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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 1993)
<SPORTS Vital Statistics Nebraska I-back Lawrence Phillips is hungry for chance to play. Page 14 88/69 Today, partly sunny and humid. Friday, mostly sunny and hot Vol. 93 No. 5 Judge rejects sealing of Bjorklund letter Defendant asked Harms’ parents for forgiveness By Jeff Zeleny Senior Editor A Christmas Eve letter from Roger Bjorklund to the par ents of slain UNL student Candice Harms asks not for pity, but forgiveness. The letter, introduced Wednesday during the fourth day of suppression hearings in Bjorklund’s first-degree murder case, was mailed last Decem ber to Stan and Pat Harms from the Lancaster County Jail. “I hope some day you can forgive me," he wrote in the letter. The handwritten letter was received by Lancaster County District Judge Donald Endacott despite motions from T«ct of Bforidund tetter on pag« • Bjorklund’s defense attorneys, who requested tire hearing be closed and the exhibit sealed. The third motion to close the court to the press was rejected by Endacott, and the document was not sealed. Bjorklund sat in the courtroom in a blue, jail-issued jumpsuit with his legs shackled during the hearing. In his letter to Harms’ parents, he said God would help him. “I am prepared by the grace of God to accept the full weight of the law in my life,” he wrote. “I am not interest ed in any deals, any plea bargains, life is of much more value than that.” In the letter, Bjorklund said he was raised as a Christian and felt God’s call to preach. He said he attended Union College and was a student pas tor of a Falls City church. “I thought I was saved, looking back I was not,” he wrote. Because of Stan and Pat Harms’ Christian attitude, Bjorklund said he thought they were fair people. “From what I have seen and heard of you, I would be happy to have you on my jury, I can see you are fair and loving people,” he wrote. “I hope to meet you in heaven.” In the letter, Bjorklund said it was not fair that the Harms’ child was taken from them. .. oh how I wish I could change places with her.” he wrote. The letter was introduced by Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey. Lacey called the former acting director of the Lancaster County Cor rections Department James McKinney to the stand. McKinney, now with the Iowa Department of Corrections, said he became aware of the letter Dec. 28. All mail from Bjorklund was re viewed by McKinney, in accordance with correction center policy, ne saia. Under cross-examination by Chief Lancaster County Public Defender Scott Helvie, McKinney said he didn’t review Bjorklund’s mail until the first degree murder charge was entered Dec. 14. Bjorklund, 31, and Scott Barney, 24, were arrested Dec. 2 in connection with seven Lincoln robberies com mitted last fall. Police say Barney later told authorities he and Bjorklund were involved in the Harms murder case. Harms was reported missing Sept. 22. Her whereabouts were unknown See BJORKLUND on 10 iravts Meying/UN The heat is on Nebraska comerback John Reece cools himself off during a break in practice Wednesday afternoon. Hot classrooms have professor boiling By Dionne Searcey Senior Report*___ Students in Raphael Zariski’s 10:30 a.m. class fanned themselves Mon day as sweat dripped from their faces. The windows were open in the room, but the still air didn’t offer much relief from the humid summer morning. ’This is just unspeakable,” said Zariski, a UNL political science professor, after lecturing for more than 30 minutes. “The first two weeks are going to be deadly,” he said. The best is on in some classes at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and stu dents and instructors are just grinning and bearing it. Temperatures are expected to be in the upper 80s and low 90s through Wednes day. The temperature outside was 83 degrees during Zariski's morning class in room 205 of the Military and Naval Science building. A National Weather Service official Mid that the temperature inside the un-air-condi tioned room might have been at least 10 degrees higher. Students sighed with relief as they left the classroom while more filed in for the next C &“Look at these students,” Zariski said. “They’re all fanning themselves, and class hasn’t even started yet.” The high temperature Monday was 88, the National Weather Service reported. Tues day’s high was 91. Humidity was 55 percent both days. After teaching in the seemingly tropical climate, Zariski asked political science staff assistant Helen Sexton to try to remedy the situation. See HEAT on 9 Nelson praises his appointment for Hohenstein By Steve Smith Senior Reporter __ Admitting his inexperience, but saying he’s willing to work and to learn, new State Senator Leo “Pat” Engel took his first step into the public eye Wednesday on the north steps of the State Capitol Building. Gov. Ben Nelson announced Engel’s ap pointment to the Nebraska Legislature at the governor’s weekly press conference Wednes day morning. Engel, 61, will occupy the Legislature’s 17th District seat, left vacant by the resignation of Dakota City’s Kurt Hohenstein. Hohenstein, who relinquished his Legisla ture seat Aug. 10, was convicted of a felony thefi charge in Dakota County on the heels of a four-month state investigation. A federal probe into alleged wrongdoing by the former county attorney continues. At present, Hohenstein is awaiting sentencing. “It’s very regrettable that (Hohenstein) got himself in the position he’s in,” Engel said. “His actions were very reprehensible, and I feel sorry for his family and his friends.” However, Engel said, there would be no time to dwell on Hohenstein’s personal prob lems— the state’s interests takes top priority. “I’d like to put that in the past,” he said. “I want to look forward into the future and see how we can make Nebraska a better place to live.” Engel ’ sdistrict includes Dakota and Thurston counties and parts of Burt, Cuming, Dixon and Wayne counties. Nelson touted the appointment by talking about Engel’s experience as a South Sioux City businessman. “Pat brings a wealth of experience to his new post,” the governor said. “I have every confi dence he will make an excellent representative for the people of the 17 th Legislative District.” Engel is a 1954 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has been a State Farm Insurance agent for 34 years. Nelson said Engel also served on the Dakota County Board of Commissioners and was a school board member. “I’m sure the legislature and the 17th Dis See NELSON on 9 Athletes outpace foes in academics By Jeff Singer Senior Editor _ m'm 7 hile Nebraska athletes have wW excelled on the playing field ▼ ▼ foryears,latelythey’vebeen leading the pack in the classroom too. The Cornhusker athletic program raised its total of GTE All-Americans to 107, a national best and 33 more than second-place Illinois Wesleyan, according to the most recent figures. Nebraska also leads the way in aca demic All-Big Eight honorees aim Top Six Award winners. Of Husker student-athletes, 148 have been named to the Academic All-Big Eight list, twice the number of athletes named to the list at any of the other schools in the conference. But Nebraska’s biggest honor might be its nine Top Six Award recipients. The Top Six Award is the highest award a student-athlete can receive, based on both academic and athletic success. The most recent re cipient was volleyball player Janet Kruse, who won in 1992. “From a chancellor’s perspective, it’s wonderful to have such strong student-athletes,” UNL Chancellor Graham Spanier said. ’’Nationally, there are so many schools that <k> well on the field, but not academically — I think this re flects well upon the university and on the state.” The Nebraska football team leads all individual sport academic 1 ists with a total of 46 academic All-Ameri cans. The team also has had five ath letes win the Top Six Award. The last recipient was linebacker Pat Tyrance in 1991. Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne said his team’s high academ ic success was one of the proudest facets in his 21-year head coaching See ACADEMIC on 9 Nebraska leads the i way in Academic p All-Americans L 1. Nebraska 2. Illinois Wesleyan 3. Bucknell 4. Notre Dame 5. Millikin DN graphic