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jesday • February 17, 1998
The Battalion
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adet trial evidence goes to jury
FORT WORTH, (AP) — Jurors be-
in deciding Monday whether for-
er midshipman Diane Zamora
I Ued a romantic rival after hearing
I osecutors denounce her as a so-
| opath and a cunning con artist.
Assistant prosecutor Michele
lartmann opened her closing argu-
l ents by telling panelists that
] I unora acted as “judge, juiy and ex-
laitioner” when she helped her fi
ll ice kill 16-year-old Adrianne Jones.
'“Shoot her! She’s not dead yet!
I st do it. Shoot her, kill her, shoot
I iri' Those are the words of Diane
I unora,” Hartmann yelled at ju-
lirs, repeating part of the confes-
|on Zamora gave police and later
canted.
Hartmann repeatedly reminded
rots that a defense psychologist
stifled last week that Zamora
ored highly on a test for pyscho-
thic deviancy.
“She’s a sociopath. She’s lied all
her life. Don’t let her trick you,”
artmann said.
:
Defense attorney John
Linebarger told jurors said Zamo
ra’s then fiance David Graham was
responsible for the crime.
Linebarger describing Graham as
“She didn’t help.
She didn’t assist. It
was David Graham.”
John Linebarger
Zamora's Defense Attorney
a “macho G.I. Joe” who dominated
Zamora and convinced her to take
the blame.
“There is no evidence to sug
gest that Jones was hit over the
head with anything but the butt of
a gun (that) we know was in the
hands of David Graham, not Diane
Zamora,” Linebarger said. “She
didn’t help. She didn’t assist. It was
David Graham.”
State District Judge Joe Drago
opened proceedings Monday by
telling jurors that in addition to cap
ital murder, they also could consid
er lesser charges of kidnapping, as
sault and false imprisonment.
He did not give them the option
of murder, a minor victory for pros
ecutors who said they wanted only
capital murder considered because
the evidence did not support a less
er offense. Defense attorneys ob
jected to the omission.
Capital murder is a murder com
mitted with another felony. Prose
cutors say Zamora helped Graham
kidnap and kill Jones in December
1995 in retaliation for their fling.
If Zamora is convicted of capi
tal murder, she would automati
cally receive a life sentence with
parole possible after 40 years.
Prosecutors are not seeking the
death penalty.
]prah’s beef trial defense to begin today
AMARILLO (AP) — The Texas
attlemen suing Oprah Winfrey
ive spent the last four weeks at-
cking her in
|every way
laginable.
itesday, they
villfind them-
elves on the
defensive.
Defense at- |]
jtomeys are
eady to make
teir case that
Vinfrey’s April
il6, 1996, show
Winfrey
on “dangerous
ods” did not falsely defame U.S.
ef. Plaintiffs rested on Friday, the
8th day of the federal trial.
But before they start calling
witnesses, the defense is hoping
U.S. District Judge Mary Lou
Robinson will end the trial on
their claim that the cattlemen
“have not presented legally suffi
cient evidence.” The defense re
quest is relatively routine.
Defendants also are asking
Judge Robinson to rule unconsti
tutional the 1995 Texas law under
which the cattlemen sued. That
civil statute protects perishable
food products from false and
defamatory statements.
Joe Coyne, lawyer for lead plain
tiff Paul Engler, said he would sub
mit a response before the hearing.
Jurors will not be present for
Tuesday’s hearing. They had
Monday off in honor of Presi
dents’ Day and, if the trial contin
ues, they will not be required
back until Wednesday.
The cattlemen claim that Win
frey’s show, which featured a dis
cussion on whether the decade-
long British epidemic of mad cow
disease was a concern for U.S.
beef consumers, caused cattle
prices to plunge.
Plaintiffs say the market tumble
cost them $12 million. They claim
the show was unfair because it was
not balanced and incorrectly por
trayed U.S. cattle as being at risk of
mad cow disease, which has never
been detected in the United States.
They seek to recoup their al
leged losses plus unspecified
punitive damages.
lamodome hosts Final Four, but critics persist
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — It’s been
aligned by hometown naysayers,
jut the Alamodome has gotten the
ib done in luring big sports events
fee city.
Next month, the NCAA Final
our calls the dome home.
The cavernous stadium will be
onfigured to seat 41,500 for the
restigious college basketball tour-
ament March 28-30.
Having the Alamodome was the
eyto landing the Final Four for San
Jitonio, sports boosters say.
“The facility is absolutely cru-
ial,” said Sandra Lopez, executive
irector of the Final Four Local Or-
[anizing Committee.
“It is the major factor,” added
)eborah Sibley, associate execu
te director of the San Antonio
ports Foundation.
The Alamodome opened in
toy 1993, four years after area
oters approved a five-year, half-
:ent transit sales tax to finance the
186 million building. Today the
lome is debt-free.
An unusual structure with a ca-
)le-suspension roof, the Alamod-
®ie sits on 57 acres of land on the
ast edge of downtown. The build-
ngcan hold up to 65,000 people.
