:aa y, Februajv
iday, February 6, 2001
Opi NION
Page 5B
THE BATTALION
. [ hose fault is it?
\hould 12-year-old be held fully responsible for wrestling murder of friend?
frm
blooded murder. As CNN’s Mark avoid consequence. There would be ■ n July 1999,
Potter said, “Wrestling was not on no end to this behavior if the jury 1 Tiffany Eunick
trial, violence in sports was not on had not acted according to Florida | died of horri-
a®**
f {
trial, there was no excuse for what law and found Tate guilty. ble injuries in-
E fei
this was — murder.” ti This set of circumstances was a flicted on her by
rjfF
Many argue that Tate’s mother combination of misdirected blame, ] 2-year-old Li-
was to blame for Tiffany’s death. ignorance and irresponsibility. Ju- one 1 Tate who
CAYLA
CHRIS
CARR
They say she was present when the veniles and children must realize sa j ( j was j m j_
murder occurred, and, Eunick had the severitv of murder, think twice
CARTER
\P)-R
iday in thtBl orders of-
J.S. embasjlten make
tutors poJlthe head-
; part ofaspes, especially
)rist masiflen those mur-
o kill Ame:Is are commit-
s about toslby children.
complicJt society has
r Paul Bui-l grown im-
ment. fune to such atrocities or solved
ingateac:|ie problem of kids killing kids.
■ men codBtead, it finds a scapegoat. With
de-long te-lh case, some new outside influ-
dkening ua is blamed. In July 1999, 12-
nts he dr Mr-old Lionel Tate wrestled 6-year-
icd the tel Tiffany Eunick to death. Tate
he end,2-lmed he was imitating wrestling
i died andij|ves he saw on television,
rica wouLwfate was recently found guilty
id- “FortiMnurder in the first degree. Al-
• lugh sentencing does not begin
botnMj] March, first-degree murder in
-I Daresm r jda carries a mandatory sen-
:arly siMB ce 0 j.- ijf e i n prison without pa-
people - jpp Meanwhile, many people are
mencans ■ncjerjng if this immature youth
Juld have been prosecuted as an
-ck-flt and spend his entire life be-
:d\ ouiv jjy ij ars j us t because he was imi-
-cuajng wrestling moves he watched
;iated •television,
ion a t j ^jg ar g Umen t was echoed by
'! .! 10 j S i»e’s defense. Jim Lewis, Tate’s ai
de, said.® , . .
dt “The went so ^ ar as to re< J uest
outasmiB es ^ 0Iia ^ wres ^ ers to testify, but
: „„'ipe judge denied him the opportuni-
P any people are outraged that
hild would be sentenced to life
son. But sentencing for Tate
not begin until March 2, and
dren dten, CNN experts say it is
y citizen, unlikely that he will be given
attorney JiiP e term -
endant Pf^hat will happen to Lionel Tate?
iixedexp^|PP ears that the jury made an ex-
out of him. This jury took all
biastte/^ngs into consideration and right-
t thegl<](M , tily ( coiwicted Tate. Society is bo-
ptting increasingly unsympathetic
, someoneI'ard murderers regardless of their
hat hewalb- It is time to quit treating juve-
id. “He is dibs like children if they harm
lers. Murder has consequences,
icpartid])®! Tate should deal with the conse-
- - ftnces of his actions.
’an Jan.31 It was never in question whether
las beenllmel Tate killed Tiffany Eunick.
terroriscp debate was whether Tate in-
d Tradeiffided to kill her or killed her acci-
d sixpeojffiitally. The accident theory is a
X)0 othffi|etch.
■The prosecutors pointed out that
■fany’s injuries were extensive,
M experts testified that the injuries
J||/Bre comparable to falling from a
’^e-story building. If Tiffany had
i ictually fallen from a three-story
I Clllti ^ ^ ate s > ntent may have
L^UBmed more accidental. But since
■ injuries were a result of his de-
rerate brutality, there is no doubt
DS Icommitted first-degree, cold-
4P) - J
ints toacfj
fhecoiq Resident Bowen should not
incM liave banned Bonfire logo use
autercte’
cecutives
fallen asleep upstairs, while
babysitting Tiffany. The mother is
partly to blame, and she will be
punished by her son’s incarceration.
She had the chance to accept her
son’s violent actions, but she re
fused. Prosecutors offered a reason
able plea bargain for Tate, consist
ing of a three-year sentence plus 10
years probation if Tate pleaded
guilty to second-degree murder, and
it was quickly turned down by him
and his mother.
The defense attorney used Tate’s
age and vulnerability to violence in
television to argue innocence.
