The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, June 19, 1997, Image 2

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    The Battalion
Thursday - June 19,199!
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Gov. Bush refuses reprieve;
Texas executes 24th inmate
Protest
Continued from Page 1
Smooth Move
Photograph: Pat )ames
Anthony Arnold of Victoria dives for a save while par
ticipating in the A&M Youth Soccer Camp.
HUNTSVILLE (AP) — A Mexican citizen was
executed in the Texas death chamber for a 1985
murder Wednesday amid pleas from his coun
try’s government and outrage among supporters
who blocked an international bridge in protest.
Irineo Montoya, 30, was pronounced dead at
6:16 p.m. CDT, six minutes after the lethal injec
tion was administered.
Montoya’s final words were in Spanish and di
rected to his father and a woman who claims to
be his wife, although the two are not legally mar
ried. The inmate smiled and nodded to the pair
as they watched through glass a few feet away.
“Goodbye. I will wait for you in heaven,” he
said. “I will be waiting for you. I love my parents.
I am at peace with God. Fight for the good.”
Officials later released a handwritten state
ment left by Montoya.
“May this sacrifice be for the good and bring jus
tice to all who deserve justice and not for the use of
evil,” he wrote. “I apologize and beg for forgiveness
to whomever I had offended, hurt and disrespect
ed. God bless you and see you in heaven.”
Montoya was condemned for the 1985 stab
bing and beating death of John Kilheffer, a Rio
Grande Valley man who had given Montoya and
a companion a ride.
Kilheffer’s sister told The Associated Press by
telephone Wednesday that Montoya’s execution
“is justice.”
“We feel he deserves it," said Jean Hess, of
Lancaster, Pa. “He deserves it. It’s been very frus
trating. ... What got us was he was so cocky and
arrogant. He’s not shown a bit of remorse.”
Less than 11/2 hours before the execution,
Texas Gov. George W. Bush refused Montoya’s re
quest for a 30-day reprieve, clearing the way for
the punishment. His decision came shortly after
the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Montoya’s 11 th-
hour appeals.
“Gov. Bush ... concluded all appropriate
courts, including the United States Supreme
Court, have had ample opportunity to address all
of the issues involved in this death penalty con
viction, and therefore there are not grounds to
delay it,” Karen Hughes, a Bush spokeswoman,
said in a statement.
“Gov. Bush assures the people of Mexico
that Mr. Montoya had fair trial, ample op
portunity to be heard and the full protec
tions of the constitution and laws of the
United States of America.”
Montoya was the third Texas inmate put to
death this week and the 24th this year, extend
ing the state’s record number of executions for
a single year.
Several of Montoya’s relatives,
eluding brothers and uncles, pi
ipated in the demonstration but
dined comment after the exei
One brother, Dario Tristan
toya, earlier said Texas was “
an innocent man.”
Montoya’s supporters claimi
was wrongly convicted. They sail
signed a confession in English thaj
did not understand, had no attoi
at the time ofhis arrest and wasdei
the right to contact Mexico’s consi
They were joined in protest!)
Mexican governmental official
who opposed the execution i,
cause Mexico does not have a deal
penalty outside of military courts.^
Prominent Mexicans includii/
Tamaulipas Gov. Manuel Cavaj
Lerma and Nobel Prize laureate^ f
tavio Paz had urged Bush to grj
Montoya a 30-day reprieve.
This week, the Mexican embas
in Washington delivered a dip!
matic note to the U.S. State Depai
ment asking for intervention.
Despite all the pleas, Bush
fused to delay the execution, saji
all appropriate courts, including!
U.S. Supreme Court, had consi
ered the case.
Texas Monthly releases annual legislators list
Campus Calendar
AUSTIN (AP) —The timing could
not have been much worse for Sen.
Drew Nixon, R-Carthage.
On the same day Nixon’s court case
on a misdemeanor charge of soliciting
sex from an undercover Austin police
officer was set for a pretrial hearing,
Texas Monthly magazine released its
annual list of the
10 best and 10
worst legislators
for 1997.
Surprise.
Nixon was one
of the 10 worst.
