Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 22, 1995)
Powwow to begin healing process f By John Fulwider Senior Reporter Seth Whiteface and Francisco Renteria will be honored at a memo rial powwow Sunday at the Indian Center. The event will bring together mem bers of two different minority com munities to memorialize lost family members, said Lawrence SpottedBird, Indian Center execu tive director. “We decided it might be a nice addition to introduce another minor ity community to the powwow tradi tion,” SpottedBird said. Whiteface was fatally shot by a Lincoln police officer Aug. 1, 1992, after he pointed a toy gun at the officer. A grand jury exonerated the officer. Renteria died Oct. 1, a day after a confrontation with Lincoln police. A grand jury indicted two Lincoln po lice officers and a fire captain on misdemeanor charges, but all were acquitted. A judge also .dismissed a charge of official misconduct against Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady. SpottedBird said the powwow was not being held to make a political statement. “It’s a simple humanitarian event,” he said. Memorial powwows commonly are held among American Indians, he said, to memorialize a lost loved one and to help the deceased person’s family start the healing process. The powwow will feature dances to honor Whiteface and Renteria. Gifts will be given by various people and organizations to the two fami lies^ The public is invited to attend the » free event. There will be a free barbe cue dinner from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The powwow’s major events begin at 7 p.m. with the Grand Entry and me morial dance. McMenamin Continued from Page 1 Tina died on a Tuesday, between a double-shift at a nearby Godfather’s Pizza. She was on the phone with her roommate’s mother until about 5:15 p.m. that day. She should have left for work about 5:25 p.m., her mother said, which was 5 minutes before her shift began. “In that 10-minute time period this happened,” she said. “This person just surprised her as she was leaving.” Her mother spoke throughout the 65-minute telephone interview with out breaking down. She seldom talked about the day her daughter was ki 1 led, but had her own theories on the crime. “We’re a dog family. If you have a dog, you have stability and a secu rity factor there,” McMenamin said. “Tina didn’t have a dog in Lincoln. I was trying to get across to her that you had to be careful. “When she was in the apartment, sometimes she wouldn’t lockthe door. I knew she had this mindset that Lincoln was unsophisticated. I think she felt Lincoln was so wholesome that you didn’t have to be as careful as in Omaha.” Police have released few details about the slaying. A $12,550 CrimeStoppers reward — the largest amount ever in a Lincoln police in vestigation — is offered for informa tion leading to the arrest and convic k McMenamin Memorial • A memorial service for Martina McMenamin will be Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Wick Alumni Center. Photographs of the slain UNL student will be shown. University officials and family members will speak at the service. • A scholarship fund has been established in memory of McMenamin. Contributions to the Martina McMenamin Memorial Scholarship Fund may be sent to the University of Nebraska Foundation, P.O. Box 82555, Lincoln, Neb., 68501. I___ tion of a suspect. The McMenamin case has not generated near the publicity Candice Harms’ disappearance and murder gained in 1992. After Harms, a UNL freshman, disappeared three years ago today, her family waited for 12 weeks until police found the body. Stan and Pat Harms, as well as other parents of slain children, have written, spoken and sent books to McMenamin. McMenamin said she had not al lowed herself the time to realize her own pain. Organizing memorial ser vices and scholarship funds has kept her from focusing on the brutal killing. McMenamin said she had not read or watched much of the news cover age on her daughter’s slaying. But she has been contacted several times for interviews. “The media has been pretty nice -1 about it, but they want me on cam era,” she said. “I don’t want to be on television. I don’t have any crusade.” Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady said investigators continued to inter view Tina’s acquaintances. Some potential suspects have been cleared because they have alibis, he said. McMenamin remains hopeful her daughter’s killer, who she believes is a stranger, wifi be captured. However, as the months go on, her depression could be more difficult to overcome. She is apprehensive about Tina’s favorite day of the year — the day after Thanksgiving when the fam- ' ily picks out a Christmas tree. “We’re all worried about the holi days,” McMenamin said. “She in sisted on decorating every year. I just dread this. I don’t want to get the decorations out because I’ll cry. “She loyerd Christmas.” I i % .. Down under. Select National Championship Gift Items 15 - 50% Off Regularly priced $1.50 - $25.00 Come on down! UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE Nebraska Union East Union University of Nebraska-Lincoln • Lecture Notes . • Course Packets 1" • Resume Services • Cqpy&Bindery .,'J i ;/VPaxvSeiyices ': •, Laminating - . s'-'-1 ' ' < ' ' ' ' „ ■ :■ y r X..‘p'’ x " Tkrcrttttf ftt/jfftreicc-. Grade A Notes at Nebraska Bookstore Lower Level • 13th & Q Street • 477-7400 International Film of the Week Mary Riempa Ross Film Theater Sunday, September 24th NffifsX 2:30,4:45,7:00 & 9:15 P.M. / 'M X ] Mil Students $3.50 1 * / General Admission $5.50 \ Y j / , ccffi&y \ > ini'* » /
