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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 26, 2000)
Teens try peers in alternative court BY MARGARET BEHM Court is in session, and it looks like a normal trial - except most of the attorneys and jury members can’t legally vote or drive. For juvenile offenders in Lincoln, Lancaster County Teen Court is an alternative to being tried by juvenile court. Cedars Youth Services, 770 N. Cotner Blvd., holds the program as a part of its juvenile diversion program. Whether students can partic ipate in teen court depends on the severity of their crimes, said Bridget Birkel, a teen-court coor dinator employed by Cedars fouth Services. The defendants and attorney and jury volunteers are 13 to 18 pears old. Examples of cases that com monly are tried include shoplift ing, minor in possession of alco hol and trespassing. Defendants must voluntarily participate in the teen court pro gram. They also have to admit they’re guilty and want to take responsibility for their crimes, Birkel said. Volunteer teen-agers serve as the attorneys and jury members during trial. The judges are attor neys who volunteer their time. The jury members decide the sentences, which can include performing community-service hours, writing papers or touring a correctional facility. The defendants have to serve on the teen-court jury at least once, so they can see what a trial is like from a jury member’s per spective, Birkel said. "I think legal-wise they learn a lot about the whole system,” she said. “And they get to see the court process without having to be the one on trial.” Defendants have up to three months to complete their sen tences. If defendants complete the sentences, the charges are erased from their criminal records. Katie McAdams, a junior at Pius X Central High School, 6000 A St., has volunteered for teen court for about a year. She said she enjoys it and plans to become a lawyer. "You learn a lot of things,” 7 think that teen court can be a very appropriate mechanism for helping youth understand the ramifications of their actions. ” John McQuinn chief city prosecutor McAdams said. “You get a sense that you’re helping people. It’s a good experience, especially if you’re going into law.” Being a volunteer reminds her to stay on the right side of the law, McAdams said. “It makes you think about what you’re doing before you do it,” she said. McAdams said she can usual ly relate to the stories of the defendants after she hears them. “You see a lot of different situ ations,” she said. “Sometimes at first when you read the police report, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh! How could they do that?’ But then you hear their story and about their home life, and it puts a bet ter perspective on things.” The court is a good learning experience for juvenile offenders, said John McQuinn, chief city prosecutor for Lancaster County Juvenile Court. "I think teen court can be a very appropriate mechanism for helping youth understand the ramifications of their actions,” McQuinn said. There is a $75 fee to partici pate in teen court. The trials are on Monday evenings from 5 to 7 p.m. Six cases are tried each night. Teen court is a nationwide program. 1\vo other teen courts are in Omaha and Papillion. Seventy-nine percent of par ticipants who graduate from the program don’t re-offend. Birkel said she thinks this is because it’s teensputting other teens on trial. “It’s because they’re getting the sentence from their peers,” she said. “It means a lot more coming from someone their age.” Delivery man fights off robbery attempt A would-be robber was decked by the pizza delivery man he attempted to rob early Monday morning. About 1:15 a.m., the suspect grabbed the Ramo’s Pizza delivery man around the neck from behind as he left an apartment building. The building was in the 1400 block of South 14th Street, Lincoln Police Ofc. Katherine Finnellsaid. The delivery man forced the suspect’s arm off his neck and punched the robber, who fell to the ground Then the delivery man returned to Ramo’s Pizza & More, 3859 South St., where he called police. The suspect is described as a Hispanic man, 25- to 35-years old, 5-foot 8-inches tall, weighing about 190 pounds,. He wore black jeans and a black shirt Two men arrested in alleged assault after game A fight broke out after the Huskers’ 42-13 victory over Iowa because some fans were criticiz ing NU’s play. The UNL Police Department arrested two men for misde meanor assault after they attacked other fans at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Assistant Chief Mylo Bushing said. An officer standing in the intersection of Stadium and U streets saw the fight start on the west side of Memorial Stadium. Cody Cummins Sr., 21, from Waterloo, and Jeffrey Pospichal, 22, from Omaha, were arrested. Neither of the men is a University of Nebraska-Iincoln student. Four people taken to detox during Husker game During Saturday’s Cornhusker football game, four fans were taken to detox to sober up, though none was charged with crimes. At 2:15 p.m., Mark Waldecker, 37, of Omaha, was approached near Gate 3, and police deter mined that he was drunk. At detox, Waldecker had a .23 blood alcohol content, Bushing said. An hour later, another man was taken into protective custody at the same gate. Thomas Rush, 35, of Lincoln, refused the Breathalyzer test at detox. Also at 3:20 p.m., UNL sopho more Brent Ganey, 19, was found drunk in the stands. Ganey had a .195 blood alcohol content. Close to 4 p.m. a 30-year-old woman was reportedly passed out in a stadium bathroom. Police were unable to find the woman’s sister at the game, so Michelle Kemke-Eppler, of Omaha, was taken to detox where she was found to have a. 143 blood alcohol content Boy stabs mom's boyfriend during argument A 14-year-old boy used a knife to come to his mother’s aid as she fought with her boyfriend early Monday morning. At 1:30 a.m., a 30-year-old woman was arguing with her boyfriend, Nicky Delgado, 35, at a house on the 700 block of New Hampshire Street when the fight started to become physical, Finnell said. The woman called to her son to help. He responded by stab bing Delgado at least four times in the head and chest, Finnell said. All of the knife wounds were superficial, and Delgado, 3827 Washington St., was treated and released at BryanLGH Medical Center West, 2300 S. 16th St No one was arrested at the time of the incident. The county attorney will review the police reports and may file charges this week. Man cited tor allegedly having marijuana in car Early Sunday morning a car load of people allegedly smoking marijuana was spotted in a uni versity parking lot. One man was later cited. A community service officer smelled marijuana smoke while checking the 17th and R streets parking lot at 2:15 a.m. and called a University Police officer, Bushing said. The officer arrived as the car was leaving the lot. Police fol lowed the car to Q Street where the officer stopped it between 17th and 18th streets. The officer smelled marijuana smoke as he approached the car and then asked the driver who had the drug. The back-seat passenger, Adrian Ostronic, 20, had a bag of suspected marijuana tucked in his right shoe and a resin-coated pipe sitting on the floor in front of him. Ostronic, a Ralston man who is not a UNL student, was ticketed for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana and posses sion of drug paraphernalia. Compiled by Josh Funk R.J. DUFFEY, ARTIST 1-800-459-4554 W . - -v \ 1 \ yr jii ■ it Limited Edition Original Full Color Print 1 of 1000 Numbered/Signed by the Artist Ready to frame size in mat 10” x 14” $20 plus $3.20 shipping and handling. Send check or money order to: DUFFEY • PO Box 7000 • West Palm Beach, FL 33405 www.artbyduffey.com info@artbyduffey.com This is the Real Deal! Tonight, llie Creole Zydeco Farmers From Louisiana! ts~ Caailmto ftBuaa t~~ Let the University of Nebraska be your passport to the future. Fall 2000 Study Abroad Extravaganza Tuesday, September 26 11:00a.m.-2:00 p.m. North Entrance to NE Union Under the Arcade Work Study Travel Information Sessions at Union Square (next to the computer lab) ■ Scholarships and Financial Aid 12:00-12:45 p.m. ■ Work Abroad and Internships 1 00-1:30 p m. Internationa! Affairs 420 University Terrace Phone: 472-5358 http://www.iaffairs.unl.edu i ■ ■ I I ■ NO APPOINTMENTS NEEDED^ 117th & N St 476-9466 ■ OIL CHANGE SERVICE! 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