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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 21, 1990)
hursday, June 21,1990 The Battalion Page 3 riends turn in accused killer our of murder scene leads police to suspect and read Id wish to nd undis- i be toler- / .silenced side wilt e we con- ous opin. te people CONROE (AP) — A 20-year-old’s jour of a murder scene for friends lelped police put together the case hey needed against a juvenile ac- used in the rape-slaying of a 16- ear-old girl and the lulling of her 9- 'ear-old sister. A 16-year-old boy, charged with :apital murder and sexual assault, eportedly told police he went into a age after Gracie Purnhagen, 16, iroke off their relationship. Gracie ind her sister, Tiffany, were found lead in a wooded area. They were eported missing last Thursday. The case came together after lichard Scott Schuschu, 20, told ome friends about the slayings and ook them to see the bodies, authori- ies said. “Fortunately, some of these peo- le related what all they knew to po ke,” Montgomery County District Attorney Peter Speers, said. The 16-year-old boy told investi gators he picked up Gracie and Tif fany at a bowling alley and they drove to a wooded area, where Gra cie and the boy got out of the truck to discuss their relationship, Sheriff Joe Corley said. “They (the 16-year-old boy and Gracie) had a stormy relationship,” he said. “It seems he’s very posses sive of his girlfriends.” He became enraged after Gracie said she was going to move to North Carolina with her family. Corley said the 16-year-old told officers he raped and strangled Gra cie, then stabbed her several times with a pocketknife. Tiffany was strangled but not sexually assaulted, Corley said. The sheriff said the boy placed the bodies head to head in the woods and drove to Humble to ask Schus chu to help him dispose of them. The pair allegedly returned to the woods in Schuschu’s station wagon in the pre-dawn hours Saturday, planning to dump the bodies in wa ter with wire and cinder blocks, the sheriff said. For unknown reasons, they didn’t. While leaving, Schuschu was stopped by a sheriffs deputy on out standing traffic warrants. When he was released, the pair went back, but again did not move or hide the bod- Schuschu later told friends about the killings and took them to the scene. He was charged with capital mur der, but those charges will be dropped because he did not take E art in the killings, Speers said. The oy was taken into custody Tuesday. Police haven’t released the boy’s name because he is ajuvenile. He re mained jailed Wednesday. Droughty harsh winter stall killer bees’ journey north WESLACO (AP) — It’s tough to see the bright side of a drought and a harsh winter, but there is one. They kept the so-called “killer bees” south of the border a little longer than scientists predicted. Scientists have speculated that the ill-tempered Africanized honeybees could arrive in far South Texas as early as this spring after trapping a con firmed Africanized honeybee swarm last November 'Ain Sota la Marina, a Mexican town about 150 miles south of Brownsville. Last month, U.S. scientists trapped two more groups of Africanized bees near the coastal fishing village of La Pesca east of Soto la Marina, but still no closer to the United States. No other Africanized bees have been found any nearer to Texas. That’s probably because of a prolonged drought and a December freeze that killed much of the vege tation in the area and dried up the food supply for the bees, Anita Collins, head researcher with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Honey Bee Re search Lab at Weslaco, said. “There’s no vegetation that is blooming to provide nectar for the bees to build up their population,” she said. Harsh conditions may also have killed some of the bees, she said. The Africanized honeybees tend to expand their range as colonies become overcrowded, then divide into new swarms that search for new places to colo nize, Collins said. Without food, the bee population has not grown enough to produce many new swarms, she said. Collins said Wednesday it was unlikely any had made their way to Texas just yet, despite a USDA “backgrounder” paper issued Tuesday in Washing ton which said that “some may have arrived in south ern Texas even as you read this.” She said she did not know when they would reach Texas. . . The department in April issued a paper predict ing the bees’ arrival in Texas “some time during 1991-92 by natural spread, although some swarms may arrive sooner. ” Africanized honeybees are offspring of African bees that escaped in 1956 from a now infamous re search project in Brazil. gimes, S: Officials face indictments e :i over insurance scandals ig violem 1) ignore r (3) con- nir opin- between t for out falls and n on tht tion AUSTIN (AP) — Officials in volved in the largest insurance com- aany failures in Texas and a former ;tate insurance regulator were in dicted Wednesday on charges that hey bilked policyholders and looted aremiums. Travis County District Attorney Unnie Earle said he hoped the in dictments and ongoing special inves- dgation into some 60 insurance com- aanies would avert a savings and oan type scandal that “shakes the oundation of the w'hole industry.” Sen. John Montford, D-Lubbock, who pushed for funding of the in- iurance fraud unit in the district at- orney’s office, said, “I think the xoblem is deep and I think it is se- ious.” Robert Walker, formerly of Dal- as, and former chairman of the >oard of National County Mutual ure Insurance Co. of Dallas, has )een accused of transferring more han $9 million in premiums to his aersonal accounts to pay off debts, hi to edit y::- nia ^ e inves nents into