The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, June 15, 1993, Image 2

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    State & Local
Page 2
The Battalion
Tuesday, June 15,1
Lock and load...
MARY MACMANUS/The Battalion
John Smith from Aransas Pass learns to shoot a the Corps of Cadets is like. It is a week-long camp
.22 rifle at the Corps Youth Camp. The youth that will last until Saturday,
camp shows kids from around the state what life in
Cop killer defense blames ra
Attorney claims lyrics 'brainwashed 7 Howard into shootinj
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — A defense attorney
who played several anti-police
rap music songs for a jury Mon
day said his client was "brain
washed" by the songs and driven
by their lyrics to shoot and kill a
state trooper.
Attorney Allen Tanner is at
tempting to keep Ronald Ray
Howard of Houston from
"The Trigger-Happy Police" by
O.C.U. and "City Under Siege" by
the Geto Boys.
"Ask yourself if you think it
could impact the kids who are lis
tening to this music," Tanner said
to the jury between songs.
"I think this music brain
washed Ronald Howard," Tanner
said. "I'm not just blaming it on
that. I'm saying it's a combination
of an individual and society."
the death penalty. ——— — :—; ;
Howard, 19, was con- I think this music brainwashed
, v u c n‘ ed 8 toX ApriiMS Ronald Howard, I'm not just
shooting death of Depart- blaming it on that. I'm saying it's a
ment of Public Safety t . ,. r • j* • j i j
trooper Bill Davidson The combination of an individual and
punishment phase of the society."
trial is expected to last
two to three weeks. -Allen Tanner, defense attorney
Tanner has said that
Howard was listening to
anti-cop rap music just before he
shot Davidson in the neck at close
range. Davidson had pulled
Howard over near Victoria be
cause of a missing headlight.
Howard, who has confessed to
the killing on several occasions,
could be sentenced to life in
prison or death by lethal injection.
Jurors studied printed lyrics as
they listened to seven songs
known as "gansta rap," including
But prosecutor Bobby Bell said
it shouldn't matter if rap music in
fluenced Howard or not.
"Whether or not that rap music
caused him to shoot that trooper
is an issue that I don't even think
is relevant in the jury's considera
tion of the death penalty," Bell
said.
Bell said he will call as witness
es two Houston rap artists, Scar-
face and Ganksta N.I.P., to try to
link Howard to gang activity. Bell
also said he will present evidet
which proves that Howard hati
cops and worked as a drug deal?
"I'm bringing Scarfaceinl
cause the evidence is going
show that Scarface and Gank
N.I.P. are members of thesai
gang, (and) the same neighbt
hood. South Park, that Ronal
Ray Howard is," Bell said.
"I want to show the jury
very people (who are) his fel
g an g members, how tk
operate, what theyh
lieve in, what their cret
is and how they
cops and want to
cops," he said.
Bell said in his opt:
ing statements he will
to prove that Howai
was a cocaine dealerai
car thief who couldt
keep a job. Bell said
will call at least two of Howar
ex-girlfriends who claim the
fendant was violent withtht
and made death threats.
Bell also said he will caill
trooper's wife, Linda Davidson
Tanner said he will showtk
Howard was an abused child w:
little self-esteem who had trout
learning to read.
The punishment phase of ll
trial is expected to last two
three weeks.
Court halts
execution of
Texas inmate
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HUNTSVILLE - A stay was
granted Monday for Denton
Crank, a Texas death row inmate
who had been scheduled to die af
ter midnight for a 1984 murder.
The 5th Circuit Court of Ap
peals stayed the execution for 37-
year-old Crank, who was sen
tenced to death for killing a Hous
ton man during a store robbery.
Last week, the Texas Court of
Criminal Appeals in Austin had
rejected an appeal to halt Crank's
execution.
Houston attorney Dan Wanna-
maker said he raised a couple of
issues in Crank's appeal, includ
ing a claim that jurors in his trial
were not allowed to consider evi
dence that the defendant was
abused as a child when determin
ing his punishment.
Crank, a construction worker
from Harris County, was convict
ed of capital murder in the Janu
ary 1984 slaying of Terry Or-
ingderff, an employee of Rice
Food Markets.
Oringderff, 31, was shot six or
seven times after the store was
robbed of more than $39,000 in
cash. Before he was killed, Or
ingderff was held prisoner by the
gunman and forced to carry the
stolen money to the getaway car.
