Weather
Mostly cloudy with showers and
lundershowers today, high in low 70s.
ow tonight in the mid-50s. Decreasing
oudiness with chance of thunder-
howers on Friday. High tomorrow
low 70s. Precipitation probability 60
ercent today, 40 per cent tonight, and
0 per cent tomorrow.
Cbe Battalion
Vol. 68 No. 115
College Station, Texas
Thursday, April 29, 1976
c ^AnrEHH x ^
Two lawmen run
for sheriff spot
parking tickets. Students with past-due violations
were prevented from preregistering.
dmmittee to explore
arine recruit death
By LILLIAN FOREMAN
Incumbent Sheriff J.W. Hamilton and
detective John Miller will contend for the
Democratic nomination in the May 1 prim
ary of the Brazos County sheriff s race.
Hamilton, 68, is a 30-year resident of
Brazos County and has served as sheriff of
Brazos County since 1946.
Hamilton said that he is qualified for the
position because of his past experience in
law enforcement.
“Experiemce is the main thing. You can’t
beat it,” he said.
Hamilton said he is running for sheriff
because he believes in law enforcement
that will benefit the citizens of the county.
Hamilton said he has upgraded the
sheriffs department and has kept within
the budget for the last four years.
He doesn’t anticipate any great changes
in the department for the next four years.
“I would like to have personnel, though,
for a night patrol when funds are available, ”
he said.
“I’m all for the protection of the citizens
and their property.”
Hamilton lives at 913 Stanfield Circle in
Bryan.
Hamilton’s opponent, John Miller, 39,
has been active in law enforcement for 10
years. His first two years of law enforce
ment were spent with the Fayette County
Sheriffs Department and the last eight
years in Brazos County. He also has 420
hours of police schooling, many of which
were received at A&M.
Miller has previously been selected to
provide personnel protection for President
Ford and Governor Dolph Briscoe during
J. W. Hamilton
their visits to the community. He was also
instrumental in several heroin investiga
tions and in solving local theft rings,
burglaries and homicides.
Miller is currently employed by the Col
lege Station Police Department in the
Criminal Investigation Division as a detec
tive.
He said that he favors an active coordina
tion of Brazos County law enforcement
with other local and state law enforcement
agencies.
“This will provide a more complete form
of protection for the citizens of Brazos
County and also extend to areas that are not
under the jurisdiction of Bryan or College
Station police,” he said.
Miller also advocates rehabilitation
programs for first time offenders and drug
addicts. One of his main concerns is to
separate juvenile offenders from adidts and
John B. Miller
to upgrade present jail facilities. When
funds are available. Miller says that he
would like to establish a separate juvenile
facility that would have specially staffed
personnel.
“There is no sense in burdening the resi
dents for extra funds at this time,” he said.
Miller says that he favors direct supervi
sion of all investigations and prompt,
courteous response, by the sheriff’s de
partment to all calls and complaints from
the residents.
Miller said that he would like to also
create a position for a chief deputy in the
Brazos County sheriffs office.
“This would provide a man iil the
sheriff’s office at all times when I would be
gone. As it is now, there is no one there
when Mr. Hamilton is gone that is capable
of taking over the responsibilities of the
office,” he said.
Associated Press
IL13FKIN — Rep. Charles Wilson,
Ilex., says a House subcommittee will
|gin within the next two weeks its own
vestigation into the recruitment and
featk of a Marine recruit from Luikin.
IWilson yesterday said the investigation
Ml be conducted by the House Armed
Services subcommittee on personnel
chaired by Rep. Lucien Nedzi, D-Mich.
Wilson said the chairman’s staff met with
Marine officials Tuesday and the Marines
“made it certain” that serious abuses had
taken place at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Yesterday Marine officials at San Diego,
Calif, announced that a captain and two
al
tate supreme court
loses police records
Associated Press
AUSTIN — The Texas Supreme Court
sterday ruled that the press and the pub
ic have no legal or constitutional right to
« all police records.