Walker- uaranuttM Qwnec i companies and purchase a n addmu j 481 0 00 yacht and $229,000 heli- CarnHWonter, Earle said. Walker, indicted on one count of heft, 11 counts of misapplication of unds and two counts of filing a false financial statement, is not in the country and his whereabouts are un known, according to First Assistant District Attorney Steve McCleery. National County Mutual was $54 million in debt when it was declared insolvent in October, 1988. The bankruptcy rocked the insurance in dustry and State Board of Insur ance, which was criticized for not stepping in sooner to protect the company’s 126,000 policyholders. Several high ranking executives at the state insurance agency and the entire three-member board even tually were replaced and the Legis lature adopted an insurance reform package aimed at tightening super vision over the industry. Also named in the indictment charging Walker with filing a false financial statement is Gene Hardin, another National County Mutual of ficial. The theft and misapplication of funds charges carry a penalty of two to 20 years in state prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Filing false financial statements is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Also on Wednesday, officials with Best Lloyds Insurance Company of Houston were indicted by the special grand jury that has been investigat ing allegations of insurance fraud since April. Guerilla raid flares repercussions Bush breaks off U.S. dialogue withPLO HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — President Bush broke off America’s dialogue with the Palestine Liberation Organization Wednesday, saying a guerrilla raid on Israel’s coast “is sticking in our throat” and must be renounced by Yasser Arafat for the relationship to resume. “We’ve given the PLO ample time to deal with this issue,” Bush said at a news conference at the Marshall Space Flight Center in the midst of a day of campaigning for Republicans in Alabama and North Carolina. Bush said Israeli civilians were clearly the tar get of the May 30 raid, for which the Palestine Liberation Front has taken responsibility. The PLF is headed by Abul Abbas, an Arafat associate and a member of the PLO executive committee. The attack was thwarted when Israeli defend ers intercepted five speedboats when they landed. Four guerrillas were killed and 12 cap tured. The boats, carrying 16 guerrillas armed with rockets and machine guns, reportedly were dropped off a Libyan ship 120 miles at sea. “This terroristic act is sticking in our throat,” Bush said, declaring he was acting even though his decision could incite new violence in the Mid east. Bush said he was willing to reopen the talks — which enhanced Arafat’s standing in the Arab world — if the PLO condemns the raid, disasso ciates itself from the action and moves to disci pline Abbas, who Bush said, was “the perpetra tor.” The PLO last week said,“The PLO position re mains unchanged. We are against any military action that targets civilians, whatever form it may take.” The decision comes at a time when U.S. efforts to^ induce Israel to revive the Middle East peace “I I think the president sought to find a way to conscientiously continue this dialogue, but it has to be one in which conditions which we set forth ... are respected.” —Thomas S. Foley, Representative process have run out of energy. Israel welcomed the administration’s decision. A statement issued by the embassy in Washing ton said Bush’s decision “will encourage those Palestinians seeking peace with Israel to seize upon this opportunity to begin a direct dialogue with Israel.” The League of Arab States called the suspen sion of the dialogue a “blow to peace” and said it“signals a penalty to Arab moderation — espe cially Palestinian moderation — and rewards Is raeli intransigence.” And Faisal Husseini, one of the leading Pales tinian nationalists in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, said the United States was “punishing the wrong people.” Israel, he said in an interview in Washington, was refusing to match the conces sions made by the PLO. “This will make the radicals and all those who oppose peace strong,” he said. Yael Dayan, daughter of the late Israeli gen eral Moshe Dayan, said cutting off the dialogue “opens the doors to war.” Dayan, who is touring the United States with Husseini on behalf of the Israeli Peace Now movement, said Bush’s deci sion signals “the burial of a slow process that had barely begun.” On Capitol Hill, the speaker of the House, Rep. Thomas S. Foley, D-Wash., said he sup ported Bush’s decision. “I think the president sought to find a way to conscientiously continue this dialogue, but it has to be one in which conditions which we set forth ... are respected,” Foley said. Rep. William Broomfield of Michigan, the se nior Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also hailed Bush’s action. “America must let Arafat know that the PLO can’t talk peace and wage war at the same time,” he said, adding: “President Bush was wise to suspend rather than terminate the talks. Arafat should know that the United States is still willing to cooperate in the search for peace, but not under the barrel of a gun.” Tanker owners pay $333,700 to assess spill insidered illeviate s during AUSTIN (AP) — A state and fed- :ral agency will receive $333,700 fom tne owners of the Mega Borg ind its cargo to assess the oil spill fom the tanker. e seldom sorted dhesive ■rmoineiti 3) for or Halls enolforp 10I tablets laminefe >n sicknes for imed I us or Gel }5 mg.) ft ne spray creenloli l with all ind ning dedicate i nergenc] a safe at The agreement announced (Vednesday is between the Texas iVater