Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 1993)
State & Local Page 2 The Battalion Tuesday, January 26,1993 3 Officials increase court security People entering county building must go through metal detectors THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DALLAS — Employees at the George Allen Sr. Courts Building went back to work Monday feel ing safer but wondering why two people had to die before county officials were willing to pay for in creased security. Courts resumed their dockets Monday for the first time since Hai Van Huynh entered the downtown building last Tuesday and fatally shot his wife, Ly Thi Dang, wounded a 16-year-old by stander and then killed himself. The woman was seeking a cq^irt protective order and had threatened to divorce her hus band. People entering the Allen Courts Building now must pass through airport-like security, which includes metal detectors at the main and basement entrances and an X-ray machine to screen personal belongings. Security guards also utilize hand-held met al detectors. A third entrance at the court, which handles the often-con- tentious family and juvenile cases, is being blocked and fitted with an electronic exit-door device that keeps the doors locked unless a fire alarm is sounded. "Better late than never," said Deputy Sheriff Leonard Carpen ter, who was overseeing one of the entrances. "I think it's a relief for most people." "Tm happy they've taken some steps," said Judge Sue Lykes, whose family court is in the same hallway where the shooting oc curred. "I'm just sorry that it took something like this." Within 12 hours of the incident, Dallas County Commissioners called an emergency meeting and voted to spend $200,000 on a 90- day improved security pilot pro gram. "I don't think it would've hap pened that quickly" without the shooting, said Art Garcia, head of security for the county. "It helped us that we already had a plan in motion." The plan was the result of a campaign by Gen. Dick Carey, the county's district court administra tor, who began seeking additional security soon after taking the job about two years ago, Garcia said. Carey's idea gained momen tum last July, when a gunman killed two people and wounded three others in the Tarrant County Courthouse in Fort Worth. Two weeks later, the U.S. Mar shals Service began a survey of three Dallas County buildings at Carey's request. Their 17-page report made sev eral recommendations that would "require little or no expenditure of funds." In its conclusion, the report warned that most court security increases have come after an inci dent, rather than being proactive and trying to prevent them. The report boiled down its findings to five "starting points," all of which are now being imple mented. At the Frank Crowley Courts Building, the county has two walk-through machines and two X-ray devices on the main floor and one of each on a lower level, Garcia said. Garcia said 10 private security guards were hired to run the ma chines and one bailiff joins them at each location. He said they haven't decided whether to keep the guards on a contract basis or to increase their staff. "Crime is only going to get worse," said building electrician Jerry Hodo, who was installing the exit-door device. "For what I see coming. I'd give up my raise for this," Hodo said. Woman assists husband in kidnapping, sentenced to 20 years Judge rejects syndrome for defense plea THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MORRISTOWN, N.J. — The woman who told authorities how her husband mastermind ed the fatal abduction of Exxon executive Sid ney Reso was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison for helping in the kidnapping. Irene J. Seale, 45, was sentenced to concur rent 20-year prison terms on state and federal charges. She was fined $500,000 in federal court and $100,000 in state court. U.S. District Judge Garrett E. Brown reject ed defense assertions that Seale suffered from battered women's syndrome, saying she was a "full participant" with her husband, Arthur. Reso, 57, president of Exxon Co. Interna tional, was shot in the arm during the April 29 kidnapping outside his Morris Township home. He was then kept handcuffed, bound and gagged in a box in a storage vault. He died May 3, and the Seales buried him in a shallow grave in Bass River State Park. The Seales were arrested weeks later and Seale led authorities to Reso's body. In federal court in Trenton, Seale, in a thin, quavering voice, read a letter she had