hit wide receiver Kenny Drayton in the end zone for Kansas' first victory against Oklahoma State since 1972.
"One of the guys said, 'Couch,
nobody has ever accused you of being
smart. Let's go for two.' And that's
what we did."
Kansas is now 3-5-1 overall and 2-2-
1 in the Big Eight. The Cowboys fell
to 3-6 and 1-4.
Not that the game was over when Kansas took the lead. 31-30.
Deb Leurel and Kenny Drayton celebrate Drayton's game-winning two-point conversion reception.
Oklaoma State marched down the field, converting a fourth-and 21, and set up a 51-yard field goal attempt for Tavares. The State kicker Cary Blanchoe
The kick was long enough but hit the upright and bounced away.
Drayton said he could not bear to watch the attempt.
"I turned my back," he said, "but couldn't hold out. At first, I thought they had scored. Then I saw our players running out on the field, and finally I saw the refs signal 'No good.'"
Keith Thorpe/KANSAN
Mason had trouble seeing also.
"It was hard to tell from the site," he said, "but from the way they jumped up and down on their backs." I thought, I thought, I thought. Here we go again."
Mason was referring to the Jaya-hawks' Oct. 6 tie with Iowa state in which Kansas led 34-31 until a last-minute goal field tied the game.
Kansas led 9-0 on three Dan Eichloff field goals when Oklahoma State quarterback Earl Wheeler threw a 47-yard pass to flanker Robert Kirksey, setting up the Cowboys' first touchdown.
Hillary fumbled on the first play after the kickoff, and at halffime Oklaahoma State held a 13-9 lead although Kansas had outgained the
The Jayhawks retook the lead with 8:50 to play in the third quarter on a 3-yard touchdown reception by tight end Pete Vant.
The touchdown was set up by a 76-yard pass from Hilleary to Drayton.
Cowboys 215 yards to 77 yards.
"Chip said the ball kind of slipped when it left his hand and came in behind me," Drayton said. "The
reason I went up was to keep the guy from intercepting it. But then I saw that he didn't get that high off of her hands and took off."
Kansas began its last drive with 5-25 left on play. Trailing 30-25 after Mahone scored his third touchdown of the game, the Jayhawks took over on
The final drive featured the Hilleary-to-Licursi connection, accounting for 52 yards and a touchdown.
their 23-yard line.
"All week, people talked about the Kansas kansas. "Lucursis said, "We were told we would have to throw out them. Now maybe people will see we ready to come to the corner."
A