V
VOL. 101. No. 143
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY TUPEKA KS 64612
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1991
(USPS 650-640)
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Shooting death inquest commences
Willie Sevier, father of the late Greg Sevier, tries to hold back tears while being questioned at a coroner's inquest.
Police officer Ted Bordman demonstrates to Douglas County Coroner Carol Moddrell and a jury how he pointed his gun at Greg Sevier.
Parents and police differ in accounts of shooting
Kansan staff writer
By Patricia Rojas
Greg Seiver's parents testified yesterday that the police officers who shot and killed their son did not make any effort to prevent his death, but the officers testified that they had no choice but to shoot Seiver.
During yesterday's testimony, police presented a recording of Orneu Sever telling a police dispatcher that he had been struck and that he had a batteur knife.
The testimony came during the first day of a coroner's inquest investigating the April 21 shooting at death of Sever. 22, who was shot at his home. 1627 F 18th Street Terrace, by whom they were called by Sever's mother.
She said that there had been no argument or disturbance but that she wanted to check on her son. She said she was having a problem with his girlfriend.
While Sevi testified that he had opened the door to his son's room to ask him to turn down the music.
He said Greg saw him and stood up with his hands to his sides.
"Greg was sitting on the edge of his bed and he had a knife in his right hand." Seviar said.
"Greg don't say anything, and I didn't, either. I just slowly closed the door and I went back down the hallway."
Sevier said he and his wife decided to call 911.
Ted Bordman was the first officer to arrive at the scene.
Sevier said Bordman did not identify himself and did not ask him or his
wife about the circumstances that led to the call
"I was wanting to explain the situation, during which time he kept watching me."
Bordman said that he was not sure whether he had talked to Orene Sevier but that he had no doubt he had talked to Willie Sevier.
According to both Bordman and the Seivers, Bordman walked into the house to Greg Sevier's room. The bedroom was locked; Bordman opened it with a toothpick that Willie Sevier provided.
Bordman said his trial concern was to make sure Greg Wesak was OK. When he saw Greg he could tell by him that he was standing that he was not injured.
Bordman then became more concerned about his own safety. He said he repeatedly asked Greg to show both hands but that Greg did not.
Bordman had to find out whether Sevier had a weapon before trying to talk about his problems, he said.
"Eventually he produced a knife and put it into his hand and squared himself into the doorway," he said. "I don't believe that I completely took my gun out of the holster until he had produced that knife."
Officer James Phillips had arrived at the scene and also was telling Slevier to drop his knife, both officers testified.
Bordman said Sevier did not talk to either of them.
"I then began to try to talk to him," he said. "I said, 'We don't want to take you anywhere. We don't want to hurt you. we just want to talk to you.'"
"The only thing I can remember Greg saying throughout the whole incident was,' Mom, I love you Mom, I love you.'
Bordman said Greg, who was 4 or 5 feet away, then attacked him. Greg man fired three shots that struck Greg's chest.
Douglas County District Attorney Jim Flery asked Borday what he fired more than once. Bordain said he had been trained to fire until the person threatening his life stopped his actions.
Bordman said he did not try to knock the knife from Greg's hand because he had been trained that it would be done without getting oneself hurt.
"I shot Greg because I felt that my life was in danger and that he was going to stab me," he said.
Phillips, who also shot Sevier three times, said he would not have been able to disarm Sevier without hurting himself.
Bordman said he did not fire on Sevier after he was on the floor.
Wille Sevier said he had been standing close to Bordman when the officer opened the door to his son's bedroom. He did not see his son, but he heard him say, "I did not do anything," and "I did not do anything." Sevier said.
He said Bordman then pulled his gun out and said, "Partner, show both hands, show both hands."
"That's all he kept replying." Sevier said. "At no time did he say, 'Hey what's your problem? Let's talk about it.'"
The inquest will continue today.
Sequence of Events
-2:28 a.m - Time of call
-2:30 (approximately) - Two officers were dispatched.
-5 minutes, 27 seconds between the time the officers were dispatched and Officer Ted Bordman arrived at 1627 E.
18th Street Terrace.
-1 minute, 23 seconds between the time he arrived and when he stopped all non-emergency calls on the frequency.
-1 minute, 36 seconds between the time Officer Bordman arrived, and Officer James Phillips arrived
1 minute, 24 seconds between the time that Officer Phillips arrived and Sat. George Wheeler arrived.
- 4 minutes, 21 seconds between the arrival of Bordman and the first report of shots being fired.
Source: Lawrence Police Department tapes
Melissa Unterberg/KANSAN
Fed reduces its discount rate to fight recession The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve cut key interest rates yesterday after pressure from the Bush administration to combat the U.S. recession more aggressively.
The Fed announced that it was cutting its discount rate; the interest it charges to make loans to commercial banks, from 6 percent to 5.5 percent, effective immediately. It was cutting the amount discount rate since December, when it had stood at 7 percent.
