Jason shock
Jobs abound with L.A. police
Are you a college student that
fears the difficulty of finding
that high-paying job that of
fers insurance benefits, a company
car, an oceanside dream house, a beau
tiful blue suit to wear to work everyday
and your own handgun?
Well, quit spending all that cash on
school and head west. A great career
in law enforcement is waiting for you
in sunny southern California.
Not only will you receive all of the
above, but Andy, Barney and the boys
are also throwing in low to no job
responsibil ity and immunity from pros
ecution when you and your partners
lose control on a bad day, grab your
bats and beat the hell out of people.
Only one precaution before jump
ing on this “can’t miss” job opportu
nity: everyone outside of your imme
diate family will likely label you an
incompetent jackass, powerless with
out a gun.
Consider the latest dilemma faced
by Los Angeles’ finest and put your
self in their shoes—a double murder
in one of the city’s richest neighbor
hoods with the prime suspect a foot
ball hero. If the scene was Watts or
South Central and the suspect a soccer
player, this story would only turn up
on Hard Copy or Geraldo. You might
have caught it somewhere on cable.
The suspect and an abundance of
evidence were gathered within 24
hours. O.J. had to travel across the
country to make this possible. Can’t
you visualize him hurdling suitcases
and juking hot dog venders through
Chicago’s O’Hare Airport to reach
his Hertz rental? Unfortunately for
police, most of the world sees Simpson
in this light, thus creating a sticky situ
ation in a land where football is king. If
you have a Heisman trophy and are
inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame,
public perception will be favorable.
I’m going way out on a limb to guess that it
is rare for murder suspects, even in L.A.
with the smoothest lawyers, to be given the
opportunity to run a few errands before
turning themselves into authorities.
Imagine denying the Juice a few
days to grieve! Forget bloody evidence
and motive, it takes hours to fill out the
paperwork anyway. The force had a
handle on the situation, simply take a
couple of days, file a few forms, allow
O.J. to attend the funeral of the wom
an he treated like a queen, and make
the arrest at a later date. This is South
cmCal’s Juice, man,give him abreak.
Of course, it can ’ t be put off forev
er. The boys in blue can buy time and
verdicts, but the press seems to man
age to stick their noses into everything
and ask probing questions. They must
stand up, do their job. Arrest the most
famous Trojan in USC history.
“Yo, Juice, this is Willie (L.A.
Police ChicfWillic Williamsjdown at
the station. I was wonderin’ if maybe
you had some free time tomorrow, say
around noon, to come in and get booked
for double murder with special cir
cumstances. You’ll face the death
penalty, and life as you know it isover.
I know your busy. Juice, I hate to be a
bother. You’ll be there? Great! Look
ing forward to seeing you, have a nice
day.”
The biggest case of your career,
and you didn’t even have to lift your
fat rump out of your chair. Unless, of
course, the impossible happens and
you getoulsmarted and the Juice breaks
loose.
Inconceivable, I know, a convicted
wife beater wanted for double murder
fleeing arrest.
Actually, it does happen on occa
sion. Chief Williams testified that “it
wasn’t the first time a suspect had
reneged on an agreement to surren
der.” For double murder, Willie? I’m
going way out on a limb to guess that
it is rare for mursder suspects, even in
L.A. with the smoothest lawyers, lobe
given the opportunity to run a few
errands before turning themselves into
authorities.
Anyway, you know the story. Cops
enjoy some prime time TV exposure
and eventually save O.J.’s life and
haul him in. The district attorney prais
es their job on national TV. (More
advice: stay clear of those state pros
ecuting jobs, you, too, could be pros
ecuting O.J. in front of millions of
people who want him acquitted and
then campaign for re-election. My bet
is the death penalty is out of the ques
tion.)
Be a cop, if s a job opportunity of a
lifetime. Besides, President Clinton is
supposed to be hiring and L.A. just
may be a hot spot for up-and-coming
police officers.
Of course, if you can run fast, break
tackles make movies, you’ll probably
be taken care of.
Jason Sc bock it a junior news-editorial major
and a Daily Nebraskan columnist
Barney
Continued from Page 3
Berry told reporters after the
hearing that Barney ’ s statement was
his own idea, and that his words of
regret and sorrow were sincere.
“Scott has made his journey of
the spirit and journey of the soul on
this,” he added.
Not all, however, were equally
convinced of Barney’s sincerity or
truthfulness. Lacey, who still feels
“disgusted” that he had to make a
deal with Barney to prosecute the
murder, said the statement was in
appropriate. Barney “is still not
facing up to the fact that his part
was more than he said it was,” and
the statement reflected that. Lacey
also called Barney’s professions of
faith “a jailhouse conversion.”
Stan Harms also said that Barney
was lying to himself as well as the
court. However, the issue of truth
fulness was secondary for Harms.
“It’s up to all of us to make sure
that Mr. Barney stays in prison for
the rest of his life,” said Harms.
Barney could ask the state Board
of Pardons for a commutation of
his life sentence to a term of years,
but Lacey speculated that such a
request would not be made for at
least twenty-five years.
^ Attention
August 1994 Graduates
Your Degree Application is Due
June 24, 1994
Apply at 107 Administration
2137 Cornhusker
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For more information call:
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i
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472-3201