1986-09-24; Central Michigan Life

              .*..?.
Central
Michigan
WEDNESDAY
September 24,1986
ACLU considers lawsuit for warrant delay
BY KRIS HAHN
LIFE SUM Writer
The American Civil Liberties Union ia considering filing a lawsuit beecause arrest warrants
against two CMU students were not processed
quickly enough, according to an ACLU representative.
Ida Meltxer, Isabella County ACLU representative, said 6he did not know who the suit would be
filed against.
The ACLU is scheduled to discuss Sunday a case
that involves two 19-year-old male students charged
with aggravated assault of a female non-student,
Meltzer said.
Jack Carruthers, East Lansing sophomore, and
Steven Groulx, Flint sophomore, were arrested
Friday by the Isabella County SherifTs Department
on charges or aggravated assault, a SherifTs
Department official confirmed. Warrants for their
arrest were issued Friday, approximately two weeks
after the alleged incident, Meltzer said.
Isabella County Prosecutor Joseph Barberi said
the investigation of the incident, which allegedly
occurred Aug. 29, took about a week and a half
before warrants were issued.
Barberi said Sunday that the two (students
voluntarily submitted themselves to thr SherifTs
Department Friday after their arrest warrants were
issued.
Barberi said Sunday the incident involves a
"young woman who was injured in an altercation,
and received several stitches to the face."
The ACLU first considered the suit after a Mount
Pleasant woman contacted her about the case,
Meltzer said.
The woman, whose name Meltzer did not release.
6aid the two students, who are CMU football
players, were treated less harshly than non-football
players would have been. However, Meltzer said the
main reason for considering suit is the lengthy delay
in processing the warrants.
"The police were so slow in issuing the warrants,
it was around two weeks, although their identities
were known," Meltzer said. "When the identity of an
assailant is known, it shouldn't take that long."
Metzler said she does not know when the ACLU
will make a final decision about whether the suit
will be filed.
The Prosecutor's Office had to 6end police reports
about the incident back to the Mount Pleasant City
Police because they were incomplete, Barberi said.
The inadequate reports, he said, contributed to the
length of the investigation.
The large number of witnesses at the scene also
added to the delay, Barberi said, because police had
to interview each of them.
Barberi said he was unaware of any ACLU
actions.
'I've never heard of such a thing," he said Tuesday
after learning ofthe possible suit.
Police still are investigating whether one of the
students was "more involved" in the incident than
the other, Barberi said Sunday.
"At this point the investigation is still continuing,
and it may be that one of the parties is more
culpable than the other," he said.
A district court spokeswoman said the two were
released from Isabella County Jail Friday on a
$1,000 surity bond. The two had to pay the full
$1,000, not 10 percent ofthe bond.
Herb Deromedi, CMU football head coach, said
Sunday no disciplinary action will be taken against
the students unless the two are proven guilty.
Deromedi said the two men were allowed to play in
Saturday's football game against Bowling Green
State University football game.
"What's going to happen is if they are proven
guilty there will be a disciplinary action, but all
that's happened at this time is they've been arrested
and arraigned, and they haven't had a hearing yet."
Deromedi said on Sunday.
Fall enrollment
crunch crowds,
closes classes
BY KATHY PETERSEN
lift  Alii:.I"! News Eotor
,Ki TONY BITTICK
UM
.-! iff lA'r !(>r
Almost 800 students more
than projected have left many
classes crowded or unavailable.
This semester, 16,743 students
have enrolled at CMU, despite a
projection for 15,906 students.
English, foreign language,
geography, history, music, political .science, physics and religion
departments — all of which
include classes listed under the
University Program — have been
affected.
Admissions Director Mike
Owens said it is not unusual for
the classes in the college of Arts
and Sciences to be full, but this
semester the department has seen
increases of at least 10 percent in
eight different subjects.
"With more students per class,
vim end up with more written
assignments, more tests and a rise
in pressure." said Myron Henry.
dean of the college of Arts and
Sciences.
Henry added he is hoping for
relief next semester.
"'We're going to have to try and
make do for right now, but plans
.ire to hire more faculty for winter
term," he said
Some department chairpersons
said they also have noticed the
enrollment crunch
Art Department Chairman
.lerrv Smoke said art class sizes
Musical tones
ENROLL Page 12
City misses brunt of storm;
but heavy rains in forecast
BY MARK LaROSA
As Mount Pleasant residents woke up Tuesday morning many
found they had to reset digital alarm clocks after a brief power lo-..-.
And a dry spell is not in the area's future.
Power was knocked out briefly at about 3 ;S0 a.m. Con.-umers
Pov.it spokesman Tim Pu-tryga said. Pictryga sa'd this kind of power
loss is quite common during thunderstorms and was caused by
lightning Monday night
The storm caused no other damage or problems. Superintendent of
(■rounds Peter Gorton said.
"We were spared the force ofthe storm Most of It went south (if us
and hit Alma," he said
Karl Morrow, director of building maintenance and utilities, said
tin- only difficulty reported on campus was that computers needed to
he reset after the brief power outage.
"That is a minor task and nothing very important," he said
Though flood, storm and hail warnings were posted for the entire
area Monday night, Gorton said things stayed pretty quiet during the
duration ofthe storm He said activities went along as normal in spite
Ptease See RAIN P.ige 2
Campus peace group
hails Coca-Cola pullout
BY MIKE HEREK
Lift Stjff Wr.ter
Creative Peace Movement members hailed a recent victory in a
national movement to boycott a major investor in South Africa.
