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riday, March 24, 2000
THE BATTALION
Page 5
. delunSMU suspends students for violating rules
ipd.homepag e com
B-HIPH
DALLAS (AP) — Two Southern Methodist Univer-
;ity basketball players are indefinitely suspended for vi-
jlating team rules following a Western Athletic Confer-
nce tournament game in California.
University officials, describing what they called “in-
ippropriate and disruptive behavior involving a few stu-
lents” after the WAC tourney earlier this month, said
Wednesday that two members of the SMU Spirit Squad
,vere also suspended from their team.
The university said it took the action after receiving
nfonnation from Fresno, Calif., police.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram identified the sus-
ended Mustang players as Jeryl Sasser and Renaldo
ration.
Sasser and Bratton, both juniors, were questioned
bout incidents that took place in their hotel room at a
arty that included members of the SMU basketball
earn and Spirit Squad, according to a Fresno Police De-
jartment report.
SMU Athletic Director Jim Copeland and Coach Mike
Dement suspended the basketball players indefinitely
otn participating on the team for violating team rules,
e school said in a written statement.
But university officials did not return a telephone call
today from The Associated Press.
According to the Fresno police report, officers were
called early on March 10 to a Fresno hotel, where a
woman told officers two members of the SMU men’s bas
ketball team “touched her through her clothes with their
hands.” The woman told police she did not want to file
formal charges, the report said.
In interviews with police, several basketball players
and members of the spirit squad said they had been
drinking, but denied the woman had been assaulted, the
report said.
1
“We're handling it the
same way we would
handle any other poten
tial violation of student
conduct”
— Jim Caswell
SMU vice president of student affairs
The incident allegedly occurred hours after the Mus
tangs ended their season with elimination from the
WAC tournament in the first round by Hawaii in a 87-
82 loss March 9.
Several members of the team and the squad spent the
hours after the loss drinking at the Radisson Hotel in
downtown Fresno, according to the police report.
Sasser, a 6-foot-6 guard, was named first-team all-
WAC and led SMU in scoring. Bratton, a 6-foot guard,
played a reserve role.
The police report includes the names of four SMU
players. The Dallas Morning News reported that the uni
versity cited privacy laws in not naming the two players
who were suspended.
Both Bratton and Sasser remained on the team as
SMU competed in the National Invitation Tournament
against Southwest Missouri State last Thursday.
Bob Wright, a SMU spokesperson, told the Star-
Telegram the school received the police report Tuesday
and did not take action against any players before the NIT
game because “the police report contained information
not given to us previously.”
Darren McCoy, SMU spirit coordinator, voluntarily
resigned from SMU in the early stages of the investiga
tion last week in which three squad members were ques
tioned, the Star-Telegram said. Police noted that McCoy
had “bloodshot watery eyes, a strong odor of alcohol” and
said he “attempted to obstruct police questioning of one
of the spirit members.”
University officials began their own investigation
of possible violations of SMU’s code of conduct dur
ing a school-sponsored trip, including documentation
of underage drinking. The report includes instances of
a 21-year-old player giving vodka to a 20-year-old
squad member.
“We’re handling it the same way we would handle any
other potential violation of student conduct,” J im Caswell,
SMU vice president of student atf airs, said. “There needs
to be some determination of university violations and
what sort of response we need to pursue from there.”
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Supreme Court
rules on parental
abortion notices
AUSTIN (AP) — A pregnant girl who can
show that her parents would cut off support and
kick her out of the house would qualify for a
“judicial bypass” to avoid notifying them be
fore getting an abortion, the Texas Supreme
Court says.
However, the court said that a judge can,
within certain legal limits, weigh the girl’s tes
timony, which is made in a confidential hearing
with no witnesses to contradict her.
The decision is the latest in a,series since the
state’s new law requiring parental notification
of minors' abortions took effect.
Under that new law, physicians cannot per
form an abortion on a pregnant girl younger
than 18 without first telling a parent, unless a
judge authorizes it. To bypass the parental con
sent, a girl must convince a judge that she meets
certain conditions laid out in the law. The law
also provides her with a lawyer.
The latest case involved a 17-year-old girl.
On a 6-3 ruling on Wednesday, the court said a
“minor’s emotional well-being, the family
structure and the parent-child relationship
would be adversely affected if her parents with
drew support and severed all contact with her.”
The ruling added, “If the minor’s uncontro
verted testimony to this effect were clear, pos
itive and direct, and not impeached or discred
ited by other circumstances, the trial court
would have to accept it as fact” and grant the
judicial bypass.
