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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 12, 1993)
•4 SPORTS Orange crush Orange bowl president Bob Epling expresses ErlHau concern about rNClay Nebraska's and the 55/35 Orange Bowl's position Rajn and in the national thunderstorms today. championship race. SSS&'Sitond. Page 7 Highs around 50. Prosecution, defense rest in Biorklund trial By Dionne Searcey Senior Reporter Defense attorneys called no wit nesses as they joined prose cutors in resting their cases Thursday in the first-degree murder trial of Roger Bjorklund. Arguments ended on the 13th day of Bjorklund’s trial in the slaying of UNL student Candice Harms. “It is my position that the state has not produced sufficient evidence to establish Mr. Bjorklund’s guilt be yond a reasonable doubt,” Lancaster County Chief Public Defender Scott Helvie told reporters after the hear ing. "HI* Rofftr | Heivie saiu Bjorklund fol lowed defense at torneys’ advice to not take the stand. Pros ecu tors called 59 witness es to testify dur ing the trial. Dur ing the 13 days of hearings, prosecu tors introduced 641 exhibits of evi dence. Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey said he was comfortable with the prosecution’s presentation to the jury. “I think we presented all the evi dence we had in a very efficient and forthright manner,” he said. Both sides rested their cases just before 4 p.m. Before resting his case, Lacey re offered all exhibits previously intro duced to the court. He added to those exhibits a purse, a jar of fibrous material, a sack of jeans and two belts, a round of .223 ammunition, a box of debris from an area near 84th Street and Havelock Avenue and black carpet from a Nissan Pulsar. Attorneys from both sides will meet Friday in closed session to cre ate a list of final instructions for the jury. Lancaster County District Judge Donald Endacott reminded the jury of their duties before dismissing them for the weekend. “It has been a long road that we’ve all traveled together,” he said, “and it’s so important — I admonish you — please, please, do not discuss this case.” Attorneys will present closing ar guments 8:30 a.m. Monday to the jury. A plea date has not yet been sched uled for Scott Barney, who also is charged in the slaying of Harms. Barney has pleaded guilty in ex change for a promise that prosecu tors not seek the death penalty in his case. Sorensen: confessions not coerced ► Defense attorneys rested their case Thursday without calling any witnesses. The prosecution also ended its arguments. ► Lincoln police Detective Sgt. Greg Sorensen testified that Bjorklund’s confessions were not coerced or illegally taped. ► Attorneys from both sides will meet in closed session Friday to create a list of final instructions for the jury. ► Attorneys will present closing arguments to the jury Monday at 8:30 a.m.___ By Dionne Searcey Senior Reporter police sergeant testified, in contrast to allegations from defense attorneys, that he did not coerce a confession from Roger Bjorklund during two conversations they shared. Detective Sgt. Greg Sorensen tes tified during the first-degree murder trial of Roger Bjorklund about two conversations he had with Bjorklund on May 25 and June 5. The questioning stems from the Sept. 22, 1992, slaying of UNL stu dent Candice Harms. Bjorklund and Scott Barney are charged in the death. Sorensen said Bjorklund initiated both conversations and was prom ised nothing in exchange for a con fession. Jurors listened to tapes Thursday from the May 25 and June 5 conver sations between Sorensen and Bjorklund. On June 5, Bjorklund said Barney fantasized of kidnapping and raping a stranger. Sorensen asked Bjorklund if killing Harms was ever considered as part of Barney’s fantasy. “Never. 1 didn’t know that was going to happen until boom boom, he fired the f—ing gun,’’ Bjorklund said. “1 mean, he’s lucky that when we got back to the car that I didn’t f—ing shoot him. See BJORKLUND on 6 William Lauer/DN Devore Silvey fires a salvo during ceremonies honoring armed services members a the Veterans Administration Medical Center on Thursday. ‘Salvation7 ROTC cadets celebrate Veterans Day By Paula Lavigne Staff Reporter About 7 5 ROTC cadets gathered in front of the Military and Naval Sci ence building in perfect formation to honor the veterans of World War II on Thursday. Air Force, Army and Navy Re serve Officer Training Corp ca dets took part in a special Veter ans Day retreat ceremony Thurs day. The ceremony began with a speech by Air Force 2nd Lt. Paul Alfonso, Jr. He said although (he retreat ceremony was in honor of World War II veterans, they were gathered to remember veterans from all wars. Air Force Capt. Kevin Driscoll said the ceremony was part of a nationwide effort to acknowledge Veterans’ Day. “It gives you time to think