sent to U.S. District Judge Garrett E. Brown in which she described her role. "At the time of my arrest, I was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. I had to tell my story," she said. "I had to give the Reso family closure." She had could have been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to federal extortion and conspiracy charges. Prosecutors agreed to the 20-year sentence. Seale pleaded guilty in state Superior Court in Morristown to kidnapping charges, which carried a maximum 30-year prison sentence. Crying and barely audible, Seale told state Judge Reginald Stanton that she could never fully explain how sorry she is. "I have to live with that," Seale said. Although the federal sentence does not al low for early parole, Seale could pare a year and a few months off her prison time for good behavior, said U.S. Attorney Michael Chertoff. He added that the sentence was justified in light of the crime and Seale's cooperation. "The judge balanced Irene Seale's very sub stantial cooperation, not only in the conviction of her husband but in finding Reso's grave, with her participation in one of the most heinous crimes in the history of the state," Chertoff said. Seale's attorney, Sallyanne Floria, argued before the judge that her client deserved a fur ther reduction in sentence because of the emo tional and physical abuse she suffered at her husband's hands. Floria noted that a presentencing report, compiled by the U.S. attorney's office in Newark, contained two psychological evalua tions, one of which described Seale as suffer ing from "battered woman syndrome." Her husband was sentenced to 95 years in prison Nov. 30 after pleading guilty to federal charges of extortion, weapons possession, con- Highway shooting kills Dallas youth r al THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SAN ANTONIO - A North Texas teen-ager found dead after his car careened through con struction barricades on an ex pressway had been shot in the head, police say. Brian Michael Guynes, 19, of the Dallas suburb of Farmers Branch, was visiting San Antonio to help judge a high school debate contest when he was killed late Saturday. At first he was thought to have died as a result of the traffic acci dent, but police said Sunday they had discovered a gunshot wound in the left side of his head. Officers said they have not been able to determine if Guynes was shot by someone in a passing car or if he ran into some other foul play, such as an attempted carjacking. Homicide Sgt. Orlando Navar ro said the case is being classified as a murder. No weapon was found. "We are looking into the possi bility of robbery as a motive be cause there was no money in his wallet," a detective said. "He was just a former student trying to help out the teacher and the stu dents." Guynes accompanied eight participants of R.L. Turner High School's debate team from Car rollton to San Antonio for a de bate competition at Churchill High School. The teams' debate coach, Gina Wilkinson, said Guynes was a 1992 graduate of the Carrollton school and had been invited to serve as a judge in the debate, which was sponsored by the Texas Forensic Association. Debate squad members said Guynes worked at a Sears, Roe buck and Co. store and at an aerospace parts distributor and was saving money for college. Team members said he was at tending Brookhaven Community College in Farmers Branch and hoping to save enough money to enroll at the University of Texas at Austin and eventually earn a law degree. Home-school parents fight education laws THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AUSTIN — State education officials are scheduled to square off at the Texas Supreme Court Tuesday with parents who teach their chil dren at home. Their dispute dates back to the 1980s, when the state tried to pros ecute some home-school parents for violating Texas' compulsory school attendance law. Home schoolers, and companies that provide their instruction ma terials, won a lawsuit fighting such prosecution. The state has ap pealed. "I don’t think the state should regulate home schooling," Erma Toussaint, whose daughter is taught at home, told the Austin Ameri- can-Statesman. "I believe parents know their children's educational needs better than the state." Alan Jac ;,Rollie 1 nth his tn The cor itwo bi£ . $ the Bk At the v iatNeon jn entere (taring a 1'ranglers Jackson iward-wi: inch as "! ‘Working ariety of ml favc itafevere Jacksor lumber oi lie Blues, lay" and The sta md truck; Chevy