1980-10-31; Central Michigan Life

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Tisch sues several state colleges
by TOM HENRY
LIFE Staff Wrfter
CMU's President Harold Abel and Board of
Trustees got what they expected late Wednesday—word that tax crusader Robert Tisch is
including them in a statewide suit.
The suit, file<J in. Ingham County Circuit Court,
alleges Abel and the trustees are part of a ring of
college and state officials that illegally used
public funds and violated the Campaign Finan
cing Practices Act to defeat Proposal D.       <
Abel appeared undaunted by the move.
"It's as much a political action as buying an ad
on TV," he said.
Other defendants include Gov. William G.
Milliken, State Adjutant General John. A.
Johnston and presidents and governing bodies at
Wayne State University, Eastern Michigan
University, the University of Michigan and
Michigan State University.
Tisch, author of the proposal, was denied a
temporary restraining order Thursday by Judge
Ray C. Hotchkiss. The order would have forbid
the defendants from continuing their campaign
until after the election.
However, the Shiawassee. County drain
commissioner said in a telephone interview from
his office later he would not let the decision
discourage him from following through with the
suit.
"I think the governor ought to understand that
people being brutalized (from property taxes)
don't use thousands of dollars from taxpayers*
pockets to campaign," Tisch told LIFE.
Besides claiming college and state officials are
using public funds, Tisch accused the defendants
of false advertising.
The-proposal would cut property taxes by more
than half, resulting in a $2 billion loss in state
revenues.
Tisch says the slice of state budget pie would
not be anywhere near the 60 percent loss
predicted by the Office of Management and
Budget.
Tisch   blames   officials   supporting   OMB's
(See "Suit"—page 13)
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Vol.62 No.-29
© 1980 CM LIFE
Mount Pleasant, Mich. 48859
14 pages
Friday, Oct. 31,1980
Judge postpones flooding trial
by PATTY WOODBURY
LIFE Staff Writer
Trial proceedings in 21st Circuit Court for a former CMU student
accused of flooding Cobb Hall last March have been delayed again.
The trial for Joseph N. Stewart of Plymouth was scheduled to
begin Thursday, but was delayed by Judge Robert Campbell
following the filing of two motions by Defense Attorney Lynn
Chamberlain.
According to Prosecutor Tom Plachta, Chamberlain filed a motion
to supress confession and a motion to quash (dismiss) in the court
clerk's office last week. '
Chamberlain alleged in the move his client's rights were violated
in the obtaining of a confession and that the case should be
dismissed on the grounds of double jeopardy.
Last March, the day before dorms opened and students returned
to campus from spring break, a fire hose on the eighth floor of Cobb
Hall was activated and remained so for several hours before being
detected and turned off.
The water from the connection flooded stairwells, hallways and
the elevator shafts at the south end of the dorm down to the
basement of the Towers complex, causing an estimated $25,000
damage to student and university property.
Damage to lighting fixtures of fifth floor Troutman was also
discovered that weekend.
An anonymous tip led Department of Public Safety investigators
to Stewart, then a resident of Troutman!
"Stewart was questioned on three different occasions by police,"
Plachta said.
On March 18, the first of the three interviews, Stewart allegedly
admitted to breaking into Troutman the night of March 15. A
warrant for his arrest was issued four days later and Stewart was
again questioned by police March 21.
Previously he had denied any involvement in either case of
malicious destruction, but on the 21st admitted to damaging light
fixtures in Troutman Hall, to which he later pleaded guilty and was
sentenced in district court.
At the same time Stewart allegedly denied again that he had
anything to do with the flooding of Cobb Hall.
March 31 Stewart was subjected to a lie detector test which he
reportedly failed and was again questioned by DPS. This time
Stewart allegedly confessed to turning on the fire hose connection
which flooded Cobb Hall. .
Chamberlain alleges that Stewart's rights were violated
regarding the circumstances under which the confession was obtained, and that Stewart is being tried twice for a crime that took
place with the same intent during the same time frame.
"In this case the defense is arguing basically that evidence indicates he (Stewart) broke into Troutman, broke the lights and then
flooded Cobb," Plachta said.
