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The Battalion
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Thursday, September24,11
Group to aid disabled students
By TANYA WILLIAMS
Reporter of THE BATTALION
Disabled students at Texas A&M Univer
sity agree that the University offers some of
the best facilities and support systems but
feel that it is time for disabled students to
have a voice.
Ben Wolf and Andrea Nixon, both dis
abled students, are developing the Disabled
Student Network Support Group, an organi
zation to help disabled students gain a voice
on campus.
"A&M's got the best services for handi
capped students, but the students don't have
a direct link to the administration," Wolf
said. "Communication is the broken link in
the chain."
"We hope that the student network gives
the disabled students, as a whole, a sense of
continuity," Nixon said. "Right now, our
voice is broken, and we need more unity."
The support network would allow dis
abled students to do things for themselves as
well as allow other students on campus to be
more aware of the disabled students.
"Other students are not aware of the num
ber of students that are disabled on campus
because most of the disabilities aren't visi
ble," Wolf said. "Students do not realize that
there are 400 to 500 disabled students on
campus."
Nixon hopes that the support system can
be set up on a computer network, so that
more students can respond.
"In the past, accessibility has been the
problem," Nixon said. "Now, they will be
able to link up."
In their meeting this evening. Wolf and
Nixon hope to get input on how to develop
the support network.
"We hope to get a steering committee
nominated and develop goals, specifics on
membership and ideas about the group,"
Wolf said.
The meeting will be this evening at 7 p.m.
in room 146 of the Student Services Building.
Wolf and Nixon hope to get a good diversity
of students, both disabled and non-disabled.
Wolf, who is a second year graduate stu
dent, went blind in 1985 as a result of a dis
ease.
He had previously worked as a loan offi
cer, and after going blind. Wolf felt that go
ing back to school would help prove to him
self, and future clients, that he could succeed.
Nixon, a junior aerospace and psychology
major, suffers from Chronic Idiopathic Pro
gressive Atoxic Polymiohueropathy which
she' describes as a peripheral nervous system
disorder affecting balance. Hers is one of 20
cases known worldwide.
"We have to bring a new mind-set to
A&M," Wolf said. "We need to get as many
people as possible involved."
Court denies man's stay of execution appeal
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — The Texas Court
of Criminal Appeals rejected
Wednesday the appeal of a man
sentencea to death for killing
four members of a San Antonio
family.
Leopoldo Narvaiz Jr. was con
victed in the April 15, 1988 slay
ings of Shannon Mann, 17, her
sisters, Jennifer, 19, and Martha,
15, and brother Ernest Jr., 11.
The crime was described by
officials at the time as one of the
most brutal in the city's history.
Each of the victims suffered
numerous stab wounds, and
their bodies were scattered
throughout the Manns' mobile
home.
In his appeal, Narvaiz alleged
numerous errors were made dur
ing his trial and claimed the evi
dence against him was not suffi
cient to support the jury's find
ing of guilt. The court rejected all
arguments.
Prosecutors said Narvaiz,
who was 20-years-old at the time
of the crime, committed the
killings out of anger over a
breakup with Shannon Mann,
whom Narvaiz said he had
known for several years.
He was arrested shortly after
police found the bodies.
He had numerous cuts and
scratches, and a pair of wet jeans
and tennis shoes that were later
determined to have contained
traces of human blood, police
said.
During the trial, the jury was
presented a statement about the
crime that police said was given
by Narvaiz.
According to the statement,
Narvaiz said he was high on co
caine, remembered stabbing Jen
nifer but not the others, and that
Shannon was dead when he left
"The state's case was quite
strong, especially in light of the
appellants written statement.
which corroborated much of the
state's other evidence and impli-
cated appellant alone in four
murders,'* Judge Charles Camp
bell said.
When Narvaiz arrived on
death row he blamed the mur
ders on two unknown men.
The court also rejected Nar-
vaiz's arguments that he should
have been tried in another loca
tion because of pre-trial publici
ty, and that photographs of the
crime scene were introduced as
evidence for inflammatory pur
poses.
But the court said Narvaiz
failed to prove that the jury was
prejudiced against him because
of pre-trial publicity.
The court also said that al
though the photographs were
gruesome, they merely depicted
the crime scene as found by the
police.
