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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 1988)
Thursday, November 17,1988 The Battalion Pages nmates refuse orders after xecution of death row man remosi 1 AIDS mpson >vill in- estion- formal e dis- HUNTSVILLE (AP) —Prison of- tials were forced to lock down a Ing of death row convicts who re- jsed to report for work earlier this lonth in memory of a fellow inmate who was executed, inmates disclosed Wednesday. The action on behalf of Donald lene Franklin caused and interrupt ion in work flow at the nation’s only fison factory totally staffed by con- :mned men. Texas Department of Corrections officials said a factory supervisor Jisspoke when he previously al- |wed inmates to remain in their »lls on the day of an execution be- mse they were distraught or didn’t ire to work that day. The courtesy had been in effect jnce the factory opened 2'/a years Big 0 ' “Ttn not aware of any written pol icy,” spokesman David Nunnelee said. “It was explained to them there was no policy.” The supervisor earlier this year was transferred to another unit and a new supervisor was in charge Nov. 3 when Donald Gene Franklin be came the first Texas inmate to be put to death since January. This time, about 45 inmates — three times the usual number — failed to report to work the day of Franklin’s execution. “They would have been better off to sacrifice that one day of produc tion and start off the next day with an explanation,” Lester Bower, an inmate who works in the Ellis I Unit garment factory, said. “But no, they want to make a big deal out of it and so it’ll be two or three months smoothing feathers back down. In the long run, production-wise, they’ll suffer more by what they did. “It just got out of hand. I don’t know how else to explain it.” Franklin, executed for the 1975 abduction-slaying of a San Antonio nurse, was one of the longest-serving inmates on death row. His appeal, until rejected in June by the U.S. Supreme Court, blocked virtually all executions in the state for about a year. “What made this situation a little different was that because of the cus tomary 12 to 15 people laying in (re maining in their cells and refusing to work) — because Franklin was so well-known and because it had been so long since there had been an exe cution — about 45 men laid in,” Bower said. Only nine men reported to work for the regular 7 a.m. shift. “You have to understand the men do not understand they have done anything wrong,” Bower said. “It’s the old minor understanding that blows up into a major confronta tion.” Instead of the usual two security people, nearly two dozen officers converged on the plant. At least four inmates who work at the start of a line making shorts were written up as disclipinary cases ac cusing them of refusing to work. The lockdown, which confines in mates to their cells, was lifted the next day, Nunnelee said. “Both us prisoners and the ad ministration just grope around in the dark and once in a while we bump into each other,” Bower said. “We all learn from these little expe riences.” iventlon i today's J ury convicts accused mass murderer will talk Humana or sci' i. In 20J initiesin MSC. SC llaj' ar. i. in 402 . Marys is office at 6:30 alectof- on the n medi- !MSC, in 104 n Heart on and SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Jurors i Wednesday convicted mass mur- :r suspect Leo Narvaiz Jr., de- ribed by prosecutors as a cold, gut- ss coward who butchered his ex- rlfriend and her three siblings be- use she spurned him for another an. The 11-woman, one-man jury de liberated 2'A hours before convict- Ig the 20-year-old Narvaiz of killing Is former girlfriend. Shannon lann, 17; her siblings, Jennifer, 19; lartha, 15; and Ernest, 11, at their lobile home on April 15. ■ Narvaiz, who has been calm Jiroughout the trial, was Fidgety he re the verdict was read, but owed no reaction as the decision as revealed. The punishment phase of the trial 11 begin Thursday morning. Nar- dz faces the maximum penalty of eathby injection. District Attorney Fred Rodriguez eclined to comment, saying he ould wait until after the punish- rent phase. But defense attorney Ernie Glenn said his client was surprised by the capital murder verdict. “I think anybody would be sur prised by a verdict such as this,” Glenn said. “(But) I think Leo will accept the verdict as it came back from