The Houston Chronicle filed suit to test
exas’ 1973 Open Records Act and con-
itutional guarantees of freedom of the
iress.
Before the act went into effect, the
hronicle' argued, police customarily al-
wed reporters to see offense reports and
|rap sheets.”
When the Houston Post requested air-
Drt police records in 1974, however, the
itydeclined, and Atty. Gen. John Hill said
ll e information was not public. Later, Hill
id police could furnish to reporters the
formation they had been furnishing
hrough the years.
Shuttle rides
ree next week
All students can ride the University’s
shuttle bus system for the next two weeks
free of charge, E.C. Oates, chairman of the
Shuttle Bus Operations Committee, said
yesterday.
Oates said the students need only pre
sent a Texas A&M ID card to ride a bus
during May 3-14. The free bus rides are to
acquaint students not using the shuttle bus
with its operation.
Bus passes for 1976-77 will cost $15 per
semester, and student-spouse tickets will
cost $22.50 per semester.
Students purchasing bus passes may also
obtain a free night permit for their car. The
pennit allows students to park on campus
weekdays from’6 p.m. to 7 a. m. and all day
weekends.
Bus passes and night permits are availa
ble at the University Police station.
Oates said about 5,000 students used the
shuttle system last fall and he said he ex
pects over 6,000 to use it this coming fall.
Nevertheless, police refused to permit
reporters to see “rap sheets,” which con
tain the suspect’s name, a photograph,
marital status, names of relatives and iden
tifying marks such as scars and tattoos.
Police also reserved the right to withhold
the offense reports.
The primary purpose of the “rap sheet”
was to list chronologically all of the offenses
for which the suspect bas been charged,
but, the Supreme Court said, “The final
deposition of the charge is not always
noted. ”
Disclosure of such information, the
Houston Court of Civil Appeals said, con
tains “the potential for massive and unjus
tified damage to the individual.”
Neither the Open Records Act nor the
state or federal constitutions require “dis
closure of the complete records sought by
the Houston Chronicle,” the Supreme
Court said in an unsigned opinion.
Since the city of Houston did not appeal
the appeals court ruling, the Supreme
Court did not respond to whether the press
and public have a “statutory or constitu
tional right to obtain all of the information
which the court of civil appeals has held to
be public information.”
The appeals court ruled that police ad
ministrative records — such as police blot
ters, show-up sheets and arrest sheets —
are public information. These records in
clude the name, age, sex, race and occupa
tion of a suspect; name of the arresting
officer and the charge.
The appeals court also said the Chronicle
had a constitutional right to see a portion of
the offense report, including a detailed de
scription of the offense, location, identifica
tion and description of the complainant,
premises, weather and the names of the
arresting officers.
Off-limits in that report, the appeals
court said, are police speculation about a
suspect’s guilt; police views on a witness’
credibility; summaries of purported con
fessions, and the results of polygraph
examinations. This information, the court
said, reporters often pick up anyway in in
terviews.
drill sergeants will receive gener
courts-martial and another sergeant will
receive a special court-martial for their in
volvement in the training exercise that re
sulted in the death of the Lufkin recruit,
McClure. In addition, the commanding of
ficer of the recruit training regiment will
receive a letter of reprimand.
McClure, 20, was injured last December
during a recruit training exercise involving
pugil sticks — a weapon used to simulate a
bayonet. He was knocked unconscious and
was transferred to a Houston hospital
where he died in March without regaining
consciousness.
Wilson raised serious questions about
the manner in wbich McClure was re
cruited by the Marines, including the claim
that McClure was coached to pass the
Marine test.
In its announcement yesterday the
Marines said that:
V Sgt. H. E. Aguilar will be tried by
general court-martial on charges alleging
negligent homicide, maltreatment of a re
cruit, dereliction of duties and violations of
a general order.
V S.Sgt. Harold L. Bronson will face a
general court-martial on charges of in
voluntary manslaughter, aggravated as
sault, maltreatment of a recruit, dereliction
of duties and violations of a general order.