“I understand
that the problems
in my personal
life earlier this
year would pre
clude me from
making anyone’s list of model sena
tors,” Nixon said Wednesday in a
statement.
Texas Monthly’s annual report card
takes a tongue-in-cheek look at House
and Senate members who pushed, of
ten unsuccessfully, issues ranging
Wilson
from property tax relief to same-sex
marriages during their biennial 140-
day stay in Austin this year.
To make the 10 best, the magazine
said it looked for lawmakers with “in
tegrity, fairness, a desire to solve prob
lems ... and a commitment to put pol
icy ahead of partisanship.”
Those making the 10 best included
Rep. Ron Wilson, D-Houston, who
successfully navigated through a leg
islative mine field a bill requiring col
leges that use grade point averages in
admissions to set the same standard
for athletes and non-athletes.
As for the 10 worst?
“They don’t care about solving
problems, they don’t have a willingness
to compromise and they don’t put pub
lic policy ahead of jockeying for politi
cal advantage,” the magazine said. “...
It’s not their ideology that we deplore;
it’s their methodology.”
Titled “The Worst of the Worst” was
Rep. Arlene Wohlgemuth, R-Burleson,
who single-handedly killed 52 bills in
what has become known as the
Memorial Day Massacre.
Here are the legislators selected by Texas Monthly magazine as the
10 best and 10 worst of the 1997 legislative session. Also included
are previous years they made the list.
10 Best
10 Worst
— Sen. Teel Bivins, R-Amarillo,
— Rep. Kent Grusendorf, R-Arling-
first time
ton, first time
— Rep. Toby Goodman, R-Arling-
— Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville,
ton, first time
first time
— Rep. Hugo Berlanga, D-Corpus
— Rep. Arlene Wohlgemuth, R-
Christ!, 1993,1995
Burleson, first time
— Rep. Steve Wolens, D-Dallas,
— Sen. Drew Nixon, R-Carthage,
1983, 1991, 1993
1995
— Rep. Paul Sadler, D-Hender-
— Rep. Charles Finnell, D-Holliday,
son, 1995
1973,1991
— Rep. Ron Wilson, D-Houston,
— Rep. Kevin Bailey, D-Houston,
first time (worst list, 1985)
first time
— Rep. Allen Hightower, D-
— Rep. Frank Corte, R-San Anto-
Huntsville, 1993
nio, 1995
— Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo,
— Rep. John Shields, R-San Anto-
first time
nio, first time
— Sen. Bill Ratliff, R-Mount Pleas-
— Rep. Charlie Howard, R-Sugar
ant, 1991,1995
Land, first time
— Sen. David Sibley, R-Waco,
— Sen. Michael Galloway, R The
1993
Woodlands, 1995
Friday
Study Abroad Programs Office: There
will be an informational meeting for stu
dents who wish to study abroad at the
A&M Santa Chiara Center in Italy Spring
’97 from 3:45 - 4:30 p.m. in 358 Bizzell
Hall West. For details call 845-0544.
College Republicans: There will be a
Campaign Rally for Rick Perry for Lieu
tenant Governor at 3 p.m. at Easter-
wood Airport. For more information con
tact Eva Darski at 846-3376.
Monday
The Writing Center (Dept, of English,
Texas A&M): The Writing Center in
249 Blocker will consult with anyTAMU
student who needs help with his or her
writing projects for Summer I. Hours
are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Come by or call 862-
4181 for more information.
Tuesday
Study Abroad Programs Office: There
will be an informational meetingforsl
dents who wish to study abroad all
A&M Santa Chiara Center in Italy Spfii
'97 from 5 - 5:45 p.m. in 358 BizzelH
West. For details call 8450544.
TAMU Waterski Team: There i
a general meeting at 8:30 p.m.f
Fitzwilly’s. For more information a
Mike Coyle at 268-2076.
The Writing Center (Dept, of Englisl I
Texas A&M): The Writing Centeri
249 Blocker will consult with any TAM “
student who needs help with his orlie -
writing projects for Summer I. Hour
are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Come by or call 86!|
4181 for more information.