Also Wednesday/the court
denied the appeal of Jesse De-
Wayne Jacobs, a former Okla
homa auto mechanic sentenced
to death in the 1986 murder of
Etta Ann Urdiales, a 25-year-old
paramedic in Conroe.
Jacobs in a videotaped state
ment had told investigators he
forced Urdiales from her apart
ment, shot her and buried her in
a remote area of Montgomery
County.
He said in the statement he
did it for his sister. Jacobs said
his sister was in love with Ur
diales' estranged husband and
believed Urdiales was creating
problems in a child custody dis
pute.
Jacobs later recanted his con
fession and said his sister shot
Urdiales after he brought the
woman to her.
His sister was convicted of a
lesser charge of involuntary
manslaughter and sentenced to
10 years in prison.
The court, which earlier grant
ed Jacobs a stay of execution, de
nied his appeal.
SC GREAT ISSUE
"All in the Family"
The Story Behind British/American Relations"
featuring:
The Right Honorable Dudley Fishburn
Monday, Sept. 28
8:00 PM
MSC Room 226
'k Member of Parliament for Kensington
k Parliament Private Secretary to the
Capital Minister of Trade
k Member of the Board of Overseers of Harvard
k Former Executive Editor of The Economist
Fellow of the Royal Institute of International Affairs
k Free-Lance Journalist for The Times,
The New York Times, and The Economist
The Battalion
ATLANTIS TILLMAN, Editor in Chief
STEVE O’BRIEN, Managing Editor
JASON LOUGHMAN, Opinion Editor GARY CARROLL, City Editor
MEREDITH HARRISON, News editor J. DOUGLAS FOSTER, Sports Editor
HEIDI SAUER, News Editor CHRIS WHITLEY, Sports Editor
TODD BLACKMON, Arts & Entertainment KARL STOLLEIS, Photo Editor
Editor
Staff Members
Reporters — Melody Dunne, Mark Evans, Todd Stone, Sharon Gilmore, Robin Roach, Brandi Jordan,
Cheryl Heller, Tanya Sasser, Robin Goodpaster, Juli Phillips, Tanya Williams, Julie Chelkowski, Monique
Lunsford, and Will Healy.
Copy editors — Kyle Burnett, Tracia Newbold, Jennifer Mentlick, David Thomas and Jennifer Smith.
Photographers — Darrin Hill, Jenny Matlack, Randy Nichols, Sandra Alvarado, Billy Moran, and Robert
Reed.
Lifestyles writers — Susan Owen, Anas Ben-Musa, Tricia Martinez and Julie Polston.
Sports writers— K. Lee Davis, Michael Plumer, Don Norwood and Ruly Medrano.
Columnists — Anthony LoBaido, Stacy Feducia, Dwayne Purvis, Shawn Ralston, Matt Dickerson, and Toni
Garrard.
Cartoonists — William Harrison, Thomas Deeney, George Nasr, and Clay Welch.
Clerks — Darra Dees, Jane Harvey, Shelley Rowton and Jamie Anderson.
The Battalion (DSPS 045-360) is published daily, Monday through'Friday during the fall and spring semesters
and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except university holidays and exam periods), at
Texas A&M University. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77840.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M
University, College Station, TX 77840.
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of
Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. Editorial offices are in 013 Reed McDonald
Building. Newsroom phone number is 845-3316. Fax: 845-2647.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the Opinion Page staff or the contributor and do not
necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M Battalion editors, student body, administration, faculty
or staff.
Advertising: For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For classified advertising,
call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday
through Friday. Fax: 845-5408.
Subscriptions: Mail subscriptions are S20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year. To
charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 845-2611.
with POP POPPINS
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24
STAFFORD OPERA HOUSE
I 06 S. Mdin, Rry^n College Station, TX (409)7 7.5-408?
RESEARCH
Skin Infection Study
VIP Research is seeking individuals 12 years of age or older with
uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections. If you have a skin
infection, you may qualify for a four week research study using a currently
available antibiotic medication. Participants who qualify and complete
the study will be paid $200.