Senate narrowly passes tax-raising bill
Analysts said the action should result in at least small reductions in business and consumer loan rates. But unlike a similar situation three months ago, no major bank came forward immediately with a reduction in its prime lending rate.
The new level matched the rate in effect when the central bank was moving successfully to keep the United States out of recession in 1986 and 1987. It is the lowest level for this interest rate since it stood at 5.25 percent in early 1977.
A reduction in the discount rate is the most dramatic signal the central bank can send of its intention to battle economic weakness with easier credit.
By Joe Gose
Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — The Senate wall erected to stop any attempt to raise new taxes finally crumbled last late night behind locked doors.
A measure that would increase revenue by $125 million was passed by two votes.
The bill would raise $50 million by increasing the sales tax rate from 4.5 percent to 4.75 percent, $73.3 million by increasing individual income tax rates and $4.2 million by increasing corporate income tax rates.
With the vote 20-19 against the tax bill, a "call of the house" was instaled and the doors were locked while State Sen. Gene Anderson, D-Wichita, who had not voted, was searched for.
relief.
The tax bill was amended to provide $73.5 million of new income tax revenue to school district financing, which would provide property tax
His vote tied the measure, and then State Sen. Janice McClure, D-Sublette, changed her vote from no to yes and the measure passed 21-19.
State Sen. Wint Winter Jr., R-Lawrence, said that he was pleased with the Senate's action and would work to restore financing to the Board of Regents budget, which is based on federal cuts from State General Use Funds.
wav to go.
"You're looking at two people here that are going to stand up for the Regents," he said, referring to himself and State Rep. Sandy Prager, R Lawrence, who was present during the meeting. "But it's not going to be easy."
But he added that there was a long
Winter serves on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, which will be responsible for the Senate's stance on proposed budget restoration.
State Sen. Gus Bogina, R-Shawnee,
chairperson of the committee, gave
credence to Winter's prediction.
"You've got your tax increase," he said to Winter as he walked out of the Senate chamber. "Now you can try and spend it — over my dead body."
Bogina was not the only one unhappy about the measure.
Gov. Joan Finney threatened to veto the bill even before it had been passed.
"I will not accept the current tax proposal that is being considered by the Kansas Senate," she said. "It closes no loopholes, and special interests still escape their fair share of taxes."
"It's time for the Legislature to adjourn and 'Get the heck out of Dodge.'"
But Winter said cutting budgets would have taken more time than restoring the budgets would take.
That fun entailed watching Johnson County senators sweat when the school finance bill temporarily was amended to cut more than $43 million from the Shawnee Mission School District and raise Johnson County property taxes by 55 mills per household.
"I think this makes it much easier for us to get out of here," he said.
"I've never had so much fun raising taxes."
Even though those same senators voted against the tax bill, the tactic helped to change the minds of some senators.
"We tried to get their attention by hitting them with a switch," Winter said. "But that didn't take them up, so we moved the head over the head with a two-by-four."
Warning signals sent as KU officials assess financial woes
By Eric Nelson
Kansan staff writer
With time running out for the Legislature to finance higher education, KU officials are concerned.
On Friday the Senate killed a tax increase that would have raised $134 million for the State General Fund. Without the increase, budget cuts would be necessary affecting the education and mentals of beneficiaries and the University of Kansas.
Chancellor Gene Budig said in a statement, "It is an utter outrage to hikue tuition and fees significantly higher than what will be clear losers in any such
action."
He said it was regrettable that many legislators supported higher education with words instead of action.
"Too many have lost sight of the state's best, long-term interests," Budig said.
He said he was still optimistic that during the closing hours of the legislative session, some financing for higher education could be salvaged. He added that the state's were experiencing similar financial difficulties was not an excuse.
'Now is the time for Kansas to step forward and regain its lost momentum. We are not a poor state. We can afford to invest in our young people and their future.'
— Gene Budig Chancellor
"Now is the time for Kansas to step forward and regain its lost moment-
Chancellor
with other underfunded aspects of the University," she said. "I really feel it is a much deeper problem than is addressed in this statement."
tum," he said. "We are not a poor state. We can afford to invest in our young people and their future."
At yesterday's University Senate Executive Committee meeting, Frances Ingemann, SenEx chairperson commented on Budig's statement.
"I also am very much concerned
Ingemann said she was concerned with the financing problems of libraries, the lack of clerical support and the absence of institutional structures and equipment at KU.
"It just is so pervasive throughout the University," she said.
Jacob Gordon, presiding officer of the University Council, said the Legislature's actions displayed a lack of vision for the state. He said no foundation was being laid for higher education in years to come.
Pat Warren, Student Executive Committee chairperson, said he was concerned most about salaries and retention of faculty.
"We can't even retain some of the people we've got," he said.
Warren said he feared that with continued cuts KU would lose faculty and not get them back.