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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 4, 1997)
News Digest IlftlMnh Iquiw fiiiiic MmUI mcveign nwycr dies mmi DENVER (AP) — Timothy McVeigh’s lawyer demanded an inves tigation Monday of The Dallas Morn ing News, accusing the newspaper of stealing hundreds of files from his computer, including a purported con fession from the Oklahoma City bombing defendant. Stephen Jones, while denying that the statement was a confession, said: “There is no justification whatever for this criminal act.” Morning News lawyer Paul Watler said the newspaper “met the highest ethical standards.” “We did not break any laws,” he said. “We have no fear of criminal re percussions.” Jones said that the newspaper broke into the defense’s computer files and obtained hundreds of documents about McVeigh and co-defendant Terry Nichols, as well as 25,000 FBI files. Jones offered no proof that theft was committed. In a story the newspaper published online Friday—the deadline for 1,000 potential jurors to respond to a court questionnaire — the newspaper cited what it said was a defense memoran dum that said McVeigh admitted to driving the explosives-laden truck that demolished the Oklahoma City federal building in April 1995. The memo said he chose a daytime attack to en sure a “body count.” Jones said he is considering ask ing for a 90-day delay in the trial as a “cooling-off period.” He also said he would seek to have the trial moved if the newspaper published any more sto ries from the documents. He also said he would file a com plaint with the Texas Supreme Court asking for an investigation into whether the reporter, Pete Slover, who is also a lawyer, should be disbarred. Before Jones’ news conference, Morning News executives filed a state ment in court saying they would not report any more information “from material used as the source of the pre vious articles.” Editor Ralph Langer said the state ment was in answer to concerns about disrupting the trial. He said the infor mation already published by the news paper was of overriding public signifi cance, but “any further articles based on the defense reports would not rise to the same level of importance.” All copies of the materials were turned over to the newspaper’s law yers for safekeeping, the Morning News said. Jones demanded that the documents be returned, saying they belong to the U.S. government. Monday, an unidentified source told the “CBS Nightly News” that the defense had faked the statement as part of an attempt to get a witness to change his story by confronting him with McVeigh’s “confession.” a We did not break any laws. We have no fear of criminal repercussions.” PaulWatler Dallas Morning News lawyer English-only issue unresolved _ WASHINGTON (AP) — The thorny issue of English-only laws was left unresolved Monday after the U.S. Supreme Court sidestepped an Ari zona case that had been expected to decide the constitutionality of such measures in 23 states. The justices unanimously ruled that the Arizona dispute over efforts to make English the official state lan guage became moot years ago when the state employee who brought the challenge left her government job. The net effect of the Supreme Court ruling: reinstatement of a 1988 measure that made English Arizona’s official language and required state government actions to be taken in English. The limited, procedural decision also leaves the situation unchanged in other states. In California, that means no additional momentum for an “En glish only” initiative approved by vot ers in 1986 but never enforced. The court’s ruling noted that the English-only measure is the subject of another challenge now before the Ari zona Supreme Court. The state court “may now rule definitively,” she said. Both English-only supporters and Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods, who opposes the law, lauded “he federal decision as a victory for state’s rights. Stephen Montoya, an attorney for those challenging the law, said he’s confident about going before the state court with a class-action lawsuit brought by several state employees. Woods said his office is ready to argue before the state court to uphold the law’s constitutionality, but with “a narrow reading of law,” not with the broad and passionate arguments heard from the amendment’s backers. In the case sidestepped by the high court, Maria-Kelly Yniguez, who helped people with their medical mal practice claims, had claimed many of her clients were more comfortable speaking Spanish. Woods already had interpreted the amendment, however, to allow such use of another language. , Yniguez quit her government job in 1990 for reasons unrelated to the legal fight. In other action Monday, the court refused to derail a huge class-action lawsuit that accuses Home Depot, the home-improvement retailer, of illegal job bias against women in 10 Western states. Home Depot now must defend itself in a two-stage litigation. English only Itoenlytfwee states have measures making English the officialstate language. Typicaiy, such measures require Engfeh to be used on baliots, in puttie schools and in the government. Satellite radio stations OK’d WASHINGTON (AP) — A new breed of radio stations will offer lis teners top-quality sound that can be heard anywhere in the country. But the latest advance in broadcasting is still several years away. After five years of work, federal regulators approved a plan Monday that would bring a new form of news and entertainment to people who spend a lot of time in their cars: radio stations that travel with them. The Federal Communications Commission’s action creates two li censes for CB-quality digital radio that is transmitted nationally or regionally by satellite. Like cable television, customers of the new service will probably have to pay to listen. The broadcasting indus try opposes the action, saying it’s a threat to local radio service. “The bottom line is that satellite delivered radio threatens the thou sands of community radio stations, which provide local news, weather and sports and have made the U.S. system of broadcasting the envy of the world,” said National Association of Broad casters spokesman Dennis Wharton. The