Campus Calendar is a Battalion sem
that lists non-profit student and feed
events and activities. Items should 1 i
submitted no later than three days ina n
vance of the desired run date. Applta
tion deadlines and notices are not event
and will not be run in Campus Calerda
If you have any questions, please calltli f
newsroom at 845-3313.
Perry announces run for lieutenant governor
He willface fellow Aggie John Sharp in the race if they win their parties' nomination
Weather Outlook
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
AUSTIN (AP) — Texas Agriculture Commissioner
Rick Perry, who visited his son’s school Wednesday to
announce his candidacy for lieutenant governor, said
education will be a top priority as he defines his cam
paign in the coming months.
The Republican joins Democrat and fellow Ag
gie John Sharp, the state’s comptroller, in seeking
to succeed Democratic Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, who
isn’t running for reelection.
If the former Texas A&M classmates win their parties’
nomination, they’ll face each other in the November 1998
election to become the Senate’s presiding officer.
In broad terms, Perry said his priorities for Texas are
effective schools, safe streets and economic opportunity.
Asked about the abortion issue, he said, “We’re
against abortion except in the cases of rape, incest and
the life of the mother. We’ve always had that position,
and we’ll always keep it.”
Perry said he would support legislation to require
parental notification before an abortion is performed
on a girl under 18. The measure passed the Senate but
died in the House this legislative session.
Surrounded by his family and supporters in the O. Hen
ry Middle School library, Perry said, “We’re going to have 16
months to lay out, I think, a very clear plan for this state.
“I intend for this campaign to be conducted about is
sues and... the difference between the Democrat philos
ophy and the Republican philosophy,” he said. “There’s a
clear philosophical difference between empowering gov
ernment and empowering individuals. The Republican
position is to empower individuals.”
Sharp spokesman Ross Ramsey cited Sharp’s pro
posal to provide state-paid college tuition, fees and
books to students who maintain a 2.8 grade-point av
erage on a 4-point scale.
“One of the fastest ways to empower individuals is
through education,” Ramsey said.
In another high-profile position, Court of Criminal
Appeals Judge Morris Overstreet said he plans to chal
lenge Attorney General Dan Morales for the Democra
tic nomination to be the state’s top lawyer.
“I’m running because we can’t depend on our present
attorney general to take a stand and do his job,” said Over-
street, who became the first black elected to statewide of
fice in Texas when he won his court seat in 1990.
Overstreet, who planned a news conference in
Amarillo Thursday to formally announce, said he would
do a better job than Morales on collecting overdue child
support from non-paying parents and prosecuting bad
nursing homes.
Partly Cloudy
High: 94°
Low: 75°
Partly Cloudy
High: 94°
Low: 75°
Partly Cloudy
. , t gj High: 94
Low: 75°
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Stew Milne, Editor in Chief
Helen Clancy, Managing Editor
John LeBas, City Editor
April Towery, Lifestyles Editor
Kristina Buffin, Sports Editor
James Francis, Opinion Editor
Jody Holley, Night News Editor
Tim Moog, Photo Editor
Brad Graeber, Graphics Editor
Jacqueline Salinas, Radio Editor
David Friesenhahn, Web Editor
Staff Members
City- Assistant Editors: Erica Roy & Matt Weber;
Reporters: Michelle Newman, Joey Schlueter &
Jenara Kecks; Copy Editor: Jennifer Jones
Lifestyles- Rhonda Reinhart, Keith McPhail
& Jenny Vrnak
Sports- Matt Mitchell & Jeremy Furtick
Opinion- John Lemons, Stephen Uano, Robby Ray,
Mandy Cater, Leonard Callaway, Chris Brooks,
Dan Cone, Jack Harvey & General Franklin
Nigkt News- Assistant Editor: Joshua Miller
Photo- Derek Demere, Robert McKay, Ron)
Angkriwan & Pat James
Graphics- Quatro Oakley, Chad Mallam&
Ed Goodwin
Radio- Tiffany Moore, Will Hodges, Missy Kemp.
Amy Montgomery, Sunny Pemberton, Joey
Schlueter, Michelle Snyder & Karina Trevino
Web- Craig Pauli
Office Staff- Stacy Labay, Christy Clowdus &
Mandy Cater
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of St#
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