V Capt. C. V. Taylor will go before a
general court-martial on charges alleging
dereliction in the performance of duties,
failure to obey a lawful order, and violating
a general order.
V S.Sgt. H. C. Wallraffwillbetriedbya
special court-martial on charges alleging
dereliction of duties and violating a general
order.
V Col. R. A. Seymour, commanding of
ficer of the recruit training regiment in
which McClure served, will receive a letter
of reprimand. Other administrative
punishment was expected for Capt. J. B.
Ullmann of the headquarters and service
battalion.
Precinct 7 constable
primary draws two
By DAVID WHITE
Rick Cockrell will try to bring youth and
new blood into the race for county consta
ble of precinct seven, the College Station
area, while his opponent, incumbent E.W.
Sayers will stand on his experience in the
primary election, May 1.
Cockrell, 24, of 409 Jane St. in College
Station, is a teacher at Allen Academy. He
hopes to interject young ideas into tbe job
and acquaint local youth with law enforce
ment and the need for a change in the
attitudes young people have toward the
law.
Cockrell says he will carry the constable
duties beyond the normal functions.
“I’d like to see the local youth become
more involved in youth organizations and
community organizations to keep them
busy. I would try to do this as constable
with the cooperation of the police.”
Cockrell is a graduate of Texas A&M
with a bachelor of arts in history. He is also
an accredited teacher. He said he has no
experience in law enforcement but if
elected, he would be sent to a constable
school for training.
He says that Sayers has had some con
frontations with the local youth and college
students and he would try to cultivate bet
ter relations with them.
Sayers, 57, of 506 Brooks St. in College
Station, works for Montgomery Wards in
See PRECINCT, Page 7
Three Democrats in race
for County Constable
Auto insurance
may rise again
Associated Press
AUSTIN — Car insurance companies
are in a “back-to-the wall situation” be
cause of inflation and will have to ask the
state Insurance Board for rate increases
this summer, an industry spokesman said
today.
The board, which raised rates an average
of 17 per cent on Jan. 1, has scheduled its
annual car insurance hearing for July 15.
He said medical and car repair costs co
vered by auto insurance have nearly tripled
in the past eight years.
Who has the authority to arrest the
sheriff, should he commit a crime? The
only county official able to do so is the
County Constable. The authority to en
force the law, and to serve subpoenas and
citations handed down from the Justice of
the Peace Court, also belongs to the const
able.
In the May 1st primary, three candidates
are vying for the Democratic nomination
for county constable, position four. The
race is being contested by Dick Munday,
Jessie Stanfield and Paul Ponzio.
Incumbent, Dick Munday, 42, is
employed with State Farm Insurance.
Munday has served as constable for two
terms.
‘Hot checks’ were a problem before I
became constable, and they will always be
a problem,’ Munday said. “Eighty per cent
of business is done by checks, and as long as
people write checks there will be hot
checks’.”
Munday said he would work toward
helping apartment dwellers collect their
deposit if they leave the apartment undam
aged. “If a guy has cleaned up the apart
ment like the lease specifies, he ought to
get his deposit back. ”
Munday is married and lives in Bryan.
Jessie L. Stanfield, 44, was a law en
forcement officer for 13 years. He served
four of the 13 years as county constable. He
recently sold his business. Acme Auto
Sales.
Stanfield is a graduate of Texas A&M
Police Academy and the A&M Academy for
Constables and Justices of the Peace.
He said he would strive to work directly
with the people of Brazos County.
“I will be available for service to the
people who elect me to this position. I
pledge to work with citizens of all ages in
understanding and enforcing laws of state
and country. ”
Stanfield said he thinks the occurrence of
“hot checks” can be greatly reduced.
‘Hot checks’ are not being handled
properly now,” Stanfield said. “I would
expedite in every manner serving the pap
ers.
Stanfield is married and lives at 912 Stan
field Circle in Bryan.
Paul Ponzio, 52, is owner and operator of
See DEMOCRATIC, Page 7
Statewide thunderstorms hit area
electrical service down for while
Because of thunderstorms and heavy
shower activity in the Bryan-College Sta
tion area early this morning many people
were without power and possibly were late
for work. The power failure occurred
shortly after 2 this morning.
