McMenamin death remembered
It has been a nightmare of a year for
the parents of Martina McMenamin.
The UNL student was slain one
year ago today, July 25,1995.
She had just completed her fresh
man year. She had moved out to
Amberwood Apartments and was
working at Godfather’s.
She was found that night by her
roommate, Sarah Bognich. She had
been stabbed to death and was lying in
a pool of blood.
For 11 months afterward, no ar
rests, waning leads, no answers for a
family crushed by loss of a daughter.
Bognich tried to help in the search
as much as she could by piping up in
the media every now and again and
handing out flyers posting a reward.
Matthew Waite
But that was early in the search. As
time went on, hopes faded.
Then a break-through. The Lincoln
Police Department arrested Gregory
Gabel on June 25. Police say this is
their prime suspect.
Gabel is now sitting awaiting ar
raignment. The families are awaiting
justice.
Gabel, under law, is now innocent
until the Lancaster County Attorney
can prove, beyond a reasonable doubt
that he is otherwise. His next court
date is Aug. 5, where he is expected to
enter a plea.
The family and friends of Martina
McMenamin, in the meantime, must
wait for the slow and contemplative
judicial system to administer justice.
They waited a year for an arrest.
Now they must wait for a verdict.
Godspeed to a quick and just deci
sion, for the sake of the family.
Waite is a senior news-editorial
major and the DN Summer editor.
Letter Pro-death
penalty display sick
I wish to express my total anger at
the front colored photo featured on the
front page of Daily Nebraskan issue,
Vol.95,No. 161, July 18th, 1996.
I was absolutely sickened by the
vulgar display inherent in the public
demonstration at Joubert’s execution.
But such is the guarantees of “peace
fill assembly” supposedly guaranteed
under the Constitution. I from this
point on question the equal protection
of such asinine public encounters se
cured under the tenets of the 1st
Amendment rights.
If mankind is a social animal, the
public outcry at Joubert’s execution
unmistakably proves Nebraska has its
bastions of swine, animals and dogs.
Whatever the merits and interpreta
tion, I am against the death penalty, if
such vulgar public demonstrations will
be repeated in the future in Nebraska.
Such public encounters should alto
gether be restricted from the news media
and future public outbursts as in the
instance of the Joubert execution. The
private citizens of this country should be
spared from such offensive and ob
scene demonstrations in the future. I do
not need it shoved in my face at the next
execution in this state, to satisfy the
warped and sick passions of pro-death
penalty proponents.
I have always been a supporter of the
death penalty in Nebraska and now seek
the repeal of capitol punishment under
our Constitution. If it will spare me, a
private citizen and tax-payer, the next
indecency of a public mob gone mad in
any future execution. Who is mankind to
play God in this day and age?
After the Joubert execution I am
now firmly convinced as a Nebraskan
I am totally against capitol punish
ment, and a hrm believer m the abolish
ment of the death penalty in Nebraska.
Joubert has made his peace with
his soul and Creator, and has made his
public confession. So should the
people and pro-death penalty mem
bers of Nebraska. Hell hath no fury like
an unruly mob scorned!
Uja Tapa Machunazhi
Americans Against Capitol
Punishment
Lincoln
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