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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 22, 1995)
Renterias ask for felony charges By Brian Sharp Senior Reporter The Renteria family lawyer asked the Nebraska Supreme Court Monday to order felony charges be filed in the death of Francisco Renteria. Carlos Monzon stated in the court document that preventing Special Prosecutor Robert Bartle from filing additional charges against the indicted police officers and fire captain would “defeat the ends of the law, the courts and justice.” Officers Luke Wilke and Stephen Schellpeper and Capt. Danny Wright were indicted by a grand jury in December on misde meanor charges related to Renteria’s death. The family is requesting that manslaughter and first-degree as sault charges be brought against the officers and a manslaughter charge be brought against Wright. In the document, Monzon also stated that a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct should be brought against Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady. “Mr. Robert Bartle has repeat edly resisted complying with his duty as acting county attorney,” he wrote, and the court should order Bartle to perform his duties.” The grand jury indicted Casady on the official misconduct charge, relating to his actions during an investigation into Renteria’s death. That charge was dismissed Friday after a judge ruled the grand jury exceeded its authority. Monzon’s court filing goes on to recreate the night Renteria died, including a struggle with Wilke and Schellpeper. The account al leges the officers kneed and punched Renteria, even after he had stopped moving. Michael Hansen, a lawyer rep resenting Wilke, called the account “ludicrous” and “not accurate by any means.” Monzon’s action will affect the potential jury pool for the ongoing cases, he said. Lawyers for the other defen dants could not be reached Mon day night or declined to comment. Monzon said in an interview from his home that lawyers for the defendants have discredited his request, saying it didn’t apply be cause further action by Bartle was discretionary. But Monzon said the evidence supported additional charges, at least against Wilke and Schellpeper. “The action is not discretionary anymore,” Monzon said. Panel questions ‘The Good Life’ Renteria’s death: Will minorities see any change? By Paula Lavigne Senior Reporter " The death of Francisco Renteria will alter the City of Lincoln’s perception of minorities only if lines of communication are kept open, panel discussion members said Tuesday. “The Renteria Death: What it Means for Lincoln,” a panel dis cussion organized by Nebraskans for Peace at the Northeast United Church of Christ, addressed treat ment of minorities in Lincoln in light of the Renteria investigation. About 100 people attended the meeting. Panel members included Carlos Monzon, the Renteria attorney; Marlayn Cragun, Nebraska Civil Liberties Union executive direc tor; Jose Soto, Southeast Commu nity College affirmative action officer; and Joel Gajardo, execu tive director of the Hispanic Com munity Center. Special guest Juan Salgado, the deputy consulate general of the Mexican Consulate in Denver, also joined in the discussion. Salgado said the Renteria case followed a national trend of simi lar cases in Denver and El Paso, N.M. He said he encouraged the sup port of organizations, such as the mayor’s Conciliation Committee, to avoid polarized communities. “You need to work together to find solutions,” he said. “This can be a momentum for dialogue and reflection.” Soto said when he moved to Lincoln 17 years ago, he believed in the state’s motto, “The Good Life.” “Francisco Renteria has chal lenged the notion that everyone enjoys the Good Life,” he said. Soto said Renteria’s death also challenged equality and justice for minorities, who, he said, were treated with a double standard and were still oppressed. More community members should attend the mayor’s Concili ation Committee meetings, he said, and should be willing to write let ters to the editor and make their opinions public in order to change these perceptions. Gajardo said the Conciliation Committee should extend its life beyond the April 1 deadline set by Mayor Mike Johanns. “It’s too short-lived,” he said. “We can’t heal ourselves in just six meetings.” He said 1,000 people should have attended Tuesday night’s meeting. “We have very narrow-minded people in Nebraska,” he said. “We have to come to terms with our differences, which are less impor tant than our similarities.” In order to overcome racism, Monzon said people should also stop looking at minorities with pity and start looking at them as equals. “Everybody’s different. We all bleed. We all cry. We all speak,” he said. “We are human beings.” _J —--:- -s_i_i_ Spring Benefit Dance presents Aces Hick Saturday, February 25th 8 p.m. - 1 a.m. Lancaster Building, State Fair Park Admission: $5.00 or ¥$4.00 (with student I.D.) Cash Bar I Minors Welcome Society in Turmoil. MAD FOREST February 16-18 & 21-25 TICKETS ON SALE NOW! CALL 472.2073 THEATRE ARTS & DANCE BOX OFFICE: TEMPLE BUILDING, 12TH & R STREETS UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN GRILLj_]& BAR Boone s attorney argues DWI arrest From Staff Reports NU basketball player Jaron Boone may be making his case in a court of law instead of on the basketball court. The junior guard has