THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL. 100, NO. 147
THE STUDENT NEWS PAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1990
(USPS 650-640)
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Grissom hearing will be delayed until next month
By Ann Sommerlath Kansan staff writer
A Johnson County District Court judge decided Monday to postpone the conclusion of Richard Grissom's change of venue hearing because of the volume of evidence presented by Grissom's attorney.
witnesses for the defense testified that hundreds of stories about the investigation and trial had been broadcast since the June 1989 stabbing of a young woman by a man named Grismon is a suspect but has not been charged in the death of Maness.
Grissom, 29, is charged with the murder of Jouner Butler, a 24-year-old KU graduate from Overland Park, Missouri. He has been roommate, Thea Brown, 22.
Grissom faces nine other related charges. His trial, expected to last three weeks, is scheduled to begin Aug. 27. The hearing was to determine whether media coverage has potential jurors for Grissom's trial.
In addition to testimony by witnesses, the defense presented Judge William Gray with a binder full of documents. Gray decided to take the evidence under advisement and set July 16 to review further motions that are expected to be filed in the case.
Andrew Warren, deputy public defender, wants the trial moved because he thinks potential jurors in Johnson County would be biased because of the intense media
coverage the case has had, and he does not think that his client would be able to get a fair trial.
James Overby, news director of KCTV, a Kansas City television station, appeared at the hearing. He estimated that the station had aired more than 200 stories related to Grissom since June 1989.
Overby said the station's broadcasts could be received within a 50-mile radius of its tower in Kansas City, Mo., but said that the station was also carried by cable systems in Kansas.
Paul Morrison, Johnson County district attorney, said extensive media coverage of an event did not mean the entire juror unit had been charged. County has a population of 340,000, there is a large body of potential jurors, he said.
Morrison said that other areas of Kansas also had been influenced by media coverage.
Robert Yuna, news director of KSNW-TV, Wichita, testified for the state that KSNW aired 105 stories related to Grissom between June 7 and mid-August 1989.
KSNW is part of the Kansas State Network, which includes three other television stations in central, northwest and southwest Kansas.
Yuna estimated that the Wichita market included 60 percent of the counties in Kansas, or the western and central two-thirds of the state.
Two Lawrence men, Richard Jarrett and Phil Rogers, center, are rescued by Fire Capt. Carl Myers, right, and firefighter James King left.
Men safe when Kaw claims boat
By a Kansan reporter
Jim McSwain, Lawrence fire chief,
said the two were in a boat on the
Kansas River when the boat hit
burulent water and capsized near
the dam by the bridge at Sixth and
Massachusetts streets.
McSwan said his station received the call at 6:34 p.m. Within 22 minutes, Jarrett and Rogers were safely ashore.
The boat, which was submerged near the dam, took longer to retrieve.
"The anchor got stuck on some rocks," Jarrett said. "The other guy
started pulling on it and the front of the boat went down and filled up with water."
Jarrett and Rogers stayed in the boat and were able to keep their heads above water until firefighters arrived in a motorized raft.
"I guess someone must have called 911 and 911 called the fire department." Jarrett said. "But I really
don't know. I was out in the middle of the water."
Jarrett said rescuers took him and Rogers to a dock at Eighth and Oak streets and then went back for the boat.
The boat was on land by about 7:30 McSwain said.
Summer enrollment increases for third straight year
By a Kansan reporter
Friday.
Summer session enrollment at KU hit a record 8,870 this year, up 459 from last year.
The KU Office of Educational Services reported the 5.4 percent increase
The largest increase came in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The college enrolled 2,710 students, an increase of 8.4 percent since last summer.
James Muyskens, dean of liberal arts and sciences, said he was pleasantly surprised by the increase.
"I think the number of interesting courses we were able to offer was at least partially responsible for the
increase." he said.
Services.
Summer enrollment in the University, excluding the University of Kansas Medical Center, totalled 7,250, compared with 7,000 last year.
Summer enrollment at the Med
First-day enrollment during the summer has increased in each of the last three years. In 1987, summer enrollment declined from 8,797 to 8,792 students.