the jury.” The guilty verdict came one day after a tape recording of one of the victims’ Finals words was played in court. Shannon Mann called a 911 emer gency telephone operator during the attacks and said her boyfriend was beating them up. A voice on the tape, identified by a police detective as Narvaiz’s, asked Shannon Mann, “Why did you have to do this to me?” Rodriguez said that Narvaiz killed the Manns to punish them because Shannon refused to see him any more. “He wants justice. He’s gotten the right to a public trial,” Rodriguez said in closing arguments Wednes day. “What right did this gutless, spin eless, murderer accord them? None at all,” said Rodriguez, who de scribed the slayings as the most grisly in the county’s history. “He started out with that grain of vengeance in his black heart. He got to thinking he had been replaced. He had a mission in mind and when he got out there he executed it. “There was a smell of fear in the mobile home. They stared death in the face and they saw a knife-wield ing, cowardly, cutthroat — Leo Nar vaiz — and that was the last person they saw before they died,” Rodri guez said. Narvaiz, accused of breaking win dows in a truck belonging to Shan non’s boyfriend in late March, had maintained his innocence after his arrest. He told police investigators two days after the slayings, however, that he remembered going to the Mann home after snorting a large amount of cocaine. He said he stabbed Jen nifer after she stabbed him, but that he did not remember stabbing Er nest, Shannon or Martha. A tape-recorded telephone call made by Shannon Mann to the 911 emergency service that was played in court on Tuesday, however, re vealed that Narvaiz was at the home during the slayings and that Shan non Mann begged him for her life, prosecutors said. “Leo, please don’t,” Shannon Mann is heard saying. “I love you. I love ... I love you.” “Did you call the cops?” the male, identiFied by police as Narvaiz, asks Shannon Mann. “No, I didn’t,” she said. Testimony has revealed that the slayings were carried out in less than 10 minutes and that some knife blows were delivered so hard that blades broke in the victims’ bodies. Narvaiz has shown little reaction during the three-week trial, which has attracted more than 100 people per day to the small courtroom. Glenn suggested in closing argu ments that police did not do their job correctly and may be trying to pin the crime on Narvaiz. “Look at these pictures and de cide, ‘Is it possible that this little guy did this all by himself?” he said. 3t A&M jrPark, nament Educa- in 138 iage at ier. ademic director sy- TUDENT NMENT UNIVERSITY Donald, publish 'sUpis are ms i. lip Progress Report To; The Students of A&M From: Student Government Communications Public Relations Chairman: Michelle Van Duyn Newsletter Chairman/Editor: Rod Jag Staff Writers: Meaghan Affleck, Tim Meyer, Beth Schreiber, Terri Welch Re: The activities of Student Government during the Fall of 1988 ;es ol undry The Progress Report will include: that front iter. some- office ding. some- id two tee of 1. A Summary of current Status of the committees in Student Gov ernment 2. Some projected plans from each committees for the rest of the 1988 school year. 3. To better inform the students at Texas A&M on the progress of Student Government Executive Branch at she toying thai icle by ank. that linunt n and ement were Ration airs, some' tm an illetin te Re- [ caw- j that »s on B. A some- es on nt re- ic ah Ave- A. Big Event- A one day event for students at Texas A&M to do nate their time & skill through services to the Bryan College Station Sommunity. 1. Current Status A. Now contacting student organizations, dorms, fraternities and sororities to get committments to work. B. Working with the mayors and City Managers of Bryan/College Station to gather lists of jobs needing to help students 2. Projected Status A. To gain Texas & national media Coverage to help promote the Big Event at other Universities throughout Texas and other states. B. COSGA-Texas A&M’s National Conference on Student Govern ment Associations. 1. Current Status A. Now contacting 330 delegates from 75 schools nation wide to in vite them to the conference. 