It was a project pushed in 1989
ty then Mayor Henry Cisneros, who
promised it would bring big things
to San Antonio, possibly even a Na
tional Football League team.
The NFL has not come, except
for a few preseason games. The
Canadian Football League came.
And went. The San Antonio Texans
of the CFL played in the Alamod
ome in 1995.
The dome has hosted assorted
regular-season college football
and basketball games featuring
out-of-town teams. It is the site of
the annual Alamo Bowl. The
Rolling Stones, Elton John and
other major music acts have
played the dome. And city officials
are trying to secure the 2000 Re
publican National Convention.
Some San Antonio residents,
however, contend the Alamodome
was a waste of tax money for a city
in need of basic services, like better
roads and drainage.
Other residents complain
about soil pollution in the vicinity
of the dome. Dirt contaminated
with lead and hydrocarbons that
was excavated during construc
tion has been the subject of law
suits and controversy.
The San Antonio Spurs’ owners
do not like the dome either.
The NBA team has played in the
Alamodome since the 1993-94 sea
son. Spurs owners say they need a
smaller arena equipped with luxu
ry suites to compete financially in
the league.
Spurs chairman Peter Holt says
he wants the team to remain in
town, but last summer — after poll
results showed San Antonio resi
dents do not want public money
used to build a new arena — Holt
hinted the Spurs could one day end
up in another city.
“If you ask me personally, I be
lieve the easiest thing for this own
ership group to do is sell,” Holt said.
But for one-time basketball
events, including the 1996 NBA All-
Star Game and last year’s men’s
NCAA Midwest Regional tourna
ment, the dome has worked.
The University of Texas at San
Antonio was the host school for the
regional tournament and will be for
the Final Four. The dome got good
reviews after the regional, consid
ered a test run for the Final Four.
“Everything was just awesome,”
Lopez said.
In fact, sports organizers are
planning for another men’s Mid
west Regional in the dome in 2001
and for the Women’s Final Four in
2002. And they hope to host an
other men’s Final Four — in 2003
or beyond.
The Battalion
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Sewell Motor Company
(representing Cadillac, Chevrolet, CMC, Lexus, Oldsmobile, Pontiac)
invites you to visit our booth to discuss your opportunities in automobile retailing
at the
Business Career Fair
Tuesday, Februaiy 17th 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Wehner Building
Majors of specific interest:
Marketing, Management, Finance, Accounting, Industrial Distribution
Dallas • San Antonio
New Orleans
Eating Disorders Screening Program
Tuesday, February 24, 1998
10:00 am. - 2:00 p.m. Information Tables MSC Main Hallway
8:30 p.m. -10:00 p.m. National Eating Disorders Screening Program MSC Room 201
Presentation on Eating Disorders, Panel Discussion, Educational Video, and
Confidential Screenings done by Mental Health Professionals at No Charge
Sponsored by
Student Counseling Service, Aggie R.E.A.C.H., and Student Health Services
CAMP DAY
Tuesday, February 17, 1998
9:30 AM to 3:30 PM
MSC Hallway & Flag Room
Interview for summer positions as camp counselors.
Wanted: People with an interest in kids and skills in
archery
dance
music
arts
drama
nature/outdoor
baseball
equestrian
education
basketball
activities
riflery
boating
fishing
tennis
camping
football
soccer
canoeing
hiking
swimming
crafts
lifeguarding
theater
Sponsored by the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences,
the RPTS Majors Club, and the TAMU Career Center
%
S> Disney
Information Services )
Help Us Make the Magic
Representatives of the Walt Disney World
Information Services Team will be presenting
Wednesday, February 18th at 6:00 p.m. in
Rudder Room 402 on the topics of Business
Systems at Walt Disney World and to discuss
intern opportunities for summer and fall in
Orlando, Florida.
V * ^
MSC SCONA 43
//
Cities: Decline or Rebirth?"
Thursday, February 19 6:00 p.m. MSC 201
"The Future of America's Cities"
Mr. Bruce Katz, Director of the Center on Urban and Metropolitan
Planning, Brooking Institution
//
Friday, February 20 10:45 a.m MSC 201
The American City in the New Millennium
The Honorable Kirk Watson, Mayor of Austin, Texas
//
//
-
i 4 f £s
Friday, February 20 1:45 p.m. MSC 201
Are America's Cities Ready for the 21st Century?"
^ ^
„ *«♦'** * cy****#. + - r * >X x. •-O 'X- -■ ' ilfci **
Lt. Gen. Julius Becton, Jr. (Ret.), CEO/Suprintenden
Washington, D.C. School District
SP '
riL: '.'.Lt
.
- li
* ■ : :
Commander Betty Kelepecz, Los Angeles Police Department
Cinney, M.D., Texas Health and
It Mil
Human Services Commission
^-.v-' ' ’«
Perrons with disabilities please call 845*7625 to Inform us of your special needs. We request three (3) working days prior to the event to enable u* to assist you to the best of our abilities.