Husker charged with shooting
By Catherine Blalock
Staff Reporter
A University of Nebraska-Lincoln
football player has been charged with
attempted second-degree murder and
use of a weapon to commit a crime.
Riley Washington, a 22-year-old,
junior spilt-end offensive letterman,
has been charged in an early morning
shooting on July 23. Washington’s
preliminary hearing has been set for
August 31.
Lincoln police responded to a call
made from the Kwik Shop located at
27th and W streets, indicating that
shots had been fired in the lot, Sgt.
Ann Heermann said.
Mary Caldwel 1, who was on duty at
the Kwik Shop when the shooting
occurred, declined comment. Kwik
Shop’s headquarters in Hutchison,
Kansas, also declined comment.
After Jermaine Cole and Alec
Hogan arrived at the convenience store
and exited their vehicle, they were met
by an individual.
A verbal argument began, and one
individual was pushed up against a
brick wall. The suspect entered from
the south and shots began being fired,
Heermann said.
Hogan proceeded to leave the area,
and Cole tried to leave and was hit by
gunfire. Three shots rcportably were
fired at Cole, who was hit underneath
the right arm, Heermann said.
Cole proceeded to a nearby resi
dence located in the block of north
26th street, where a 911 call for medi
cal help was made, she said.
He was released from Lincoln Gen
eral Hospital on August 3, a spokes
woman for the hospital said.
Cole told a local newspaper that
this was a confrontation that has oc
curred between many NU football
players and other Lincoln male resi
dents over the past several years.
Public Defender Scott Helvie told
a local newspaper that Washington
did not shoot anyone. He also said that
his office had received information
that NU football players have been
harassed by a group of young black
men from out of the state and Cole is
a member of that group.
This is a gang-related incident and
the LPD does have information that
some ofthe people involved have Lin
coln gang ties, Heermann said.
Former NU wingback Abdul
Muhammad was at the scene but
charges have not been filed against
him at this time, Sgt. Heermann said.
Muhammad was unavailable for
comment.
University athletic officials are not
commenting on the situation.
Joan Leitzel, UNL interim chan
cellor, in a statement released to press,
said, “We are concerned any time
students are involved in incidents with
weapons, particularly when a shoot
ing has occurred. We are awaiting
developments in the incident that oc
curred involving Riley Washington,
but at this time his status as a student
at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
remains unchanged.”
Leitzel said just because Washing
ton is a UNL football player he will
not be treated any differently.
“It will be no different than if any
student was charged,” she said.
During the 1994 football season
Washington played in all ofthe games.
He never had a reception but he did
have one carry for a five-yard gain
against Wyoming. In the 1995 Orange
Bowl, Washington had a nine-yard
rush on a reverse in the second quarter
on a first down.
Washington was also on the track
team. He is a 1993 and 1995 Big Eight
indoor, 55-meter dash champion, a
1994 indoor track All-American, and
a 1993 Outdoor Track All-American
in the 100-meter dash.
Chris Anderson, director of sports
information at UNL, said Wash
ington’s athletic status remains un
changed at this time and does not
know when a decision will be made.
Parking Problems?
Need a Place to Park?
Park by
Day $1.00
Park by
Month
$25.00
Don't Fight For Parking!
Enter at 8th & S Streets, 1 Block West of Memorial Stadium
Contact: 1033 "O" St., Suite 120,474-2274
I^omens Services, P.C.
• Abortion Services Performed During All Legal Stages
• Tubal Ligations • Birth Control
• Awake or Asleep • Outpatient Care
• Total OB/GYN Health Care • Caring Staff
Call for an appointment: 201 South 46th St.
554-0110 or 1 -800-922-8331 Omaha, Nebraska
Retailers investigated
in forced labor case
EL MONTE, Calif. (AP) - Two
big retail chains, Montgomery
Ward and Mervyn’s, are being in
vestigated in connection with a
sweatshop where dozens of Thai
nationals were discovered work
ing in virtual slavery.
A subpoena has been issued to
Mervyn’s department store, state
officials said Tuesday, and they
are preparing to serve others to
Montgomery Ward.
“Two retail stores, from initial
evidence, appear to have been deal
ing directly with the contractors,”
state Labor Commissioner Victoria
Bradshaw said.
If investigators find direct links
between the retailers and the sweat
shop, the companies could be held
liable for the workers’ back wages,
estimated at more than $3.5 mil
lion, she said.
The companies’ addresses were
discovered on shipping labels on
boxes of garments found during last
week’s raid of three apartments con
verted into a mill that authorities said
did business as SK Fashions.
State and federal agents raided
the sweatshop Aug. 2 and found 64
Thai nationals, eight of whom were
arrested. Some of the workers said
they were held in indentured servi
tude for years to work off immigra
tion costs as garment makers. Tliey
said they worked 17-hour days at
$1 per hour.
Two other people were arrested
later. The 10 suspects face charges
ranging from violations of state
minimum-wage regulations to fed
eral smuggling laws.
A Mcrvyn’s spokeswoman said
Tuesday that the company could
find no record of having received
clothing from the sweatshop.
“At this point, we just don’t
know if we’re involved at all,” said
Sandra Salyer. “Hopefully we’re
not involved, because judging by
what I’ve read in the newspaper, it
was a pretty frightening place.”
Montgomery Ward spokes
woman Sarina Butler said her com
pany has found no records of deal
ings with SK.
“It’s possible they would be a
subcontractor for a company we do
business with, but there’s noway to
know that,” she said.
'W FINAL %
summer'
MARK
DOWNS
jfc
Bargains Galore on Men's & Women's Shorts, Shirts, Blouses, Knits,
Shoes, Pants, Suits, Sportcoats, & Much Much More!
Save 50%*6Q%-70%
-1
Credit Cards Layaways
Welcome, Welcome
.