Plachta added that evidence gathered by the prosecution "indicates a period of time passed between the two incidents," and
"there is no evidence (Stewart committed the two crimes) in a single
time sequence."
Plachta said if Chamberlain wins the motion to quash on the
grounds of double jeopardy, the case will be dismissed.
If Chamberlain wins the motion to supress the confession, Plachta
admitted the prosecution "is going to have some problems with the
case."
Judge Campbell, after a motion hearing Monday attempted to
come up with an'opinion on the motions by Tuesday.
His opinion has been delayed "because of the complexity of the
nature of the case," so a written opinion must be filed with the
county clerk, according to Plachta.
Plachta said each month the judge has eight days of trial dates.
"Judge Campbell's ends Friday, and his next set of trial dates here
won't be until December," he added.
Tarty policy' draws tenant flack
by MICHELLE M/VZUR
LIFE Staff Writer.
If you like to drink and be
merry, you better do so off
campus.
President Harold Abel
recently released a new. alcohol
policy to specifically stop the
increasing number of keg
parties on campus, according to
George Jennings, director of
Housing Programs.
"The alcohol policy is pretty
much the same but the warning
system     wasn't     working,"
Jennings said.
The current alcohol policy
states alcoholic beverages only
are allowed in the University
Center in compliance with the
liquor license given to CMU, in
guest rooms in the U.C, and in
dormitories in small quantities
by those 21 and older.
Students who organize and/or
host keg or trashcan parties will
no longer be allowed three
warnings before action is taken.
"The student will immediately
be sent over to Student Affairs,
who will handle the situation,"
Jennings said. ;'
"Resident hall directors and
resident assistants will be
responsible for enforcing this as
(new policy) will others with the
responsibility for an activity or
area," said Vice President for
Student Affairs James Hill.
If a resident assistant or
someone with authority
suspects violation of the alcohol
policy in a room, he or she is
encouraged not to use keys to
get in a room unless there is
immediate danger, Jennings
said.
"We don't like to key the
doors. Usually when students
hear the R.A. at the door, they
open it," Jennings said.
He continued to say participants in a keggar or trashcan
party will be given a letter of
reaffirmation the first time, and
any further violation will lead
the student to the Student
Affairs office.
"We have more problems
since the drinking age went up
to 21 because keggars offer easy
access to alcohol," Jennings said.
Policy violators sent to
Student Affairs will be judged
after due process is given.
(See "Policy"—page 13)
Chippewa mascot to meet its end
by PHYLLIS C. JENNINGS
LIFE Staff Writer
"Two little Indian boys sitting in the sun, One got frizzled up and
then there was one." —old nursery rhyme *
And now that last one is about to go, unless someone comes to its
rescue.
An old wooden Chippewa Indian has been stored in the basement
of Grawn Hall after years of hanging in Finch Fieldhouse. Now, with
the basement being cleared out for storage, the carved token is
about to become part of tomorrow's trash.
"Nobody wants it," said Superintendent of Grounds George
Stansberry.
"He's been here a long time," Stansberry said. "It used to be a
mascot on a platform over in Finch Fieldhouse. I came here in 1959
"From what I understand, it was a hot
item in its day."—Superintendent of
Grounds George Stansberry
and it was up there then.
"From what I understand, it was a hot item in its day. Ferris,
Northern and other CMU rivals used to steal it and then we'd get it
back," Stansberry added. .  _
(See "Statue"—page 14)
In Brief
The deadline for applying for an absentee
ballots is 2 p.m. Saturday. Voters registered
locally can pick up an absentee ballot and vote
through 4 p.m. Monday at the Mount Pleasant
City Hall, 120 S. University Ave.
Campus
CM LIFE comments
on the issues and
candidates.
page 4
Many have spoken
out on the election in
the readers* view
column.
pages 5,6
Sports
The CMU soccer
team ended its season
on a frustrating note
Wednesday.
page 10
Index
Arts and Leisure ,,, 8
Classifieds 13    ,
Comment 4
Doonesbury ............. 5
Horoscope „. 13    '
Off the Wire ..2
Sports .13
Spotlife... 13
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