The storm was part of a line of thunder
showers across the state. Within a 45-
minute period, the city of Bryan reported
an inch of rain.
In the Houston area, the forecast by the
National Weather Service simply said
“wet.” A line of heavy thunderstorms was
centered over the southern half of the state
from Del Rio to Houston. Severe winds
were also reported in the area.
In several of the counties of South Cent
ral Texas, there were severe weather flood
warnings. Central Texas received moder
ate to heavy rains after a cool front became
active sometime during the night.
In other sections of the state thick fog
and slight drizzle reduced visibility.
North Central Texas reported generally
light rains this morning after heavier rain-
fall yesterday. However, more rain was
predicted for the same area.
Forecasters are predicting more rain in
all parts of the state today, but the shower
activity should decrease over the West
Texas area tonight. Temperatures early
this morning ranged from a low 46 degrees
at Amarillo to 76 degrees at Brownsville
and Corpus Christi.
Senate panel urges intelligence watchdog
r
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Senate intelli
gence committee’s catalogue of a variety of
domestic intelligence abuses marks the
end of its investigation and the beginning of
a fight over whether a special congressional
panel should monitor spy agencies.
In a 396-page report released Wednes
day, the committee detailed previously
disclosed abuses such as CIA domestic spy
ing, the FBI’s Cointelpro program and the
National Security Agency’s eavesdropping.
“All this occurred because intelligence
agencies were ordered to break the law,
felt they had a right to break the law, and
even felt they had a duty ... to break the
law,” Sen. Walter F. Mondale, D-Minn., a
member of the committee, said after re- •
lease of the report.
The intelligence panel declared that “in
telligence activities which undermine in
dividual rights must end” and made a total
of 96 recommendations, including the for
mation of a strong congressional panel to
guard against future spy agency abuses.
Without the new watchdog panel, “the
great work of this committee will have been
lost,” said Mondale.
But within hours of Mondale’s remarks,
the Senate Rules Committee voted to gut
that recommendation by stripping all
budgetary and legislative authority from
the proposed watchdog panel.
Rules Committee member Dick Clark,
D-Iowa, called the 5 to 4 vote “a direct
repudiation” of the intelligence panel’s
findings that the government used bug
ging, burglary and blackmail to collect vast
information on the private lives and politi
cal beliefs of Americans.
The Rules Committee adopted instead a
substitute proposed by chairman Howard
W. Cannon, D-Nev., to convert the prop
osed watchdog panel to a study group with
no legislative or budgetary powers.
Clark, along with most of the members of
the intelligence committee, vowed, in
Mondale’s words, “to fight very, very vig
orously” when the issue reaches the Senate
floor within the next two weeks.
Clark predicted that the Senate would
not take up the issue of revealing the U.S.
spy budget, another recommendation of
the intelligence committee, until it has re
solved the problem of what type of perma
nent intelligence committee it wants.
Two Republican members of the intelli
gence panel, vice chairman John Tower of
Texas and Sen. Barrv Goldwater of Arizo
na, have announced their opposition to
creation of a new intelligence committee.
The nine other members of the committee
appear united in their support of such a
panel.
Both Tower and Goldwater are members
of the Armed Services Committee, which
traditionally has been responsible for
monitoring activities of the CIA, Defense
Intelligence Agency and NSA. Sen.
Richard S. Schweiker, R-Pa., a member of
the intelligence committee, declared
Wednesday that “Congress bears a heavy
responsibility for ignoring its consititu-
tional oversight role.”
Index
Czech program at A&M is clarified.
Reader’s Forum, Page 2.
Mushrooms may be fatal. Page 3.
Thomas, theater arts professor,
resigns. Page 4.
A&M provides one in eleven vet
erinarians in the United States.
Page 5.
The A&M baseball team’s NCAA
berth is at stake. Page 9.
Classifieds. Page 4.
Entertainment. Page 8.
'