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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 30, 1998)
1 irsday • April 30, 1998 ipreme Court divided over delayed executions Nation ASHINGTON (AP) — Citing a erfuland legitimate interest in ihingthe guilty,” the Supreme [signaled growing frustration lesday over delays in executing ation’s more than 3,000 death amates. lough the court was deeply di- ' the five-justice majority emly in criticizing the post- ment of a California murder- secution last year, lejustices ruled that the San cisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit t of Appeals was guilty of a 'e abuse of discretion” when it Thomas Thompson’s life two victed murderer days before he was to die. Justice David H. Souter, writing for the four dis senters, said the court was solving a “problem that does not exist.” The appeals court blocked Thompson’s ex ecution by re calling, or pulling back, its previous rejec- tion of one in a long line of appeals by the con- ceedingly rare, “ [The court had cheated] the state and the victims of crime alike.” Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy and rapist. Writing for the highest court Wednes day, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said the court had cheated “the state and the victims of crime alike.” What the appeals court B did in Thomp son’s case is ex- and Wednesday’s decision therefore will not directly affect many death-penalty cases. Kennedy’s 26-page opinion was seemingly intended to put lower federal courts on notice that unnecessary delays will not be tolerated. Congress sought to speed up the rate of executions when in 1996 it passed the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. But Kennedy said the 9th Cir cuit court’s conduct in Thomp son’s case was not covered by the law because it had not been sparked by a new appeal from the inmate. Ibright in China sets tone for Clinton's visit BEIJING (AP) — Secretary of te Madeleine Albright glossed Tdifferences on human rights, and technology exports dnesday to emphasize a “strate- partnership” with China and set load for President Clinton’s up- ning summit. In more than five hours of pri- enegotiations, however, Albright ensivelydebated U.S. concerns hsenior Chinese officials. She will take her concerns to sident Jiang Zemin and Premier tiRonji on Thursday. They are ekind of issues that take place [ween two countries that have a at deal in common,” Albright atajoint news conference with Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan. Having released a string of not ed dissidents, China still holds some 2,000 political prisoners, by U.S. estimate, and the Clinton ad ministration is shifting its strategy to push for wholesale releases, a se nior U.S. official said after Albright’s three-hour meeting with Tang and a two-hour dinner conversation with Vice Premier Qian Qichen. Albright found the Chinese sharing U.S. determination to keep the Korean peninsula free of nuclear weapons, eager to main tain peace in the oil-rich Persian Gulf and not challenging the huge U.S. military presence in the Pa cific, said a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity. This growing common ground dominated the first day of a two-day visit by Albright, which is keyed to preparing for Clinton’s state visit in June. Her stress on common interests res onated with a government whose restric tions on expression are begin ning to ease nine years after the brutal crackdown of a pro- Albright democracy movement. “We shall achieve the objective of building a country and also de velop the country according to law,” Tang replied. Both the Chinese official and Albright referred to a “strategic partnership” between their coun tries, thereby giving their growing closeness far greater emphasis than their differences. There are some, Albright said, referring to U.S. complaints about China’s record on human rights, its export of technology that could help countries like Pakistan and Iran develop potent weapons and Chinese barriers to U.S. exports. lives itw MSi WASHINGTON (AP) — As a idjury in Arkansas watched first Hillary ham Clin- videotaped mony Inesday, hei fer con- led she had sed to an- two ques- $ in the itewater in- linton uses marital privilage to avoid questions Clinton on mdsof marital privilege, uestions in Saturday’s five- iWhiteHouse session that Clin- dedined to respond to dealt “conversations that plainly fell lerthe long-standing common privilege for marital communi cations,” attorney David Kendall said in a statement. After the grand jury gathered at the federal courthouse in Little Rock, Ark., Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr spent about 45 min utes in the