NATION/WORLD UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, September 7, 1995
7A
Hearings begin for fatal stand-off
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON—Denying he is "a hateful racist," white separatist Randy Weaver appealed yesterday to sympathetic senators for "accountability for the killings of my wife and son" during a 1992 standoff with federal agents at his isolated cabin in Ruby Ridge, Idaho.
"I'm not a hateful racist as most people understand it," Weaver said. "I believe that if there is separation of races, scripturally speaking, that's what I believe is right."
Opening eight days of hearings before a Senate subcommittee chaired by Republican presidential hopeful Sen. Arlen Specter, Weaver was questioned closely about his alleged racist and anti-Semitic views.
Weaver testified that high-ranking FBI officials had issued "death warrants" against his family and later had "been part of a cover-up of what really happened."
Asked whether he believed there was Zionist control of the federal government, Weaver said: "That was part of our beliefs at one time."
The hearings opened against the
backdrop of a criminal investigation into a possible FBI cover-up that has already resulted in suspension of several agents.
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa., called the Ruby Ridge incident "the start of the militarization of the FRI."
To the right of Weaver in the hearing room was the cabin door through which an FBI sniper's bullet passed and killed his wife, Vicki. Also killed in the standoff was his 14-year-old son, Samuel.
Later in the hearing, recounting anew the deaths of his wife and son, tears streamed from Weaver's eyes.
His voice broke as he described his wife slumping to the floor, their 10-month-old daughter still in her arms.
"I am here today because there must be accountability for the killings of my wife and son," Weaver said.
Harshy critical of the FBI in their opening statements, senators also pointed out that Weaver was a man with extremist views, who had advocated violence, and had accumulated a large cache of weapons at his cabin.
Grassley said that the FBI militaristic mindset must be stopped.
"Randy Weaver is not an Idaho poster child," said Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho.
The incident began when federal agents went to Ruby Ridge to apprehend Weaver after he failed to appear in court on charges of selling a sawed-off shotgun to an informant for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Weaver said that if he had known what would happen, he would have appeared in court.
But while conceding his actions were a factor in the standoff, Weaver said, "I did not cause federal agents to violate the oath of their office."
Weaver's son was shot in the back after the family stumbled onto federal marshals conducting surveillance around the Weaver cabin in the dark of night. His wife was shot a day later, after the FBI took over the scene.
William Degan, a deputy federal marshal, also was killed during the standoff.
Weaver was acquitted in 1993 on
Knight-Ridder Tribune
charges of murdering Degan.
Without conceding wrongdoing, the government last month agreed to pay Weaver and his surviving children $3.1 million in compensation for the loss of his wife and son.
FBI Director Louis J. Freeh suspended five top officials this summer, including Deputy Director Larry Potts.
FARMINGTON, Utah — A man who posed as a woman during a three-and-one-half-year marriage has pleaded guilty to fraud, and authorities are investigating whether he also lied about his gender to get thousands in student loans.
Felix Urioste, 34, who prosecutors say defrauded his "husband" of $40,000, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of fraud and one of forgery. Both are punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Gender bender pleads guilty to fraud
The Associated Press
Prosecutors alleged Urioste tricked Bruce Jensen into marrying him. Urioste denied that he duped
"I feel pretty stupid," Jensen told the Standard-Examiner of Ogden. He has refused other interview requests.
owes Jensen more than $40,000 for credit card and other charges.
Jensen, a 39-year-old medical lab technician, is described by police and prosecutors as naive. He is seeking an annulment.
Prosecutors contended Urioste
Urirose was arrested as a man in June after using credit cards in the name of Leaas Jensen, his identity as Jensen's spouse.
Prosecutor Bill McGuire has said Jensen married Uriose because he felt sorry for what he believed was a pregnant woman, and that the marriage was essentially cellate. He used Uriose later told Jensen the twins were stillborn.
Jensen, but admitted he had claimed to be pregnant with twins before their 1991 marriage in Lyman, Wyo.
pleaded guilty involved a $1,500 loan check from Household Finance Co. that he endorsed using Jensen's signature.
"Ifeel pretty stupid."
Bruce Jensen
duped husband
Authorities in Weber and Salt Lake City are still investigating Urioste in connection with $17,000 in student loans they believe he obtained while posing as a woman named Leasa.
The first loans issued to "Leasa Jensen" were for studies at the University of Utah. He later transferred to Weber State University and posed as a police officer studying criminal justice and abnormal psychology, said Bountiful police Sgt. Grant Hodson.
Both charges to which Urioste
Red Cross pockets are near empty
Urieste remained free on $5,000
bail pending sentencing on Oct. 24.
The Associated Press
NATURAL WAY
● NATURAL FIBER CLOTHING ● NATURAL BODYCARE
*820-822 MASS. * 841-0100*
One reason for the shortfall is that the Red Cross works in many countries that receive little media attention, said Jean de Courten, director of operations. These include conflicts with many civilian casualties, such as Sri Lanka's Tamil insurgency.
GENEVA — Red Cross appealed for help yesterday to close its biggest budget gap ever, saying it will run out of money well before January without $128 million in new funds.
The shortfall represents nearly 25 percent of the organization's $415 million budget this year. This was the first time the Red Cross had to prod nations midyear for its overall budget, although it has made appeals for specific conflicts.
Still, a third of the $128 million needed by the end of the year is for former Yugoslavia, which receives comparatively heavy news coverage.
Many U.N. agencies and private relief organizations also are reporting funding shortfalls.
"If we don't get the money, what are our choices?" de Courten said. "Are we going to abandon the victims in Afghanistan? Are we going to abandon our program in Sierra Leone?"
The Swiss-run International Committee of the Red Cross works in many places where the United Nations has no presence. It provides food, medical care and relief supplies and checks on prisoners of war.
De Courten said support has been good from the United States, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Scandinavia and the European Union. He urged Germany, France and east Asia to do more.
FULL SERVICE SALON FOR MEN AND WOMEN
842-5921
9th & Mississippi
COME BARK WITH THE BIG DOGS BECOME A PART OF
Be a part of SUA! Pick up an application this week at the SUA Box Office to become a committee member.
To find out more information about being a SUA committee member:
Informational Meeting 7:30pm Thursday, September 7 Southwest Lobby Burge Union
Applications will be made available at the informational meetings or the SUA Box Office. Application due no later than Friday, September 15 at the SUA Box Office, level 4, Kansas Union. For information call 864-3477.
---