been charged with first-offense driving while in toxicated, which is a misdemeanor. His lawyer, Shelley Stall, has filed motions to suppress evidence against him and to determine the admissibil ity of a breath sample taken at the scene. Boone was cited for speeding on Aug. 6,1994, at 2:20 a.m. The County Attorney’s office filed the charges in District Court Jan. 30. Last week, Stall filed motions say ing Boone was stopped illegally with out reasonable suspicion. The arrest was not based on probable cause, Stall said, so any evidence should be suppressed. The stop and arrest violated Boone’s Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, Stall contends. Boone is scheduled to appear be fore Lancaster County District Court Judge Bernard McGinn on March 28. Boone is Nebraska’s leading scorer this season, averaging 17.6 points a game. He has started in all 25 games. Thefts at Campus Rec ‘crimes of opportunity’ uy Anarew Lucas Staff Reporter Thefts are up at the Campus Rec reation Center this semester, which means those using it should be care ful where they leave their belong ings, said a UNL official. There are about 10 to 20 thefts at the Rec Center each week, Sgt. Bill Manning of the UNL police said. Most of the thefts come from people leaving their belongings unat tended. Items have been taken from the basketball courts, the weight room and from locker-room benches while their owners were taking a shower. “All the thefts have been strictly crimes of opportunity,” Manning said. “It’s been stuff that is laying out.” Since most items are simply left unattended, theft prevention falls upon the owner. Most thefts can be prevented, said Kenda Scheele, asso ciate director of the Rec Center. “It’s not like people are breaking into lockers or holding people up at gunpoint,” Scheele said. “People should not leave their things unat tended. When you’re not there, lock it up.” The Rec Center offers a free coat check at the equipment counter, and coin-operated lockers throughout the building. Small lockers that hold wallets or keys are available for a dime, and larger ones in the locker rooms can be used for a quarter. Day lockers also are provided. Users can place their own locks on for each day, but each night any locks left are cleared. Manning also suggested that those who drove to the Rec Center leave unneeded belongings in their cars and take only ID and a coat inside. Motorcyclists may pay if Parking has its way By Angie scnendt Staff Reporter Motorcycle drivers at UNL may have to buy parking permits if a pro posal introduced Tuesday to the Park ing Advisory Committee is approved. lhe proposal, made by Univer sity of Nebraska Lincoln Parking Services, would require drivers of all motorized, li censed vehicles to register with the office and purchase a parking permit. “It doesn’t matter what kind of vehicle someone drives, they have to do the same thing,” said Parking Ser vices manager Tad McDowell. He said motorcycle drivers had not been charged for parking in the past because of the small amount of space needed for their motorcycles. Mopeds would be considered mo torized, licensed vehicles, so owners also would be charged for parking, according to this proposal. Seasons are an issue, McDowell said, because many motorcycle driv ers may not want to purchase an annual permit if they don’t drive dur ing winter. The cost of the permit would be charged monthly — $4 for faculty and staff and $3 for students. If the proposal is approved at the advisory committee’s March 28 meet ing, it would take effect next fall. McDowell saidhe wasn’t sure how Parking Services would issue the per mits. “I would like to put stickers on the licence plates, but I’m not sure if that is legal,” he said. If stickers cannot be used. Parking Services will issue tags with connec tors. Daryl Swanson, chairman of, the committee, said committee members wanted to hear opinions on the pro posal during the open forum at their next meeting. Micron Continued from Page 1 with rural senators who had concerns about the economic incentive pack age. Some senators had proposed to use the Micron issue as leverage in obtaining help for ethanol incentives. Senators debated details of LB83 0 in the morning before adjourning at noon. After spending the afternoon in committee hearings, senators re turned at 6:11 p.m. to continue de bate on LB830 Sen. George Coordsen of Hebron, who has been one of the main oppo nents of the Micron legislation, pro posed an amendment that would re 3uire the state to inform nearby resi ents of any redevelopment of this type that was addressed in the bill. “Is it asking to much that we pro vide notice to landowners?” Coordsen asked. Coordsen’s amendment failed, but Withem said informing nearby resi dents was an appropriate concern that should be addressed. Withem also said concerns raised by Sen. Tim Hall of Omaha about some of the language in the bill might need to be addressed before the bill becomes law. “I’m not completely comfortable with the language,” Withem said. Hall proposed several amendments dealing with language. Among other things, Hall said he was concerned about language in the bill saying Nebraska had done a poor job of economic development. He said the bill painted black the future of Nebraska if these economic incentives were not passed. “The bill places in statute issues that are untrue about this state,” Hall said.