Center increased by nearly 22 percent to 1,620. Last summer's enrollment totalled 1,331. The final will be calculated July 27, when the summer session ends, according to the KU Department of Educational
Emporians start over after tornado cuts a swath through their dreams
Bv Deron Graul
Kansan staff writer
"Now all we'll have left is a slab," she said. The house was among seven leveled by the twister. Two walls of the house were constructed almost entirely of glass, which shattered and worked its way into every room of the house, lodging in furniture and clothing.
EMPORIA — "This is, or was, my dream home," said Joyce Cress as she and her husband, Jim, walked through the remains of their Emporia home, which was destroyed in last Thursday's tornado.
Stacy, the Cress's 18-year-old daughter, said her clothes were full of glass shards.
"They told us not to even bother washing our clothes, just to throw them away," she said. "But we're not the kind of people to throw everything away."
A collection of about 200 record albums, ruined by water, remained in the center of the floor.
house
"We lost all of our personal belongings, our photos and souvenirs," said Stacy Cress. "Stuff like that we can't replace."
"If this wasn't the big one, I don't want to be around when it does hit," Jim Cress said. "The house is a complete loss. We'll get a buildero in here when we get all of our stuff out."
The Cresses rode out the storm in a brick- enclosed room in the southeast corner of the
"The whole thing only lasted about 15 seconds," Joyce Cressa said. "We came out and this is what we saw. There are probably pieces of our house scattered all over town."
The following night, severe weather threatened the city again. Tornado sirens sounded for about half an hour and nervous residents once again took shelter.
No tornadoes touched ground Friday. However, the emotional strain of a second night of potential danger was almost too much for Joyce Cress to bear.
"The second night really tore me up," she
See TORNADO, p. 6
Tanker's raging flames fiercely fought
The Associated Press
GALVESTON, Texas — Firefighters yesterday boarded a burning super-tanker and brought under control the fierce blaze that has left the oil-laden vessel crippled and leaking in the Gulf of Mexico, officials said.
Coast Guard Capt. Tom Greene said that Todd Heskins, who heads the salvage operation, boarded the ship with a crew. Heskins "said he would characterize the fire as under control." Greene said.
Greene said he could see no fires in the latest videos taken on the ship, but added a fire was still burning below deck.
Oil continued to leak from the ship. the Coast Guard said.
A thick cloud of gray smoke surrounded the superstructure of the 286-foot Mega Borg, replacing the balls of flame and towering columns of black smoke. The Norwegian vessel since an engine-room explosion Saturday
The Coast Guard also revised its estimate of the amount of oil on the water to less than 2,000 gallons, a fraction of the 100,000 gallons officials estimated earlier. The amount that had spilled from the tanker, which was carrying 38 million gallons of light African crude was not determined.
Crewmen boarded the tanker to determine if it had cooled enough to be sprayed with flame-smothering chemical foam. Foam spraying has been delayed since Monday because the ship was too hot and crews feared another explosion even if the flames were doused.
"We're hoping the foam application is a success," said Coast Guard Petty Officer Howard Holmes. If it isn't, "we can't deny the fact that we could be in trouble, but we are optimistic that the foam will work."
Officials speculated it could take as little as an hour to pump the foam into the engine room and other burning areas.
Crews yesterday aimed 10 water streams from five fireboats stationed at the sides of the tanker, and firefighters had placed another water bose on the deck, pointing it toward the burning stern.
"They've kept applying water in great quantities and it's continued to cool the structure," Greene said. "They'll continue to do that. There's progress being made. They're making ground."
Efforts to dissipate an oil leak
The ship is 87 miles southeast of Galveston. None of the spilled oil is expected to reach the coastline immediately. The Coast Guard said it was moving daily about three to four miles to the northwest.
apparently also were having some success. The oil slick around the ship diminished to three miles by 10 miles, Petty Officer Gene Maestas said. Maestas remained in a light sheet with few heavy concentrations.
Once the fire was extinguished, an 825-foot British-registered tanker, the Vie Billh, was standing by to begin receiving the remainder of the Mega Borg's cargo of crude, Maestas said. Greene said that operation could be dangerous because the ship is listing slightly and crews might have to pump water into the holds to keep the vessel balanced.
