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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 1995)
By The Associated Press Edited by Jamie Karl Wednesday, August 23,1995 Page 2 Jury convicts Reynolds in sex abuse cast CHICAGO—Rep. Mel Reynolds was convicted Tuesday of having sex with a former campaign worker while she was underage, then tryingto thwart the investigation. As the verdict was read, the Illinois Democrat sat expressionless. He re peatedly mouthed an inaudible phrase and looked at the jury as the verdict was read. His wi fe and mother sat next to each other in the courtroom with little expression on their faces. Reynolds testified that he never had sex with campaign volunteer Beverly Heard and only fantasized about it over the phone. The black congressman said he is the target of a racially biased, politically motivated prosecution. Jurors deliberated more than 14 hours before reaching their verdict. The most serious charge, criminal sexual assault, carries a mandatory minimum penalty of four years in prison. Reynolds also was convicted on charges of sexual abuse, child por nography and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors built their case on graphic tape-recorded telephone calls in which Reynolds discusses sex acts with his teen-age accuser. But the trial ultimately focused on the conflicting testimony of Reynolds, 43, a two-term Democrat, and 19-year-old accuser Beverly Heard. After 13 nights in jail for refusing to testify, Heard emerged to tell the jury she had a consensual sexual affair with Reynoldsbeginningin 1992 when she was 16 and 17. But she said he doesn’t deserve prison and asked the jury to find him innocent. Reynolds testified that he suc cumbed tohis weakness and had phone sex with Heard but never had physical contact with her. He accused Heard of trying to extort him and said prosecu tors used “Gestapo tactics” in an out of-control effort to convict him. Prosecutor Andrea Zopp denied that race and politics played a role. “The defendant sits here today not because he’s a congressman, not be cause he’s an African-American, but because he committed a crime,” she said in closing arguments. Heard launched the case in June 1994 by contactingpolice but stunned prosecutors by recanting within weeks of telling her story. Prosecutors ac cused Reynolds of engineering the about face. The case was just one of sevei accusations against Reynolds. In May he was indicted again < witness tampering and obstruction justice for trying to influence witness in the sex case. It is unclear when 1 might face trial on those charges. For at least a year, federal author ties have been investigating possib mishandling of Reynolds’ persona campaign and congressional financ That includes whether he fraudulent! obtained a mortgage for a new hous and whether he converted campaig or office funds to personal use. Teen arraigned in bridge death; authorities say victim jumped DETROIT — A 19-year-old man pleaded innocent to murder Tuesday in the death of a woman who pol i ce sai d j umped offa bri dge to escape an attack. Investigators meanwhile backed off their origi nal story that onlookers cheered the ' assault. Deletha Word, 33, apparently was not pushed but leapt off the Belle Isle bridge on her own, and some witnesses even said her at tacker told her not to jump, police Cmdr. Gerald Stewart said. “We know for a fact that she was not pushed over,” Stewart said Tuesday. “She was probably trying to escape.” There is no evidence to support initial police reports that a crowd cheered as Word was attacked early Saturday, Stewart said. The earlier reports were prob ably “just an exaggeration of some of the people out there,” he said. Wayne County Assistant Pros ecutor Richard Padzieski also said the early reports were wrong. “There’s nothing to indicate there was a mob cheering on the attackers,” Padzieski said. “It was not the mood of the group.” Stewart said the story may have stemmed frompeoplehonkingtheir horns at the backed-up traffic, or yelling in horror when they saw the woman jump. “When you know what really happened,” he said, “it’s bad, but not like it’s been portrayed.” Others contradicted Stewart’s version. Family members have said they doubt Word jumped because she did not know how to swim. “Everybody’s sugarcoating this, and I see no reason for it,” Dortha Word said of her daughter’s death. And in court, Magistrate Kerry Leon Jackson read from a report that quoted a witness as saying the suspect held Word and said, “I should throw this bitch over the bridge.” Bail for Martell Welch was set at $250,000 for a charge of second degree murder, punishable by up to life in prison. Jackson set a prelimi nary hearing for Sept. 1. Welch attended Wayne State University in Detroit as a freshman this year and planned to attend East em Michigan University in the fall to study architectural design, his lawyer said. Word had a 13-year-old daugh ter and worked at a grocery store while earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing. Witnesses told police that Word’s car hit Welch’s car and she drove away, but was blocked on the bridge by heavy traffic. The island park near downtown in the Detroit River is a popular hangout and cruis ing spot on weekends. When Welch’s car approached Word’s, she reversed and hit him again. Welch got out and attacked Word’s car with a crowbar, Stewart said. He said Welch then pulled her from the car, ripping her clothing as she resisted, and hit her with his fists. Stewart said Welch chased Word, carrying his crowbar, and she j umped into the river. Her body was found miles downstream sev eral hours later. Two other men who had been held for questioning were released late Tuesday. : News... _ in a Minute Heavy rains hit state CREIGHTON—Torrential rain sent northeast Nebraska streams out of their banks Tuesday, swamping roads and storm sewers. In this town, officials asked people not to flush their toilets until the water went down. Storms dumped up to 7 inches of rain around northeast Nebraska on Monday night and Tuesday. There were several unofficial reports of 9 inches of rain Tuesday south of Creighton, a town of 1,200 about 40 miles northwest ofNorfolk. It usually takes an entire summer for 7 inches of rain to fall in southern Knox County. Nebraskan Editor J. Christopher Hain Night News Editors Mitch Sherman 472-1766 Julie Sobczyk Managing Editor Rainbow Rowell Matt Waite Assoc. News Editors DeDra Janssen Doug Peters Brian Sham Art Hirprtnr Opinion Page Editor Mark Baldridge General Manager Dan Shattil _ Editor Jamie Karl Production Manager Katherine Policky Copy Desk Editor Tim Pearson Advertising Manager Amy Stnithers Sports Editor Jeff Griesch Asst. Advertising Manager Laura Wilson Arts & Entertainment Publications BoaraChairman Tim Hedegaard Editor Doug Kouma 436-8962 Photo Director Travis Heying Professional Adviser Don Walton 473-7301 FAX NUMBER 472-1761 The Daily NebraskanfUSPS 144-080) is published by the UNL Publications Board, Ne braska Union 34, 1400 R St., Lincoln, NE 68588-0448, Monday through Friday during the academic year; weekly during summer sessions. Readers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by phoning 472-1763 between 9 am. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The public ateo has access to the Publications Board. For information, contact Tim Hedegaard, 436-8962 Subscription price is $50 for one year. Postmaster: SendI address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34,1400 R St.,Lincoln, NE 68588-0448. Second-class postage paid at Lincoln, NE. ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1995 DAILY NEBRASKAN Queen's University THURSDAY, August 24 7 p.m. Abbott soccer Park Complex 11/2 miles north of Cornhusker Highway on 70th street