Man opens fire in church, 4 shot
PASADENA, Texas (AP) — A
man apparently spumed by a love in
terest opened fire during a meeting in
a church office Wednesday night,
wounding four people before killing
himself.
Two of tlie wounded were hospital
ized in critical condition Thursday.
About 25 people were in the Pentecostal
church at the time of the shooting,
which came after Wednesday services.
Police were called to the scene
about 9 p.m.
Injured were 18-year-old Leslie
Contreras, her 38-year-old mother,
Angela Contreras, an unidentified
32-year-old man, and Carlos Mata-
mores, the 49-year-old pastor of Igle-
sia Cristiana Esposa Del Cordero, of
ficials said.
The pastor and the woman’s moth
er were in critical condition at Her
mann Hospital in Houston. Mata-
mores was shot in the chest, and
Angela Contreras was shot in the ab
domen.
Meanwhile, Leslie Contreras was
listed in fair condition at Ben Taub
Memorial Hospital in Houston with a
bullet wound in her neck.
The 32-year-old man suflered a
bullet graze and did not have to be tak-
“I told myself
that if I saw
him at church
tonight I
would call the
police.”
— Jose Montana
church member
en to the hospital, said police
spokesperson Sgt. J.M. Baird.
During a meeting after church ser-
News in Brief
vices, Baird said, the man professed
his love for 18-year-old woman, but
she indicated it was unrequited.
“What we know is that the suspect
was apparently in love with the 18-
year-old and found she liked him like
a brother,” Baird said.
He said the man then told her
“something bad was going to happen.”
Following the confrontation, the
suspect left and then returned with a
gun. He then opened fire, injuring the
four. He walked outside and shot and
killed himself, police said.
Church member Jose Montana,
34, said he saw the man in the early
hours of Wednesday morning at a
nearby Wal-Mart. He said he was
making small talk with the man —
whom he knew only as “Oscar” —
when “he said he was going to kill
someone.”
“I thought he was kidding,” Mon
tana said. “I told myself that if I saw
him at the church tonight 1 would call
police.”
Prison Board Chair: Guards
could get raise by September
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Prison guards who
have been complaining about low salaries could be
on their way to a $10,000 raise soon, the chair
person of the Texas prison board said Thursday.
“I think it’s all now just a matter of working out
some of the details,” Mac Stringfellow said outside a
meeting of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Stringfellow said several plans were under un
der review, and he was optimistic some kind of in
terim pay boost could be in effect as soon as Sep
tember.
Eventually, he said, prison guards would be ele
vated to the national average of $35,000 to
$36,000. Top pay now in Texas is $26,700.
Texas A&M University Floriculture-Horticulture Society
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The Battalion CLASSIFIEDS
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CCa 11 Lor INI o111in a t i oi is
2000 AXMentor of the Year Award
Dear Student:
The ATMentors program will be giving a Mentor of the Year Award
at the Division of Student Affairs meeting on May 3th.
The purpose of the award is to provide support for mentoring activities
and recognition for excellence in mentoring. The winner of the award
must be a member of ATMentors who has demonstrated outstanding
dedication and commitment to making a difference in students’ lives.
If you would like to nominate a member of ATMentors, send a letter to
the ATMentors program office at Mail Stop 1263. In your letter please
indicate how the mentor you are nominating has “made a difference”
in your life. Only currently enrolled students may nominate a Mentor [
for this award. Letters must include the student ID number of the
nominating student and be no longer than one page with 12 point font.
If you have any questions, call 845-6900 or email atmentors@tamu.edu.
A complete list of Mentors is available on the ATMentors webpage at
http://mentors.tamu.edu. All letters are due by April 7th at 5:00p.m.
Help recognize that special Mentor in your life!
ATMentors
Texas A&Mfaculty, staff and administrators helping students.
APPLY
YOURSELF!
Bryan/College Station's private dormitories are
looking for motivated individuals to be a part
of the 2000-2001 Resident Advisor Staff. All
applicants must have at least one year of
college. Applications can be picked-up at the
front desk of University Tower in the lobby
and are due Monday, April 3 rd by 5:00 p.m.
UNIVERSITY
TOWER
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 846-4242
Attn: Graduating Seniors
Open House
UCS has been in the custom software business for thirty years.
Headquartered in Houston with over 1600 employees, we are
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Thursday, March 30, 2000
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
200 Quality Circle
College Station, TX
This is a come and go event with refreshments provided.
Business attire requested. EOE. If you are unable to attend
but still wish to apply, please fax or mail your resume to:
200 Quality Circle
College Station, TX 77845
979-595-2609
Fax (979) 595-2613
www.universalcomputersys.com
UCS hires non-tobacco users only.
UCS