of the sacrifices made and the lives and dreams that were changed or snuffed out,” Driscoll said. “The impact is mind boggling.” About four World War II veter ans joined the group of ROTC ca dots and active officers as honor ary guests. Retired World War II Army Air Corp Officer Merle Summers said he thought the ceremony was in spiring. “I think the world’s going to fall apart.” he said, “then I see all these young guys out here and I see salvation.” Summers’ brother. Air Force Lt. Col. Gale Summers, said America did a fairly good job celebrating Veterans Day. He said the rever ence displayed at UNL’s ceremo ny indicated the country’s support of U.S. veterans. Racers drive for contacts, scholarships By Amie Haggar Staff Reporter ith a full gas tank, fastened seat belts and a desire to win, two University of Ne braska-Lincoln students soon will be racing across the nation. But their race cars aren t stream lined for speeds of more than 200 mph. Rather, they’re practical, fuel efficient Geo Metros. Lonnie Behrends and Christin Curry will be one of 20 college teams putting across the nation in the Geo Metro EconoRun contest. EconoRun, which is sponsored by the Sports Car Club of America, is a seven-day, coast-to-coast road rally to promote automotive fuel economy and to support higher education, said Behrends, a junior business manage ment major. The contest begins Monday in New York and ends Nov. 21 in Los Angeles. “It’s going to be fun to see the nation, driving from New York to L.A.,” Behrends said. The students are competing for $104,000 in scholarships that will be awarded to their college’s general scholarship funds. Curry, a senior marketing and eco nomics major, said the contest would draw national attention. “I think we will get people’s at tention because there arc 20 univer sities involved,” she said. “This con test is going to give a lot of recogni tion.” Behrends, who also is vice presi dent of UNL’s Marketing Club, said the SCC'A would measure the fuel efficiency of each car daily at speci fied stopping points. “Our fuel consumption is going to be very closely monitored,” he said. Each morning after the fuel con sumption has been measured, awards of $4,000, $2,000 and $1,000 will be presented to the schools of the first, second and third place teams, respec See RACE on 6 General education requirements receive ASUN support By Matthew Waite Staff Reporter A SUN’s support of general education requirements Wednesday was the first official support for implementing the program at UNL, officials said. But student government support doesn’t as sure the proposal’s success. t Elizabeth Grobsmith, assistant vice chan cellor for academic affairs, said the individual colleges at UNL must approve the proposal before the general education requirements could be implemented. Grobsmith, who is overseeing the propos al’s formation and acceptance by the Univer sity of Nebraska-Lincoln’s separate colleges, said the proposal currently was being reviewed by the nine undergraduate colleges. College of Arts and Sciences Dean Stephen Hilliard said the proposal was being consid ered by a curriculum committee in the college. He said the committee was reviewing the col lege’s questions and concerns about the re quirements and its ability to deliver the class es. James O’Hanlon, dean of the Teacher’s College, said the proposal had been approved by its curriculum committee. College faculty will vote on a bill favoring the proposal on Nov. 29. he said. O’Hanlon said the Teacher’s College’s gen eral education requirements would go beyond what was being proposed in some areas. Grobsmith said the general education re quirements would consist of three areas of study: information retrieval, integrative stud ies and essential studies. The information retrieval course would teach students to use UNL’s library system. Grobsmith said the course might take only half of a semester. Integrative studies would include require ments in courses such as critical thinking, writing, oral expression, analysis of contro versy and inquiry into intellectual bias. Essential studies would include courses in communications, math, history, humanities, science and technology. These courses also would deal with issues of race, ethnicity and gender. All of the requirements can be met in 30 hours, Grobsmith said. General education re quirements would not affect UNL’s graduate programs. A SUN senators’ support was based on the condition that funding for the proposal would be identified in advance. Grobsmith said fund ing already was earmarked for any expenses incurred in the program. “Resources have indeed been set aside,” she said. “The Senior Vice Chancellor (Joan Lcitzel) last year during the budget re-alloca tion had set aside $300,000 to assist us with being able to fund various aspects of the pro gram.” See GENERAL on 6