page 6
daily nebraskan
Wednesday february 13, 1980
H...
Continued from page 5
We are writing in response to the guest 'opinion in the
Thursday issue1 of the Daily Nebraskan. The lack of
quality and sense of propriety shown by the Daily
Nebraskan this semester is epitomized in Thursday's guest
opinion.
Jack Anderson seems to feel that the world is pushing
feminism on him. Men have it so hard these days with
women in such positions of power. Obviously, we control
the best paying jobs and use our vast amounts of money
and influence to intimidate men constantly. You see it all
the time on television and other media forms. Men are
shown as incompetent and submissive while the image of
the strong, independent woman prevails. According to Mr.
Anderson, we can even cause male homosexuality. That
revelation should certainly be enough to frighten us into
silence. After all, what would we do without men?
Well, I guess if there were no men, we would not need
to worry about equality. Or obnoxious guest opinions
from boys whose egos have been hurt because we have
caught them in the act of exploitation.
If it is "self evident that woman is man's equal in all
ways" Mr. Anderson may do well to ask himself why
ews , stories on television, in magazines, newspapers,
etc." represent men "directly or indirectly as evil
gargoyles brandishing the whips and chains of the
oppressor." This is the news. Men are oppressing women.
The men whov own and operate the television, radio
stations, etc., have ; nothing to gain presenting these
images; they simply have little else to put on the news
programs; Men make the news through violence.
Mr. Anderson's lack of perception is excelled only by
WsDomposity. If achieving equality means that we can all
be Ike Jack Anderson, we gladly chose inequality. The
noble idea of "equality" is worth sacrificing if one must
compromise oneself to his level to achieve it. i3r
Kelly Flannigan
Pre-vetLife Sciences
Cheryl Simmons
Agricultural Education
Revisions in immdly defense
debated in committee hemring
Saying the bill represents an ."hysterical blind
ness" on the part of the general public, opponents to
a measure introduced Tuesday that would change
provisions in the insanity defense said the bill was in
response to public outrage over the recent 'not
guilty by reason of insanity' verdict in the Erwin
Charles Simants case.
Omaha Sen. Carol McBride Pirsch, sponsor of
LB895, said she resented that accusation, adding she
has been researching the issue since 1977. The
Legislature's Judiciary Committee took no action
on the bill.
Pirsch testified that her bill is to provide all in
dividuals in court proceedings, and not just
defendants, the rights "commanded for an orderly,
society as society grows around the laws."
LB895 would shift the burden of proving
insanity beyond a reasonable doubt to the defense.
That burden of proof now lies with the prosecution.
The bill exempts first degree murder cases from
these provisions unless lesser charges are also filed,
but Prisch said she would not object to an amend
ment including first degree murder charges.
"The insanity defense is used in one of five
murder or manslaughter cases," Pirsch said, adding
that 90 percent of those pleas are successful. "There
is a question over the extent of mental impairment."
She said that when some experts testify that a
person is sane while others say the opposite, there
has to be doubt in the minds of jurors about the
defendant's mental competency.
Generally, people believe that the more heinous
the offense the more insane a person must be, she
said, "
"But what degree of insanity is enough to get
away with murder?" she asked.
The bill would also require the defense to inform
the prosecution between 30 and 60 days before the
trial if they intend to use the insanity defense,
Pirsch said.
Another provision is that the prosecution would
be entitled to the defense's information, just as the
defense now receives prosecution information.
Thomas Hagel, representing the Nebraska Civil
liberties Union, said this right already exists. He
also expressed concern that the bill would put all
the control in the hands of the prosecutor, "load
ing the deck" against the defendant.
Hagel testified that he felt there were
constitutional problems to the bill, but Pirsch said
26 states presently have similar legislation.
Lancaster County Public Defender Dennis Keefe
said LB895 was "an assault on the integrity of the
jury process."
Ronald Frank, a Douglas County Deputy Public
Defender, also testified against the rationale of the
bill. : r
"It makes no more rational sense to tamper with
the insanity defense than it does to tamper with the
alibi defense or any other," Frank said;
He said it bothered him that "one or two" cases
could change the law in an illogical manner. He also
refuted earlier testimony by Bob Wilmot of the
Emmanuel Community Health Center in Omaha,
who said he found it "appalling that individuals can
be freed from responsibility for their acts." ......
Wilmot said many mentally ill people understand
the consequences of their acts and accept that res
ponsibility. He also said the term insanity was not
an accepted medical or psychiatric term, but instead
was an antiquated legal term.
Pirsch said after the hearing that even with the
burden of proof shifting to the defense, juries will
have trouble determining if a person is insane.
"I can see where the defense attorneys are
upset," she said. "They don't want to lose their
cases." .
Pre trial motions Heard
By Mary JoPitzl
Persson vs. Campus : Crusade advances -a
Feb. 19 hearing before the ASUN
Student Court, following a pre-trial hearing
Tuesday evening in the Nebraska Union.
The first court case of the semester in
volves four campus Christian organizations
charged with violating university policy for
sponsoring Christian lecturer Josh
McDowell's campus visit last month.
The court heard several pre-trial
motions Tuesday night, among them a
defendants' request to delay the hearing ,
for two weeks from its originally scheduled
date. Todd Ahlquist, second -year law
student representing the defendants,
argued more preparation time was needed :
"if justice is to be served."
Chief Justice Scott Cook, speaking for
the court, denied the motion and ordered,
the defendants to file their responses to the
petition's charges by Feb. 18.
In response to other motions presented
by the defendants, the court:
-Allowed a clause alleging the four
organizations violated university residence
hall policy to be striken, on the grounds
tfiat the allegation was false. ... y
, -Ordered the plaintiffs to clarify their
complaint that the groups violated campus
mail policy.
-Ordered a modification of the clause
stating that the four groups "willfully and
knowingly" sponsored a "'known religious
evangelist" so that the clause would not
imply the groups were aware of violating'
the university's religion policy when they
invited McDowell to speak.
-Granted a motion to change the
petition so that all defendants named
would be students. ,
-Granted a motion that witnesses be
sequestered during the hearing, to "avoid
collusive testimony",
-Granted a motion that the case be dis
missed as a class-action suit. The court
allowed the original petition to stand, but
Persson and Lambrecht will represent only
themselves instead of the UNL student
body.
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Photo by Tom Gessner
Changing temperatures and a little help from Jack Frost keep the windowsills laden
with frost. This work of art seems to have been a long time in the, making.
Our stylists will help you choose a cut
that's right for you, and show you how
to take care of it! If we don't, we haven't
done our job properly.
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