Tate’s mother used her irrespon
sibility and ignorance to believe in
her son’s innocence, and Tate tried
to use his immature and naive be
havior to act as he wanted and
before acting and refrain from
television influence. The lesson is
t^at parents should become more
aware of their children’s actions
and familiarize them with the real
ity of murder. If Tate was found
innocent, he would have acquired
an even more inaccurate sense of
right and wrong.
It is time children leave their
fantasy world and learn that murder
is not a fantasy — it is a serious act
that deserves terrible consequences.
It is unfortunate that Tate is so
young and is faced with life in
prison. It is more unfortunate that
Tiffany Eunick was so young, and
now has no life at all.
Cayla Carr is a junior speech
communications major.
sional wrestling moves.
The New York Times reported
that prosecutors in the subsequent
criminal trial likened the damage
sustained to Tiffany’s 48-pound
body to what would be incurred by
that of “falling out of a three-story
building.”
The medical examiner’s report
found that Tiffany had a lacerated
liver, a fractured skull and more than
30 other bruises and broken bones.
Upon being questioned about
Tiffany’s death, Tate claimed that
he had only grabbed the girl in a
bear hug but then accidentally
dropped her, causing her to hit her
head.
After further prodding from in
vestigators, Tate testified that he
had swung Tiffany around and hit
her head on a cast iron railing.
On Jan. 15, a jury convicted
Tate, who stood trial as an adult in
Florida, of first-degree murder af
ter only three hours of deliberation.
Moreover, according to The New
\6rk Times, a Florida child-abuse
law was invoked so that the jury
did not have to conclude that Tate
had meant to kill, only that his ac
tions were “intentional and abu
sive.” With this conviction, Tate,
now almost 14 years old, faces a
mandatory life sentence without
the possibility of parole.
Though it is undeniable that
Tiffany’s death was outrageously
savage, the constitutionality of
Tate’s trial and conviction must be
closely examined.
Upon Tate’s indictment, prose
cutors quickly worked to allow him
to be tried as an adult, even though
he was more than four years
younger than the usual limit for
prosecution as an adult. Because of
the emotional outrage over the de
gree and nature of Tiffany’s in
juries, prosecutors secured a first-
degree murder charge against Tate
within a year of the girl’s death.
By foregoing Tate’s rights as a
child, his right of equal protection
guaranteed by the 14th Amendment
was usurped by the state of Florida.
Tate’s capacity to stand trial as an
adult was not judged by his cogni
tive development but by the grim
details of his crime.
Despite his adolescence, Tate
was viewed as a person with the
mental capacity of an adult. He was
held to of all the standards and re
sponsibilities of an adult, like being
able to separate fantasy from reality.
The fact remains that Tate com
mitted this act when he was 12
years old and was judged for his ac
tions as if he were 17 years old and
of sound mind at the time.
Evidence strongly suggests that
Tate did not have the mental capaci
ty of an adult at the time of the mur
der, nor when the case went to trial.
The prosecution asserted that
Tiffany’s death was the result of a
crush Tate had on Tiffany’s mother
and said that he wanted to get rid of
the young child.
Tiffany’s mother, Deweese Eu
nick, testified to the jury that upon
hearing of her daughter’s death,
Tate shrugged his shoulders and
rolled his eyes. The next day, she
said, Tate asked her if he could
move in with her and have
Tiffany’s toys.
At'trial, Tate sat in neat slacks
and a long-sleeved shirt and drew
on a pad of paper through much of
the testimony. The New York Times
said, in the courtroom, Tate
“seemed still to live in a world of
make-believe.”
Tate should be held accountable
for his actions but only as account
able as someone of his legal stand
ing. Tate is a juvenile, and he
should be subject to the laws and
regulations of the juvenile justice
system, despite the terrible details
of his crime.
It is doubtful that, had Tate
stolen a car or gotten in a fist fight
after school, he would be charged
with grand theft auto or assault. In
stead, he would be sent through the
juvenile justice system.
The law exists to protect defen
dants and victims alike. Though
the law must seek atonement for
Tate’s crime, it should also shield
him against the lynch-mob mental
ity stirred by gruesome injuries to
a 6- year-old girl.
Chris Carter is a senior
speech communications major.
Mail Call
J/n response to Mariano Castillo’s Feb. 5 article.
hecorpofl President Bowen has most definitely over-stepped
it’sfopfs boundaries this time in placing a ban on the Bon-
Dsedlyf'fre logo. Yesterday’s article in The Battalion does not
ll Dr. Bowen’s reason for placing such a ban on the
icygroupfnfire logo, but it’s all too obvious as to why he
tiewmetiteuld choose to dictate policy like this. It is just one
- W ork. < ^ ore ste P ^ the administration to get rid of all
remories of the way Bonfire used to be.