tai ired, aq urge vie Packard,; Jackso: tie guys »omen ir Person lid count :i>Me Nc i'Texas W Iravis ca fog, upbe pfMan Je Smok< pyed "1 alute to ushed t lands wi '■virile he The r heir feet his lates (I've Got Then i rocking j sang"Dc For ar STEP. WEIGHTS. FUNK. LITE. SUPER &SSI0N. AND OF COURSE, A ALL THAT JAZZ. There’s always something new at Jazzercise. Because you’ll dance to the latest steps and your favorite songs. Plus, we’re always adding more of the newest moves and music. And if variety is the spice of life, we’re hot. Because there are also classes with weights, steps, longer sessions, less- intense workouts, stretching and toning, and programs for kids. So call for the classes near you. And start jazzing up your fimess routine. jazzercise. ' The fitness professJonats. • FIRST CLASS FREE No Membership Fee • Childcare Available Former Member Specials • 14 Years in the B/CS Area • Morning, Afternoon, and Evening Classes Present ad at time of purchase for special offer Jazzercise Fitness Center Wellborn at Grove, College Station (1 block south of George Bush Drive) Call Cathy Lyles at 764-1183 or 776-6696 Dr. Jamal Badawi At Outstanding International Scholar 300+ TV Programs On Religious Teachings Authority Of THE BIBLE And THE QURAN In Light Of Scientific Discoveries Friday January 29 Rudder Tower 7:00 P.M. Room 601 mmmmsem- 4L /X j •» E3 j LriEE Interested Writers / Artists Stories Poems Art Sabmissions Wanted! For the Fanzine Variable Magnitude Deadline: February 28.1993 Submit entries to Barbara Wheat. MSC 216 Call 845-1514 for details. RESEARCH Urinary Tract Infection Study • Lower Back Pain • Frequent urination • Painful Urination *Fever VIP Research is seeking individuals 12 years of age or older with complicated urinary tract infections. If you have a urinary tract infection, you may qualify for an eight week research study using a currently available antibiotic medication. Participants who qualify and complete the study will be paid $200. Pneumonia Study • Productive Cough • Nausea/Vomitting • Difficulty Breathing • Fever VIP Research is seeking individuals 18 years of age or older with pneumonia. If you’ve been diagnosed by a physician or you suspect having pneumonia, you may qualify for a six week research study using antibiotic therapy. Participants who qualify and complete the study will be paid $150. For more information, call: Volunteers in Pharmaceutical Research, Inc. 776-1417 Mike Ike Grade Cliffs StudyWare course reviews are a dynamic new way to study for midterms and finals. ♦ Interactive computer software -work at your own pace ♦ Hundreds of on-screen questions ♦ Answer explanations ♦ Glossary, hints, graphs and figures ♦ Immediate feedback imur * uiniis ♦ eiiiisiir ♦ fannies ♦ piisics * shushes Texas Aggie Bookstore 327 University Dr. 201 Domonik Northgate 846-4518 693-2904 The Battalion STEVE O’BRIEN, Editor in Chief JASON LOUGHMAN, Managing Editor STACY FEDUCIA, Opinion Editor TODD STONE, City Editor MEREDITH HARRISON, News Editor K. LEE DAVIS, Sports Editor KYLE BURNETT, News Editor DON NORWOOD, Sports Editor SUSAN OWEN, Lifestyles Editor DARRIN HILL, Photo Editor Staff Members Reporters - Mark Evans, Melody Dunne, Reagon Clamon, Cheryl Heller, Matari Jones, Juli Phillips, Jennifer Smith, Brandi Jordan, Gina Howard, Stephanie Patillo, Robin Roach, Julie Chelkowski, Jeff Gosmano, Jason Cox, Will Healy, Kathryn Lubbeck, Cynthia Trevizo, Kevin Lindstrom, Natalie Giehl, Heather Henderson and Shelia Vela News desk — Belinda Blancarte, Carey Eagan, Lance Holmes, Elizabeth Lowe, Jennifer Mentlik, David Thomas and Heather Winch Photographers — Jen Lockard, Robert J. Reed, Billy Moran, Joseph Greenslade, Richard Dixon, Craig Fox, John W. Bartrom, Mark Ybarra and Murphy Hawkins Lifstyles — Anas Ben-Musa, Dena Dizdar, Melissa Holubec, Tanya Williams and Jenny Magee Sports writers — William Harrison, Michael Plummer and David Winder Columnists — Julie Polston, Toni Garrard-Clay, Matthew Dickerson, Chris Whitley, Robert Vasquez, Rich Henderson, Dave Brooks, John Scroggs and Janet Holder Cartoonists — Thomas Deeny, George Nasr, Clay Welch and Boomer Cardinale The Battalion (USPS 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 77843. News: The Battalion 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 845-3313. Fax: 845-2647. 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 $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year. To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 845-2611. r Bio On V