Crank was scheduled to die in
1989, but he won a stay from
Supreme Court Justice Byron
White.
Five Texas inmates have been ex
ecuted this year, the last being John
Christopher Sawyers, who was put
to death May 18 for a 1983 murder.
Insurance bill angers homeowners
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — A group of homeowners, private in
surance adjusters and general contractors made a
plea Monday for Gov. Ann Richards to veto insur
ance legislation that would alter coverage of house
foundations damaged by water.
The bill, if signed into law by Richards, would re
quire owners of homes 10 years and older to buy
separate coverage to protect against water damage
to the foundation of their house.
Currently, the water damage provision is includ
ed in homeowners' policies.
"This is economic racism," said Ed Benjamin, a
representative of The Peoples' Insurance Adjuster in
Austin.
Benjamin said because a majority of people who
own houses 10 years old or older are often retired,
living on fixed income or reside in low-income
neighborhoods, they won't be able to afford the ad
ditional coverage and won't buy it.
"The white middle class doesn't buy 30-year-old
houses," Benjamin said. "There are a lot of senior cit
izens who are reluctant to go into debt because of
this."
The problem of water damage to home founda
tions should be of grave concern to Texans because
about 300,000 homes across the state are built on top
of volatile soils and clays that expand when mixed
with water, Benjamin said.
He said the expanding soils and clays are pre
dominantly located in a stretch from Fort Worth to
Corpus Christi.
A few Austin homeowners say they were shocked
to see their houses literally ripping apart due to bro
ken water pipes that had caused the clay beneath
their dwelling to expand several feet and crack con
crete foundations.
"The walls began cracking, the rafters holding up
the ceiling began pulling apart, eventually the roof
would have fallen in," said Geraldine Nash, a retired
Austin resident, who is having her home rebuilt at a
cost of $55,000 because of the water damage.
"I would not have been able to afford the repairs
if I didn't have insurance."
Roach!!!! There's money in them thar critters
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GALVESTON - Wait!
Before you step on that roach!
There's money in them thar
critters.
At least that's what Karen
Brandreth thought one time back
in 1985 as she reached for her can
of Raid for the umpteenth time.
Being a creative person, a per
son who sees opportunity knock
ing (or scurrying across the floor,
in this case), Ms. Brandreth decid
ed to go where no person had
gone before. At least no person
over the age of 2.
She sprayed that bug, then she
played with that bug. She dressed
him up and put him in a tiny toy
car. Then she gathered a few more
dead cockroaches, dressed them
up and glued them at a tiny table
playing cards. The more bugs she
collected, the more bizarre the sce
narios became.
Soon Ms. Brandreth was el
bow-deep in dead bugs and a new
hobby — cockroach art under
glass. Under a small glass box, she
would create a stage and various
scenarios for her insects which
were hardened in resin and glued
into place.
"I had a hard time finding real
ly large ones," she said. "So I
used to go to exterminating com
panies to get them."
Ms. Brandreth found miniature
doll furniture came in handy, but
often she had to make her own
special accessories.
Living in Houston at the time.
she set up a display at the Hous
ton International Festival and
word spread like roaches in a sug
ar factory. Local television and
news media did features on her.
Then the national media started
calling. The National Enquirer did
a story. Ripley's Believe It or Not,
USA Today and National Public
Radio all came calling.
In the meantime, the commis
sions came rolling in for one-of-a-
kind custom cockroach art. Kenny
Rogers wanted roaches in a West
ern. Lionel Ritchie wanted roaches
"Dancing on the Ceiling."
Ms. Brandreth turned roaches
into teachers, attorneys in court
and doctors in surgery. For the
Houston Ballet director, she
dressed roaches in tutus and ballet
slippers in a tiny dance studio.
w Health Tips
Satisfy cravings with cool
ice cream in low-fat flavors
By KRISTIN OGRODOWICZ
Special to The Battalion
If those hot summer days are getting you down, then cool of:
with a smooth refreshing dip of ice cream. Sometimes there isnofl:
ing that will satisfy that summertime craving for relief from the
heat, than some good old-fashioned ice cream.
Americans indulge themselves with over 800 million gallons of
ice cream and related products annually. Topping the charts for the
number one flavor is vanilla, and running a close second is choco
late. Other flavors that seem to be popular favorites are butter
pecan, strawberry, Neapolitan and chocolate chip.