area of the building where the grand jury meets. Deputy Whitewater prosecutor W. Hickman Ewing Jr., who con ducted most of the questioning of Clinton, declined to comment as he entered the building carrying two briefcases. Clinton’s invoking the marital privilege is the latest instance of Whitewater prosecutors being un able to get answers to questions in the investigation. Starr will speak on the issue of executive privilege in a speech Fri day to a convention of the Associa tion of Defense Trial Attorneys in San Antonio. Clinton has invoked executive privilege to protect the confiden tiality of some conversations with top aides in the investigation in volving former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The Justice and Treasury depart ments argue that Starr can be barred from questioning Secret Ser vice officers about President Clin ton’s relationship with Lewinsky. The Whitewater probe “is a great investigation for the law of evi dence,” said New York University law professor Stephen Cillers. “We’ve got executive privilege, at torney-client privilege, spousal privilege, a brand-new Secret Ser- '& Tfntrsdofy.. a party ‘(Friday niyiil.. nil look lHit’ 7 tried taa fiarcL. , mn gave it a tfwitglit... wt little ‘Paled outfit... inkle tfieer tier little tank... , r U$ iappy sandal... nit of new fragrance... ictybe just lotion ii my arms and legs... Him wfiere ifind it all... Km'gave it a tfiaugfit must run... m? ire 05 University Dr. E. 268-9626 MSC Film Society ^ Jackie Brown Friday, May 1 9:30 p.m. L.A. Confidential Saturday, May 2 7:00 & 10:00 p.m. Tickets: $3.00 at the door or $2.50 in advance at the MSC Box Office (845-1234) All films shown in Rudder Theatre Complex. Questions? Call the Aggie Cinema Hotline - 847-8478. L Persons with disabilities please call 845-1515 to inform us of your special needs. We request notification three(3) working days prior to the event to enable us to assist you to the best of our ability. Website:http://films.tamu.edu Film on Video presents . . . Annie Hall Thurssday, April 30 7:00p.m. Bullets Over Broadway Sunday, May 3 2:00 p.m. Free Admission RICH Rm.107 (West Campus) HMWAt £ £ FAREWELL TO AGGIELAND! FRIDAY, MAY 1 TMJE FINAX. SHOTOT JHL Ml * THE FINAL SHOW! SAt 600DBYE TO A BAND THAT BINGS WITH THE TBDE S0DL OF TEXAS AND BEATS THE PULSE OF THE SPIRIT OF AGGIELAND! - T -- r - , BRODOBT TO YOU BT DICKSON PBODOCTIWS LAST CHANCE TO HEAR “FIGHTIN’ TEXAS AGGIE SONG” LIVE? I Taking the MCAT in August? reasons you should take The Princeton Review: You’re the Focus 1 We focus on your needs to help you do your best. We go the extra mile; if you still have questions after class, simply set up an extra help session with your instructor - it’s free. O Five Full-length diagnostics ^ We give you 5 diagnostic MCATs under actual testing conditions, plus ten more MCATs to work on at your discretion. rvo^* THE PRINCETON REVIEW 409.696.9099 www.review.com The Princeton Revie* is not associated with Princeton University norMMC BLACK & WHITE EXPRESS COPIES Bring this coupon to the Kinko's listed below and receive 35 Express Black & White Copies. kinko's 509 University Drive West College Station 846-8721 Offer good for letter size, single sided, autofed copies on our standard white paper. Offer is limited to one coupon per person. Coupon must be ■ presented at time of purchase and is not valid with other offers or discounts. Offer valid at time of purchase only and may not be discounted or credited toward past or future purchases. Offer valid at Kinko’s listed locations only. Coupon void where prohibited by law. No cash value. ■ Offer expires 8/30/98. *1998 Kinko's, Inc. All rights reserved. Kioto's is a registered trademark of Kinko's Ventures, Inc. and is used by permission. Kinko's requires written permission from the copyright holder in order to reproduce any copyrighted materials. AAA548 | Open 24 Hours • Ask about free pickup and delivery vice persons’ privilege, and all that’s left” that hasn’t been invoked “are clergyman’s privilege, physician- patient privilege and the privilege against self-incrimination.” Gillers said that if Clinton had answered the questions, that would have risked loss of the marital priv ilege covering all other conversa tions with her husband. Regarding conversations be tween Clinton and her husband, Starr was pressing into an area where he should have expected to be rebuffed, said Bruce Yannett, a white-collar criminal defense lawyer. “I don’t think anyone should be particularly surprised or offended” by invoking the privilege, said Yan nett, a former federal prosecutor . t a u ant THURSDAY NIGHT SPECIAL! Crawfish § Beer! • $ 2.99/lb. 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