2. Projected Status A. To host COSGA on February 25-28, 1989 C. Elections Commission-Coordinates the Fall Freshman elec tions and Spring All-U elections for Student Government, class council, and Yell leaders 1. Current Status A. Completed Freshman elections 2. Projected Status A. Getting ready for Spring Elections. ;s ap- satf 6 jnday Jdent udent 1 then Seve- t< D. Freshman Programs- Leadership development Program for freshman 1. Current Status A. September, had finish Fish Aide Lock-in 1. Speakers Paul Henry, Dr. Coldis B. Meeting Senators C. Traditions meeting with yell Leaders and Revielle 2. Projected Status A. Try to get all Fish Aides on committees B. Christmas Party for Student Government in December at Dr. Adaio’s House. E. Legislative Study Group (LSG)- To be a professional rep resentative for the Students of Texas A&M in our state’s Congress on issues affecting the Students. 1. Current Status A. Researching the possibility of undergraduate tuition being placed in the hands of the Board of Regents B. Researching the South Texas Law Suit C. Incorporate Texas A&l into the A&M System F. Muster- Plans and execute Muster ceremony on campus. 1. Current Status A. Developed a new committee the “Endowment Committee” to Es tablish Endowment fund for muster. B. Endowment Committee 1. Managing and distributing of muster coin. 2. Projected Status A. Through the Public Relations Committee, maintaining a Strong awarness with the tradition of muster on campus and inform others of its history and its role to unify Students and former Students at Texas A&M. G. Parents Weekend-Coordinates activities on Parents Weekend, April 7-9, such as the All University Awards Ceremony, RHA Ca sino Night, MSC Varsity Shows, Corps Review. 1. Current Status A. Informing students about Parents Weekend and the need to make Hotel Reservations now. B. Schedules will be available in the spring C. Applications for nominations for Aggie Parents of the year will be From November 28 thru February 10. 2. Projected Status A. A fantastic Parents Weekend with a lot of activities for parents to attend. B. For parents to see all the aspects that Texas A&M has to offer. H. Traditions Council-Working to keep traditions alive at Texas A&M I. Current Status A. Recently held “Howdy Week” October 31 to November 5. B. Selling Howdy T-shirts in MSC C. Those who said Howdy to tradition council members win prizes 2. Projected Status A. Novemberl 9, switch off for kick off. B. Boutonnieres on sale November 14 thru 17th Legislative Branch A. Finance- Financial allocation of Student Services fees 1. Current Status A. Committee Selected, and process of meeting with the directors of the various Student Services 2. Projected Status A. Budget Seminar Scheduled for November 13 to help give mem bers an over view of Student Services B. External Affairs- Issues arising off campus 1. Current Status A. Working on improving relations between community and school, specifically with high school and improving A&M library C. Internal Affairs- Keeps the Senate active during and outside of formal meetings D. Rules and Regulations- deals with revisions of University Reg ulations. 1. Current Status A. Currently we are researching Senate reappointment for the 1989-90 academic year. Mon-Thurs 11-8:30 Fri 11-9:30 Sat 11-3:00 expires 11 -30-88 w Texas’ Best $4" Chicken Fried Steak Dinners with french fries, cream gravy & toast I ^ ^ Dodoe jCall for Directions 1822-9488 117 Fountain Now Open Saturday till 3 p.m. Williams ETo iMmcsrsms i»/Vit r rv! DOWT WORRY... Leave all your party frustrations to us. CATERING CASH BAR/OPEN BAR BAND/DJ LARGE PARTY FACILITY CLOSE TO CAMPUS CALL. US 606-5522 Native-American Cultural Exhibition Zuni Pueblo New Mexico |4 Traditional Dances Flute Music Craft Display M Performances: Thurs. November 17th 1 MSC Room 201 7:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. 1^ $2.00 per person 1 Tickets available at MSC Box Office, International Student Service and Craft Display Craft Display: November 16th & 17th MSC Flag Room Presented by: MSC International OPAS Development Forum Sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Student Services 1 'The. Bridal Emitiaue Formal and Evening Wear Refined, sophistocated, elegant Formals for any special evening. Your style. Your choice. Formal wear and accessories from Cologero’s beyond comparison. Formal Wear A Coamma Rental 2501 S.Texaa Avenoe, Suite 108 Col left Station i. i... i ■ COIOfliWS Formal Wear A Costume Rental The Bridal Boatlaue 2501 S. Texaa Aveaue, Suita 110 CoOega Station - next to Wina-Dbta M3-W58