Cold ice cream is such a hot item in the summer because it come;
in a variety of flavors to please all. It may also be because it is a rel
atively inexpensive dessert, but whatever the reason, people seem
to be scooping it onto cones and bowls and mixing it into shakes
and various other creamy creations.
What many people don't realize is that ice cream is a good
source of calcium. Eating one cup of ice cream has the same
amount of calcium (176 mgs) as eating one ounce of American pas
teurized .cheese, three ounces of pink salmon, half a cup of collard
greens or drinking almost two-thirds of a cup of milk.
However, if people are watching their weight or cholesterol, ice
cream can be high in fat. But there are alternatives to high fat ice
cream deserts. Ice cream clones such as fat-frees, lights and ice
milks give much of the same enjoyment as ice cream with less fat
and cholesterol. For an even more reduced diet, choose sherberti.
sorberts and yogurts.
Also, watch ice cream toppings. Calories and fat can surely add
up in a hurry when toppings are added to ice cream or even yogurt
Choose fruittoppings for less fat.
The key to eating the healthy amount of ice cream is enjoying it
in moderation. Stick to this rule to enjoy that rich, creamy taste and
still help keep those extra unwanted pounds off. Just remember,
keep portion sizes small and indulgences occasional.
For more information on ice cream and cool summer choices,
come by the Health Education Center, located in the basement of
the Health Center, Room 16. Ask about a handout that lists calories
and fat and various cool summer choices.
"NOT FOR EVERYBODY ®
3
WM rehouse
FOR MADMEN ONLY
ILlUr -
PRICE OF ADMISSION: YOUR MIND"
WE BUY USED
CD’S FOR
C* lEiarE^Art 0
$4.00 or trade 2 for 1
We sell used CD’S
210 W. 26th St., Dwtn. Bryan
(409) 775-2984
Tues.-Fri. 12-6 Sat. 10-5
$8.99 or less
268-0154
g STEPPENWOLF, HERMANN HESSE [a
—. . -
(At Northgate)
We have your size!
Colors:
White. Wheat. Gold /
Metallic. White/Bright Lj
Mulit
A collection or contemporary footwear
in the turn you need
sizes 10 1/2- 12
slightly higher
Post Oak Mall 696-7671 ^
9*WMd>Tr\ !G HT Grants for
Graduate
Students and
y*./ Graduating
Scuior*
If you're a U.S. citizen, you can perform
research abroad in the country of your choice.
To find out more, come to our Informational
Meeting (listed below), or come by or call the
Study Abroad Program Office at 161 Bizzell
Hall West (845-0544).
Wed. June 16
from 2:00 - 3:00p.m.
251 Bizzell Hall West
Bit,
The Battalion
JASON LOUGHMAN, Editor in Chief
MARK EVANS, Managing Editor STEPHANIE PATTILLO, City Editor
DAVE THOMAS, Night News Editor KYLE BURNETT, Sports Editor
MACK HARRISON, Morning News Editor ANAS BEN-MUSA, Aggielife Editor
BILLY MORAN, Photo Editor
Staff Members
City desk — Jennifer Smilh, James Bernsen, Michele Brinkmann, Reagan Clamon, Jason Cox, Lisa Elliolt, Laura
Haley, Janet Holder, Carrie Miura, Susan Owen and Geneen Pipher
News desk - Lisa Borrego, Joe Holan, Susan Owen and Denise Wick
Photographers - Richard Dixon, Mary Macmanus, Nick Pena and Stacy Ryan
Aggietfe - Jacqueline Ayotte, John Bayless, Margaret Claughlon and Jennifer Salce
Sports writers - Roy Clay, Matt Rush, Mark Smith and Tom Sullivan
Opinion desk — Shashi Nanjundaiah, Matt Dickerson, Tracey Jones, Frank Stanford and Robert Vasquez
Cartoonists — Boomer Cardinale, George Nasr, Joe Reyes, Sergio Rosas and Paul Stroud
Graphic Artist - Angel Kan
Clerks- Grant Austgen, Alishia Holtam and Lisa White
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 Battalbn, 230 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University
College Statbn, TX 77843.
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 845-3313. Fax: 845-2647.
Advertising: For campus, local and natbnal display advertising, call 845-2696. For classified advertising, cd
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.