"We're still not completely safe from a major release until the fire is out and the ship is stabilized and it is brought on an even keel." Greene
Earlier Yesterday, the Coast Guard said part of the vessel showed signs of buckling because of the intense 900-degree blaze, the shifting cargo and the continuous stream of
water being poured on the hulk. But later, officials said crews at the scene reported no signs of major structural damage.
structural balance. The ship's left rear section, however, was very close to the water line. On Monday, the rear had dipped below the surface, heightening fears the vessel might sink.
"I'd say the chance of sinking is very slight at this point because they have the fire well pushed back in the ship." Greene said yesterday.
ship. The rear has dropped more than 60 feet since the tanker caught fire early Saturday while transferring cargo to a smaller vessel. Two of the 41 crewmen died, two were missing and presumed dead and 17 were injured, none seriously.
in the Newport government scheduled a hearing for this morning in Galveston to interview crew members who were aboard at the time of the blast and try to determine how it occurred.
Little oil spilled at first, but five explosions within 20 minutes Sunday sent burning crude pouring into the Gulf. By yesterday, a trail of oil that extended for hundreds of feet behind the stricken tanker had diminished to a small pool.
Amendment opposition for flag burning issue sparks debate on Hill
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Bush, saying flag desiccation is "unacceptable and must carry a price," asked Congress yesterday to pass a constitutional amendment restoring special protection by the Fourth of July.
House Speaker Thomas S. Foley said he would allow a vote within two weeks, but added that he would break tradition and vote on the measure himself in order to emphasize his opposition to what he saw as meddling with House President Bush of trying to "take political advantage" from an issue that goes to the heart of the Bill of Rights.
"What that flag encapules is too sacred to be abused," Bush said at the White House after receiving on his 66th birthday a miniature replica of the two Jima Memorial, the Mountains famed flag-raising sculture.
Earlier, GOP leaders emerged from a strategy meeting with Bush sharply criticizing the Supreme Court's 4- ruling Monday striking down the federal flag protection law enacted last October.
Bush joined Republican lawmakers in demanding quick action from the Democratic-controlled House and Senate on the amendment that would strip it of wires wiped out by Supreme Court rulings last June and again on Monday.
"The Democrats should give us a very quick vote," said Dole. "We don't need more hearings."
senate Minority Leader Bob Dole, R-Kan, pulling a small flag from his pocket, said he would press for a vote on Thursday, Flag Day.
"We're not manipulating," snapped Dole. He said Stevens has a right to criticize politicians, "and we
He took a jab at Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who voted to uphold the federal law but in his dissent criticized politicians who "manipulate the symbol of national purpose ... for partisan disputes."
have a right to criticize the court, and they're wrong."
"To make it a partisan issue, to attempt to take political advantage out of a question that has a deep relevance to the protection of our constitutional integrity and integrity bondment, is not in my judgment worthy of the president, and I'm sorry he's doing it," Foley said.
The law books are full of restrictions on free speech and we ought to have this be one of them," said the president, Flag burning "endangers the fabric of our country and I think it ought to be outlawed," he said.
"Every country has a flag. We are one of the few countries that has a Bill of Rights," he said before Bush spoke.
He said the amendment was "an American issue. And so I call on the Congress to act by July Fourth, this nation's birthday."
Foley, D-Wash., said they would get their vote, but he also said he didn't like what was being done in the name of patriotism.
Bush said it was not a partisan issue, but he said, "You're darn right" when asked if he planned to join the upcoming election campaign.
counsel of the board. Bush said the amendment is "the surest, safest way to guarantee that while speech remains free, flag desecration is unacceptable and must carry a price."
Bush made an issue in the 1988 campaign of his opponent Michael Dukakis' veto as governor of Massachusetts of a law that would have penalized public school teachers who could to lead the Fledge of Ablersh.
Bush went to the actual two Jima Memorial in nearby Arlington, Va., last June 30 to unveil his proposed amendment, which states that U.S. forces will have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States."