■ I understand that it’s not ethical for people to
1 r Jake money off a tragedy. The money raised by the
Tgie Moms’ Clubs, however, is used to fund student
polarships. Also, the selling of Aggie Bonfire mem-
abilia is not profiting from a tragedy but rather from
reat tradition that is now part of the past.
In a school where tradition is so important, it’s hard
s.
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odearf ARTOON OF THE DAY
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to understand how a University president can get away
with making policies that have the goal of destroying
even the memory of our school’s great history.
When Bonfire fell, the tradition changed forever.
As much as we would like for this to be the case, the
truth is that Bonfire will never be the same. All that
we have left of this great tradition are our memories
of what is now “Old Army Bonfire.”
Yet, the administration is making an effort to steal
those memories from us. They tell us it’s wrong to let
our fish know what Bonfire was like and they discour
age dorm unity, saving it’s Bonfire related.
Our Bonfire is gone, our friends are dead, our
dorm unity is falling apart and now the administra
tion is trying to takeaway even our precious memo
ries of it all. Pretendtpg something didn’t happen has
never helped anyone to heal. What the administra
tion is doing is only Causing more pain.
Becky Bartschmid
Class of ’03
Quiet please
Breakaway service does not interfere with Silver Taps
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The Battalion encourages letters to the
editor.
Letters must be 300 words or less and
include the author’s name, class and
phone number.
The opinion editor reserves the right to
edit letters for length, style and accuracy.
Letters may be submitted in person at
Reed McDonald 014 with a valid student
ID. Letters may also be mailed to:
The Battalion - Mail Call
014 Reed McDonald
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
77843-1111
Campus Mail: 1111
Fax: (409) 845-2647
E-mail: battletters@hotmail.com
S ince Texas A&M was estab
lished, it has grown to become
a University rooted in tradi
tion. Among these traditions is Sil
ver Taps, a memorial to enrolled
Aggies who have died during the
year. The first Silver Taps was held
in 1898 to honor Lawrence Sulli
van Ross, a former governor of
Texas and president of the A&M
College.
People gather to remember Aggies, reflect and pray;
the Ross Volunteers offer a 21-gun salute; and Silver
Taps is played. Silver Taps is held on the night of the
first Tuesday of every month.
This is also when Breakaway Ministries, a Christ
ian worship service for students, meets for its weekly
worship. Many Aggies believe Breakaway interferes
with the Aggie tradition.
Despite falling on the same day as Silver Taps, it
does not interfere — rather, it promotes attendance at
Silver Taps. There has never been a shortage of stu
dents at Silver Taps, and Breakaway does not hinder
students’ abilities to attend the ceremony.
If there ever were a problem with a lack of students
attending Silver Taps, it would not be the fault of Break
away but rather the fault of the student body itself.
Gregg Matte, director of Breakaway Ministries,
said every effort is made to give students the opportu
nity to attend both Breakaway and Silver Taps.
“We support Silver Taps 110 percent,” Matte said.
Students who wish to attend Silver Taps are asked
to sit near the aisles, where they may leave without
disturbing others. Breakaway promotes attendance at
Silver Taps by reminding those attending, who may
have forgotten, that it is a Silver Taps night.
There has only been one incident when Breakaway
interfered with Silver Taps, and it was not even a sig
nificant occurrence. The last Silver Taps of Fall 200
was interrupted by music from the Breakaway service
at Olsen Field.
The worship service, which is usually held in Reed
Arena, took place at Olsen Field that night. As people
began to congregate for Silver Taps, the sounds of gui
tar music and singing broke the traditional silence.
Breakaway did not intend to interrupt the Silver
Taps ceremony. Matte apologized for any disturbance.
“I am so sorry and I take full responsibility. It
completely slipped my mind that it was Silver Taps
night,” he said. When it was brought to Matte’s atten
tion that Silver Taps was about to begin, he pulled the
plugs and ended the worship service. “I didn’t realize
that the sound would travel so far,” said Matte. “I am
terribly sorry.”
It is understandable that this incident would upset
those attending the memorial service. Once Breakaway
Ministries realized its folly, it rectified the situation im
mediately. The sound of worship music breaking the si
lence is not half as bad as the incessant drone of train
whistles that oft en plague Silver Taps.
It is evident that a ceremony held outside will be ac
companied by noises and distractions that cannot be
helped.
This year there was no Bonfire. Losing one of the
school’s most cherished traditions left many students
with a sense of emptiness. Even the use of “howdy” has
become rather nonexistent amongst the student body.
Take pride in the traditions of this University. Break
away Ministries does its part to help keep Silver Taps
an important tradition at A&M. It is important that all
Aggies work to keep alive the traditions that unite
A&M as a family.
Will Knecht is junior journalism major.