Commission, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis- ration and the tanker owner, KS Mega Borg II, officials said. The voluntary agreement is the irst of its kind between state and ederal agencies and a tanker owner, he commission said Wednesday. The study will include how much itmentfoB 0 '! was l° st an d the impact on shrimp iisheries. It will also monitor how much sand is removed from Texas reaches as a result of the spill. Correction A man was incorrectly ide fied in a Page 4 photo in Wed day’s Battalion. The man carving the tatto Gary Rich. The Battalion reg the error. Special master names fee for work on finance reform AUSTIN (AP) — A court-ap- f iointed special master in the school inance reform case on Wednesday asked the state to pay him $18,688 for his work — including time spent being interviewed by reporters. William Kilgarlin was appointed to develop a school finance reform proposal in case lawmakers and Gov. Bill Clements didn’t come up with their own plan to meet a Texas Su preme Court order for change. Kilgarlin, a former Supreme Court justice, left the court before it handed down its order last year. The court ruled the school finance sys tem unconstitutional after finding glaring disparities between rich and poor school districts. A preliminary proposal was pre sented by Kilgarlin in state court on June 1 that would shift state money from wealthy school districts and those with a low local tax effort to poor ones with a strong tax effort. But the same day, the Republican governor and Democratic legislative leaders broke a three-month dead lock to develop their own plan, which became law. The new law, which would pump $528 million more into public education this school year, is being challenged by poor senool districts. In a motion filed in state district court, Kilgarlin presented a bill for the work he has done, including fees for services and expenses. At a rate of $ 190 per hour, Kilgar lin asked to be paid for time on such activities as conferences with State District Judge Scott McCown, who appointed him; associate masters; and with experts, attorneys and offi cials, including Education Commis sioner W.N. Kirby and Comptroller Bob Bullock. Kilgarlin also listed on the bill his swearing-in, and interviews with press, radio and television. Only two listings are solely for in terviews. They are four hours of ra dio and television interviews, for a total of $760, on May 11; and a 15- minute telephone conference with a Houston television station, for $47.50, on Tuesday. House ponders flag burning issue while Texan touts licensing bill WASHINGTON (AP) — House members Wednesday pondered whether to amend the Constitution to prevent flag burning while a Texas congressman touted his bill to license the Stars and Stripes. Rep. John Bryant, D-Dallas, said his plan will pass the constitutional test that last year’s flag burning law did not. The bill creates “a U.S. Flag Com mission that would authorize the manufacture of the official United States flag, thereby creating a prop erty right in each flag and allowing us to prohibit the desecration of the official U.S. flag,” he said. Bryant is one of three Texas con gressmen who oppose amending the Constitution to prohibit flag burn ing. He said, “Amending the Consti tution is going too far and leaves us in the position of doing damage to the very thing that the flag stands for.” Rep. Albert Bustamante, D-San Antonio, who said he is leaning in support of the amendment, ex pressed frustration with the way some members of Congress are viewing the issue. “I’m bothered by the politics of this thing,” Bustamante said. He said that when colleagues talk about mak ing campaign commercials out of their flag stance, “They’re not real sincere about the flag.” Aides to Democratic Reps. Martin Frost of Dallas, Jake Pickle of Austin and Charles Stenholm of Stamford said the congressmen were still un decided on the eve of the amend ment vote. Rep. Jack Brooks, D-Beaumont, who pushed the amendment through the Judiciary Committee he leads, said Thursday’s vote will be close. In an Associated Press survey ear lier this week, 242 House members were supporting the amendment, 11 leaning in favor, 109 opposed and six leaning against. Fifty-four were undecided and 11 were not avail able. “It would be close this week, it would be close next week,” Brooks said. To become part of the Constitu tion, the amendment must get 289 votes in the House and 67 in the Senate plus ratification by 38 state legislatures. President Bush is pressing for ap proval of the amendment, which would allow Congress and the states to outlaw burning or other dese cration of the flag. Bryant said he would proceed with his bill regardless of the amend ment vote. Other congressmen have also offered flag burning bills. “Even if you pass a constitutional amendment, some statute has to fol low,” Bryant said. His bill creates a commission of seven people to be appointed by the president to license the manufacture of the U.S. flag. Those flags would bear a seal, in dicating it is an official flag that may be destroyed only at the expense of a federal penalty. t Write loth -Lima, Slui l. College^ red anonji* 'fan twP me, addrts 1 mail 0MESP CotiCtf n 4 CRE^ F^cgtaurarit 1503 S. Texas Ave 693-1736 GARFIELD'S THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE $3 come in this Thursday and get your tickets for 00 must be 21 or over Daily Happy Hour 4-7 99<: Margaritas 50<: draft beer Daily Lunch Specials $2.95 Be Involved in the Hea/ing Feeling \ GIVE BLOOD, DATE: Monday, June 25 thru Thursday, June 28 TIME: 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m PLACE: Bloodmobiles at Academic & Blocker THE BLOOD CENTER ■A-/ at Wadley