Genital Herpes Study
Individuals with genital herpes infection are being recruited for a 3 week
research study of an investigational anti-viral medication. If you would
like to find out more about this study, call VIP Research. $400 will be
paid to qualified volunteers who enroll and complete ihis siudy.
Acne Study
VIP Research is conducting an ACNE research study with a
reformulation of a currently available topical anti-acne medication in gel
form. If you are 13 to 40 years old and have mild-to-moderate facial
acne,you may qualify for this study and receive up to $150 for your ||:
participation. No blood drawn.
CALL
Volunteers in Pharmaceutical Research, Inc.
1 776-1417 If
IV - - —is
State prison board
chairman
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN (AP) — State prison
board chairman Selden Hale re
signed Tuesday after the gover
nor's office looked into his inves
tigation of a fellow board mem
ber.
"The board needs the consen
sus and cohesiveness of all those
members working together, espe
cially the chairman . . . This inves
tigation (of another Board of
Criminal Justice member) we felt
had compromised that ability of
his to bring the board together,"
said Bill Cryer, spokesman for
Gov. Ann Richards.
Cryer confirmed that board
member Joshua Allen of Beau
mont was investigated 14 months
ago, at Hale's behest, by the De
partment of Criminal Justice's in
ternal affairs unit concerning con
flict-of-interest allegations that
"proved to be groundless."
Hale said of the allegations
that "it turned out there wasn't
anything to it."
But Hale said the investigation
was within his authority and that
he believed at the time that it
"was the right thing to do."
"If I hadn't done it, people
would have said I was trying to
cover it up," he said.
Cryer said Allen brought the
matter to the attention of the gov
ernor's office after learning just
two weeks ago of last year's in
vestigation.
The governor's office looked
into the matter for 10 days, as
soon as it was notified by Allen,
Cryer said.
Allen had left his Beaumont
business when The Associated
Press called after 6 p.m. Tuesday,
said a woman who answered the
telephone.
He did not immediately return
a message.
Another listing for Allen is
non-published, according to di
rectory assistance.
resigns
Cryer said he knew of no Ian
broken by Hale or Allen.
Hale would not nameiti
board member he had investigj
ed, but said he had recently tdi
him that he was sorry forthek
dent.
Hale also said there are
divisions on the board, include
over the wisdom of construcfc
private prisons.
"After the inquiry (by the
ernor's office) I just bold
around and said if y'all arequi
tioning what I did, maybe
would be better if I just left/'Hii
said.
Richards in a statementsai
she accepted Hale's resignatic:
"with regret."
"I thank him for his hardwai
on the people's behalf," she said
"Now the board must read
the consensus that it needs forftf
difficult work in the comiiij
years."
In his resignation letterl:
Richards, Hale cited advance!
he's seen in criminal justice,!;
eluding an agreement to settletb
long-running Ruiz federal law:
over prison conditions, promotke
of women and minorities
the department and the undertai
ing of "the largest drug treatmei
program in America."
"After achieving thesemfc
stones, I ask your leave to resign'
Hale said in the letter.
Hale said in an interview te
when he was appointed’(
Richards in February 1991,hetoii
her he didn't think he'd be able
serve out the full term.
His term would end inFebra
ary 1997.
"It's really a killer of a
Hale said.
He said that he has beenoute
town several days a week d
his time on the board and
killed my law practice."
Richards will replace Hale c
quickly as she can," Cryer saii;
Hale said his resignation was e‘
fective immediately.
ACCII
(ININA
An MSC Student Programs Committee
-ATTENTION
TIME CHANGE
Due to unforeseen circumstances
The Alternative Film Series will present
toto the hero
9:30PM ONLY
in Rudder Auditorium
Thursday, Sept. 24
Admission is $2.50
Also, LETHAL WEAPON 3 this weekend
For more information call MSC Aggie Cinema:
847-8478
Varsity Spo*-t of time Mind
® B0Q(s] Lla
Register NOW for oar
Fall Tocirnqment.
Captains* meeting to be held on Monday,
September 28th at 7:00 P.M. in 401 Rudder.
Team captains must attend or contact Craig Bradford
or Dennis Koch at 845-1515 for more information.
Sign up as a team of four ($20) or as an individual ($5)
with Barbara Wheat in Room 216 MSC.
Deadline is September 25th. only 1 day away_
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