Arraignment
Continued from Page 1
would more likely press for a trial
in early spring. But either way, he
said, he was prepared to go at any
time.
A motion to quash challenges
possible defects of the indictment.
Bartle dismissed the suggestion
that the strong show of police sup
port might make his assignment
difficult, or regrettable.
“I simply have a job to do,” he
said. “I take no pleasure in it. I am
moved by that (police support) as a
.citizen of Lincoln.”
But the police presence in the
courtroom was not simply a show
of support, said Sgt. James Spanel,
Secretary/Treasurer of the Lincoln
Police Union. It was also a picture
of bewilderment, he said.
Spanel said it was impossible to
make a forceful arrest, such as that
of Renteria, without taking action
that could be labeled as assault.
“You just as well indict all of us
(police officers),” he said. “Because
it’s not something we haven’t done
before.”
The officers were indicted on
“frivolous charges that some spe
cial interest groups thought had to
be brought down,” he said. Spanel
would not comment on what groups
he was referring to.
“Ever since the Rodney King
incident occurred, there have been
people in the city of Lincoln look
ing for their own Rodney King inci
dent,” Spanel said.
With the indictments, he said,
they have found it.
‘‘They’ve got their pound of
flesh,” he said.
Spanel said he was upset the city
would not pay legal fees for the
indicted city employees. The local
union will raise money to help
Casady and the officers involved,
he said.
Casady has requested adminis
trative leave. Wilke and Schellpeper
have been reassigned to adminis
trative duty since the incident..
Lincoln Fire Chief Mike
Merwick said after the hearings that
“this is a learning experience for
the whole department.”
Rick Wade, Wright’s lawyer,
said Endacott had given the defen
dants 14 days to file any additional
preliminary motions. Wade said he
had filed a motion to quash the
indictment but temporarily with
drew it after learning of the exten
sion.
Wade said lawyers might also
file for a demurrer, or dismissal,
asserting that the evidence does not
support the charges.
Wright was indicted for official
misconduct in failing to render im
mediate aid to Renteria and for en
tering false information into public
record.
Wade said he would file a mo
tion to quash the indictments be
Travis Hsying/DN
the arraignment of throo
A crowd gathers outside tho courtroom as people line up to see
Lincoln police officers.
cause the firefighter’s protocol in
such situations wasn’t definite.
Firefighters fill out a primary
assessment of the situation based
on information they receive on the
scene, he said, and sometimes have
to estimate the victim’s condition.
Merwick said that when Wright
arrived on the scene, Renteria was
already in the back of a police
cruiser. Officers had placed
Renteria face down in a restraint
position. Merwick said an officer
told Wright that a physical struggle
had occurred and that Renteria
might be intoxicated.
Because of the nature of the inci
dent, Wade said, Wright did not
perfonn a secondary assessment.
Wright believed it was in the best
interest of the firefighter crew to
leave Renteria handcuffed in the
back of the cruiser, Wade said.
Wade said he assumed the para
medics preformed the secondary
assessment when they arrived five
minutes later.
Menawhile, a separate federal
investigation, looking into possible
civil rights violations, continues.
New housing policy may
ban smoking in rooms
By Catherine Blalock
Staff Reporter
UNL residence halls may soon
join other university buildings that
have gone smoke-free.
Michael Hager, assistant direc
tor of university housing, said his
office had recognized smoking in
halls as a problem. Right now, how
ever, he said he had no plans to deal
with smoking.
The university banned smoking
in all university buildings and uni
versity vehicles in August 1993.
Smoking is allowed in some areas
of Memorial Stadium. Other busi
nesses, restaurants and apartment
complexes did the same.
Hager said the housing depart
ment would be talking with resi
dents and the Residence Hall Asso
ciation to find ideas.
Residents already have given
housing officials suggestions for a
new policy, Hager said. Options
include banning smoking, placing
all smokers on the same floor or
placing them on the top floors of
halls, installing air purifiers or keep
ing the current policy.
The current smoking policy in
the halls is that students may only
smoke in rooms where both resi
dents allow it, Hager said.
If students want to be able to
smoke in their rooms, they can state
that on their housing application.
The housing department then places
them in a room with another smoker
or in a private room.
Housing officials have dealt with
complaints about cigarette smoke
drifting into nonsmokers’ rooms,
Hager said. Students are usually
able to work the problem out, Hager
said. There have been less than ten
serious complaints, he said.
Hager said a smoking policy
would be on the top of RHA’s list
for next semester. The new policy
will be developed by August 1995,
he said.
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