Thursday. March 1. 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
Capital cases rare in Kansas
Pitt State murder lone case example in Supreme Court
By Sarah Warren
writer@kansas.com
Kansas staff writer
Today is the National Day for the Abolition of the Death Penalty. But in Kansas, the state has yet to execute anyone since the penalty was reinstated.
In 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its ruling in the Furman vs. Georgia case, which invalidated laws of capital punishment in all states. But in 1976, the U.S. Supreme Court began to approve new, more carefully written capital punishment laws. Kansas reinstated capital punishment in 1994.
Tiffany Ball, public information officer for Kansas Attorney General Carla Stovall, said Gary Wayne Kleypas was the only defendant in a potential death penalty case that had reached the Kansas Supreme Court.
"There are three other men who have received a sentence of capital murder in the state of Kansas since it has been reinstated," Ball said. "But none have made it as far as the Kleypas case."
Kleypas has appealed his conviction in the 1996 murder of Carrie Williams, a 20-year-old Pittsburg State University student. His appeal to the Kansas Supreme Court was heard on Dec. 6, 2000, but the verdict has not been decided.
"Because of the nature of this case and the seriousness of the case, the jury is taking its time with the decision." Ball said.
Karen Keith, president of Amnesty International, said the Kleypas case could greatly influence the nature of capital murder
cases in Kansas.
"This will definitely set the precedent," the Tulsa, Okla., sophomore said. "It will mean a lot to people concerned with capital punishment."
Kyle Browning, Overland Park senior and vice president of Amnesty International, said he attended Kleypas' appeal hearing in December. He said at that hearing some issues about the death penalty were raised by Kleypas' attorneyvex.
"One of the points that they brought up was that there currently is no procedure to execute someone in Kansas." Browning said. "How can we kill someone if we don't have a procedure to do it?"
Jonathan Sternberg, Leawood junior, said he hoped if Kleypas was convicted and executed the state would be more apt to consider the death penalty in capital murder cases.
"Kansas hasn't used the death penalty often, but I should hope that if this man is put to death, that it would set a precedent for those sorts of crimes," Sternberg said. "If someone was killed, why shouldn't the perpetrator be killed?"
Although Kansas does have the death penalty as a sentencing option, the state does not have a life-sentencing option, Ball said.
Keith said it was absurd Kansas had the death penalty and not a life-sentencing option.
"There's no reason for that to be. They can't even use the money issue because it costs more for a capital trial and execution than it does to support someone in the penal system," he said.
Sternberg agreed there should be a life sentence option.
"I am entirely in favor of the death penalty, it is retribution for certain types of crimes," he said. "But for secondary murder and manslaughter, I think that certainly constitutes a life sentence."
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Edited by Brandy Straw
Need for speed
Chase Tornedan, Lawrence, launches his sled off a makeshift ramp on Campanile Hill. Temperatures hovered around 20 degrees yesterday, making for prime sledding conditions. Forecasters expect temperatures to remain in the 20s today and tomorrow. Photo by Thad Allender/KANSAN
Students forego dental visits
Lack of insurance, laziness are problems
By Livi Regenbaum writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Tara Carruth says she does not go to the dentist often.
"I go pretty much once a year over break since I do not know any dentists in town that are covered by my insurance," Carruth, Cottonwood Falls junior, said.
Linda Nelson, insurance administrator at dentist Paul Kincaid's office. 306 E. 23rd St., said students often were covered by their parents' insurance.
Brebcca Barrett, graduate teaching assistant, said dental coverage was not available for GTAs, which posed problems.
tists said missing checkups could pose problems.
Trips to the dentist are one of the last things on many students' minds. But local den-
Kerri Lawlor, a Lawrence dentist who practices at 4102 W. 6th St., said a lack of dental visits could cause diseases, cavities and tooth decay. She said students should visit a dentist every six months.
"It is an important foundation for keeping teeth for a lifetime," she said.
Patrick Moriarty, a Lawrence dentist at 3514 Clinton Parkway, said for students who didn't see a dentist regularly, the occasional visit could be costly.
He also said students should be aware of caffeine and sugar.
"Students drink pop like it is water," he said. "This promotes tooth decay. Pop is acidic and acid destroys the enamel on the teeth."
Moriarty also recommended students get their wisdom teeth removed at an early age
"Students drink pop
Patrick Moriarty
like it is water. This promotes tooth decay."
Lawrence dentist
to avoid difficulties
Students should get their wisdom teeth out between the ages of 16 and 22," he said.
"The longer those things are deferred, the more difficult they are to remove."
Melissa Jabbour, Olathe sophomore, said she went to the dentist yearly.
"I probably should go more but do not out of laziness," she said.
Moriarty added students should have dental checkups a few times a year.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," he said.
- Edited by Leita Schultes
Cause of fire still being investigated
By Cynthia Malakasis
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The fire department received an alarm about the fire at 1.02 a.m. yesterday morning. Barr said an individual who was operating a road grater noticed the fire and called 911.
Arson has not been ruled out as a possible origin of yesterday's fire at the former Phi Kappa Theta chapter house at 1941 Stewart Ave., said Rich Barr, fire marshal for the Lawrence Fire and Medical Department.
Barr said arson was a possibility, because the house was vacant and utilities had been turned off.
The house has been vacant since June 1.
Chris Vetter, Shawnee senior and president of Phi Kappa Theta, said the chapter had vacated the house because lack of finances had prevented them from meeting certain safety standards.
"We did not meet fire code regulations because we did not have sprinklers at every room," he said.
Vetter said the chapter was planning to move back into the house as soon as they raised enough money to meet the standards. He said the fire caused additional financial burdens and would make it more difficult for the chapter to move in.
Barr said the cause of fire could have been accidental, perhaps caused by someone who was not supposed to be there and was building a fire for warmth or lighting a candle.
In that case, Barr said, the individual would be guilty of trespassing.
An early estimate of damages comes to $300,000. Barr said there was some furniture left in the house, as well as personal belongings in some of the rooms.
Vetter said a third of the roof and the third floor of the house sustained serious fire damage, and there had also been water damage.
He said nothing of real value belonging to former residents had been left in the house.
Barr said the fire department was still investigating the incident and a full report could be available today.
— Failed by Benny Brown
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