FCC says the new service is unlikely to divert enough listeners to jeopardize conventional local broad cast stations. The FCC will auction the licenses beginning April 1. The four compa nies expected to bid are CD Radio of Washington, American Mobile Satel lite Corp. of Reston, Va., Digital Sat ellite Broadcasting of Seattle and Primosphere of New York. To receive the service, a customer would need a special radio and a tiny disc-shaped antenna. Ideally, a single radio would receive both the new ser vice and local broadcast signals. The broadcast industry plans a switch to digital technology so local stations also will have top-quality sound. Proponents of the new radio ser vice-say they want to work with broad casters and radio makers cm creating a single radio. on/Worl^^^ Gore admits soliciting campaign donations WASHINGTON — Vice President A1 Gore, under fire for his ag gressive role in campaign fund raising, acknowledged Monday he so licited donations from his White House office but insisted he did not do “anything wrong, much less illegal.” Yet, he said he would never do it again. “Everything I did, I understood to be lawful,” Gore said, adding that he made only a few calls in search of contributions from his office, around the comer from the Oval Office. It is illegal for federal employ ees to solicit money in federal buildings, but Gore said he was not subject to that restriction. He defended his actions in a high-stakes White House news confer ence, markedly different from his occasional appearances on behalf of administration initiatives. This time, Gore was trying to protect his political honor as he looks ahead to the presidential race in 2000. Standing ramrod straight, he remained cool under sometimes argu mentative questioning. Flooding forces people in four states from homes FALMOUTH, Ky. — Rising water inundated entire towns in Ken tucky and turned others into islands Monday as flooding kept thou-: sands of people out of their homes across a four-state area. Hie bloated Licking River receded slowly Monday, its muddy water still lapping 6 to 8 feet high against the wadis and windows of down town businesses and keeping residents out of their hemes. “We lost everything we had,” said Jimmy Williams, who sat on a chair outside a shelter at a hilltop high school gymnasium, waiting with his dog, Sandy, and his bird, A J. They were the only things he and his wife could get out of their house when Falmouth was flooded Saturday. The town was among the hardest hit as flooding forced thousands of people from their homes in Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. TWenty deaths were blamed on flooding and tornadoes — including many who drowned or were washed from their cars — in addition to the 24 tornado deaths in Arkansas. Clinton questions plan for new Jewish neighborhood WASHINGTON—President Clinton chided Israel Monday for de ciding to put up a new Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem. Such a plan “builds mistrust” with the Palestinians, he said, as an emotional Yasser Arafat vented his objections at the White House and State Department. “The important tiling is on both sides to be building confidence and working together,” Clinton said at a picture-taking session with Arafat in the Oval Office. “And so I would have preferred the decision not have been made because I don’t think it builds confidence. It builds mistrust.” Clinton’s brief remarks concerned the timing of Prime Minister Ben jamin Netanyahu’s decision last week and the impact it may have on talks the Israelis and Palestinians are to begin soon on Jerusalem’s future and other touchy issues. The president did not deal directly with the merits of Israel’s claim to the city and its outskirts as the eternal capital of the Jewish people. But his stance conflicted with Netanyahu’s view that Israel can take unilateral actions altering the character of the city before negotiating with Arafat’s Palestinian Authority. Peru calls on Cuba for help in ending hostage crisis HAVANA—Peru’s president made a surprise visit to Cuba on Mon day, trying to see if Fidel Castro could help end a nearly three-month hostage crisis in Lima. He came away saying Cuba might accept the Tupac Amaru rebels who have been holding 72 VIPs since December. After a red-carpet welcome that underlined how rarely heads of state visit Cuba and his talks with Castro, Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori said Castro had expressed a willingness to accept the rebels if asked to do so. Fujimori did not say whether such a request was made, and there was no immediate comment from the Cuban government. While his comments appeared to open a door to a possible solution, it was not clear if the Tupac Amaru rebels demanding freedom for 300 jailed colleagues would agree to go to Cuba. Cuba and Jamaica have been named as possible havens for the rebels if a deal can be reached to end the standoff. n « Questions? Comments? Ask for the Nebraskan L «amgBSggSt Editor DougKbuma A&E Editor Jeff Randall Managing Edton Paula Lavigne Photo Director Scott Bruhn Assoc. News Editors: Joshua GUUn Art Director Aaron Stecteiberg Chad Lorenz WM> Editor Michelle Collins Night Editor AnneHjersman Night News Opinion Editor Anthony Nguyen Editors: Bryce Glenn AP Wire Editor JohnFulwider Leanne Sorensen Copy Desk Chief: Julie Sobczyk Rebecca Stone Sports Editor Trevor Parks Amy Taylor General Manager DanShattil Publications Travis Brandt Advertising Manager AmyStruthers Board Chairman: 436-7915 Asst Ad Manager Cheryl Renner Professional Don Walton Classified Ad Manager Tiffiny Clifton Adviser 473-7301 FAX NUMBER:472-1761 The Daily Nebraskan (USPS144-060) is published by the UNL Publications Board, Nebraska Union 34,1400 R St, Lincoln, NE 685884448, Monday through Friday during the academic yaar; weekly during summer sessions. Readers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebras kan by calling 472-2588.The public has access to the Publications Board. Subscriotion Drice is £55 for one vear. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34, 1400 R St, Lincoln, NE 68588-0448. Second-class postage paid at Lincoln, Neb. ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1997 DAILY NEBRASKAN