The Coca-Cola Corporation, the nation's leading soft drink producer,
yielded to "the power of boycotts* when it announced Sept. 1 7 it would
sever ties with South Africa, said Blaine Stevenson, adviser of
Creative Peace Movement, a community and campus organization
whose purpose is to promote peaceful social change.
Coca-Cola products came under fire earlier this year by the Creative
F'eace Movement and campus minority organizations because the
company was one ofthe leading investors in South Africa. In an effort
to force the company to sever its South African ties, student
organizations nationwide t*-gan a boycott of Coke products.
"It shows the power of boycotts." Stevenson, assistant professor of
sociology, said. "The fact that they were able to exert fiscal pressure on
Coke. . .1 think it's just great."
Eric Higgle, Coca-Cola manager of media relations in Atlanta. (Ja .
said the company's bottling and canning franchises will lie sold to a
multi-racial group of South African investors. The sale will be
finalized in the next six to nine months, but he said it is not the result
of boycotts or consumer pressure.
"The decision was based on disinvestment and opposition to
apartheid," Riggle said. "Last month, we received more than 17,000
pieces of mail and (telephone) contacts. Nineteen were related to
South Africa. That number should tell you it's not a big issue with
consumers, and if it's not a big issue with consumers, it would
probably not afTect sales."
CMU is supplied by the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Mount Pleasant
When contacted Tuesday morning. Doug Yost, sales manager, said he
could not comment on the issue.
Creative F'eace Movement members announced they had joined the
nationwide boycott during an anti-apartheid march during April. Also
in April, the group circulated a petition to boycott Coke products,
which was to Ir* sent to University President Arthur Klhs tor
consideration. Kllis said the petition never reached bis office
In the April 18 edition of CM L1FK. Kllis said the school's contract
with Coca-Cola could not lie renegotiated, despite the company's ties
with South Africa.
In the same article Kllis said, "if things continue the way they are
there, it will definitely be an issue in the bidding process."
In a change of viewpoints, however. Ellis said Tuesday the
University will not address the South Africa issue.
"We never discussed it internally, and we're not anxious to bring it
up," Ellis said. "Foreign policy is made in Washington "
Bids are scheduled lo be sent in Apnl 1988.
Drawina the lines
tek
Apartments, homeowners seek crackdown for Western weekend
BY FONTELLA WHITE
in
M'f ;V:
Students who plan on p.irtving
during the upcoming Western
weekend will have* more- to
consider than where tn find the
next keg
After the Main Strict area
injunction last spring to deter
parties, Isabella County
Prosecutor Joseph Barberi s.ud
apartment complexes and
homeowners have asked to have
their property included in the
injunction.
Barberi is seeking an injunction
to discourage students from large
parties on Main Street, from High
to   Bellows:   and   the   Edgewood
Apartments complex area,
including all of Emmett Street
and part of Stockman Road.
"An injunction doesn't mean we
will go and put tape around the
area, only if police feel it can't be
prevented." Barberi said.
The injunction would Im- similar
to that of last spring. Passes
would be required to enter tbe
area
Edgewood complex manager
Amy Baker said management's
actions to detiT parties will be
determined by whether or not the
injunction is granted
"We'll definitely take some type
of precautions, but right now I
don't know what they will be,"
Baker said.
Forurn       Manager       Kuxann knowledge there was not uny type
Bittner said security already has of   security    used    during    the
been upgraded within the complex weekend.    She   said   this   year
area. owners are taking advantage  of
"We    have    security   guards the nuisance ordinance more than
patrolmg the area who have been t^1*^
told to call the police if they feel it
is necessary'." Bittner said.
She said if a loud party occurs,
tenants usually are given two
warnings by the guard to quiet
down. If orders still are not
followed, the police are called to
the scene
The security will be increased
on Western weekend to an
additional four men, Bittner said,
which is different from last year.
Although Bittner was not at
Forum last year, she said to her
"We have a statement in our
lease that says we will give them
quiet and comfort, so they
shouldn't have to worry al>out
disturbances," Bittner said. "The
nuisance ordinance aids us in
fulfilling this."
The Mount Pleasant City-
Nuisance Ordinance states that
people who rent property arc-
responsible    for    disturbances
Please See PARTY Page ?
MHMWB.fcg''f*^^ ■ ::rr*ft*.?*<'*fr^.
LIFE LINE
mmE
.••.A^Yj't-
Briefly
Tackling to bouncing
The popular Broadway musical
Rata will open to a full bouse
Thursday al 8 p m in Warrinen
Auditonum The show is part of
University Events' Artist Course
Presentations series
Ex CMU eVxxbd" pb,vr moves frcn tr * yvi
iron to th« bar as a bouncrr
Reaching out
At R*ach Crrier fads ofi annual fund •£*•«•*
m*h suction tondht
Chipp-A-Water slaying
/Page 3
/PagC 6   Art exhibit on display Page 6
AiVn   murder   trial  Nrgirts   e»-.:h  jury
w«.*cSon. e**.riess !e*sS.-r~or~ry
Second fiddle
/Page 5
CMUi backup quarterback cor.Wcr.t h*
nJgethschsnct
/Page 8
LIFE-w.re
On tbe Job
Comnvr.t
Bloom County
Er.:erta-.T.T«enr
Big Guy on Car-, pus
Ponce Fkpora
Sports  	
Spotife 	
Cl*ss*cds 	
pyji-2
p.vy3
pa*;*!
pag<?4
p*}e6
pagelO
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pagelO
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