THE JEWISH NEWS

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This Week's T o p Stories

Sorrow Without End

Two years after their son's murder, a Southfield couple has
few clues, and never-ending pain.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR

f time is the great healer, it has some-
how managed, for more than two years
now, to pass everywhere in the world
but a certain home in Southfield.
It's a quiet house, filled with art: a wo-
ven sculpture of an elephant trunk; a tan-
gled wall-hanging of tree branches, bent
and rounded; a thin, pointed figure of a
man. The owners are George and Cecilia
Duchin, whose son, Burt, gave them all
these treasures and more. Then he was

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Nearing Election Day

Jewish candidates find themselves
in some of the most closely watched races.

JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER

n an election season most political ble advantages over his opponent.
tion often is "a slow, methodical process,"
"He's been on the ballot before [he pre-
pundits sum up as lackluster, there
especially when, as in this case, there's
are a handful of races that are still too viously ran against Mr. Thompson] and
so little to go on.
close for anyone to predict. A majori- President-Clinton looks poised to do bet-
"We have no eyewitnesses, no security
ter than most Democratic presidential
ty
of
those involve Jewish candidates.
cameras, no murder weapon, and nobody
candidates have done in Oakland Coun-
They
include
races
for
the
Oakland
saw anyone coming out of the store," Det.
ty. In an election year like this, strange
County
Circuit
Court
and
the
Michigan
Sgt. Percy said. Nor do police have a mo-
things could happen. Still, I'd give Gor-
Supreme
Court.
Factor
in
a
non-incum-
tive, though they have ruled out the pos-
cyca a mild edge."
bent Oakland County prosecutor's race,
sibility that Mr. Duchin's death was the
On the state level, polls show that in-
and
suddenly
there's
an
election
season
result of a botched robbery.
cumbent James Brickley should easily
with
some
excitement
left.
"It's pretty clear that whoever did this
Political analysts say the election for win re-election to the state Supreme
went there with the intention of do-
Court. But the vacant
ing violence," Det. Sgt
seat created by the re-
Percy said.
tirement of Charles
"This is not an easy
Levin is up for grabs.
case, and it's going to
Surveys indicate Jessi-
take time," he added.
ca Cooper, Hilda Gage,
"But we will not give
Marilyn Kelly and
up."
William Murphy are
Meanwhile, Burt
locked in a dead heat.
JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER
Duchin's parents speak
David Faverman, di-
of their son with sweet
hey're too young to vote but will still participate in the election.
rector of the Lansing-
remembrance, and with
Instead of heading to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5, a group of based Faverman
tears.
teens will enable others to get to the voting booths.
Group, predicts Mr.
"He was an adven-
B'nai B'rith Youth Organization members will offer free babysit-
Murphy could win be-
turer" who loved scuba
cause of a factor he re-
ting on election day so parents can get out to vote.
diving and going to the
'We wanted to do something in the community," said Steven Lezell,
ferred to as gender
farmers market and
16. He and Jayme Cohen, 17, are two of the BBYO Michigan region vice
splitting.
water rafting, Mrs. presidents responsible for the event. 'We can't vote, and if you look at
"In a statewide
Duchin says. "He was a statistics, many
race where candi-
doer, always involved.
dates are not known,
adults don't. We fig- Steven Lezell
and Jayme
Once he went riding off ured we had to do
it comes down to par-
Cohen:
on his motorcycle to a something."
ty affiliation and gen-
Organizers
hot air-balloon conven-
der," Mr. Faverman
The students are
behind the
tion in Iowa."
said. "The three
signing up as either
effort.
"Burt did things most baby-sitters or dri-
women will end up
people only dream vers. Since the beginning of the
splitting a significant
about," Mr. Duchin month, at least 50 have offered
number of votes from
adds. "In the short years to volunteer for the program.
those who want to
he lived, he crowded a Those with cars will shuttle the
support a woman.
lot into his life."
This could give Mur-
sitters from home to home be-
When Burt and tween 3:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
phy the votes he
his brothers were
needs."
on election day.
young, their
Mr. Faverman also
As long as there are teens
mother often took available, parents should be able -
points out that Mr.
them to the De- to request a time when they ,,_
Murphy has an easi-
troit Institute of want to vote.
ly identifiable Irish
Arts. The boys'
name, which in past
"As an organization, we can't ya
only interest was
elections has proven
the suits of armor. BABYSITTING page 14
helpful for other can-
"Then one day
diclates.
prosecutor is still
Burt told me he took a girl to
Mr. Ballenger ag-
too
close
to
call.
see the Rembrandt exhibit
rees
gender will be a
With Democrat
there," she says, laughing.
factor, but he predicts different results.
Steve
Kaplan
and.
Republican
Dave
Gor-
"That just goes to show you,
cyca in a dead heat, pundits predict Mr. "I doubt voters will pick two men," he
you never know what rubs off."
Gorcyca will ride the Oakland County said, but lae also believes Judge Kelly will
As an adult, Burt Duchin was in love
win.
Republican wave.
with art and antiques. He often would
More often than not, judicial races
"The
Dick
Thompson
threat
is
gone,
bring gifts, purchased at Cranbrook, to his
come
down to two factors --money and
one Democrat said. 'The prosecutor's race
mother. The Duchins' back yard is home
name recognition. Nand Grant and John
has
been
an
'Anyone
but
Thompson'
con-
to a 60-foot sky-blue sculpture of a tree that
O'Brien, candidates for the Oakland
test If it were Thompson versus Kaplan,
Burt gave Cecilia one Mother's Day. The
County bench, have the name recogni-
it
might
be
a
different
story."
paint has been peeling, revealing a bitter-
tion.
Ms. Grant's father, Barry Grant,
Bill Ballenger, editor and publisher of
orange rust underneath.
has been a mainstay on the Oakland
Inside
Michigan
Politics,
the
newsletter
He was an adventurous child, his moth-
said Mr. Kaplan has at least two visi- CANDIDATES page 14
er says. "We were living in Oak Park and
SORROW page 16

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Poll Incentive

BBYO teens will offer free babysitting on election day.

4

Above: Cecilia and George Duchin:
Not a day goes by when they don't
think of him.

Right: Burt Duchin's murder
continues to mystify police.

murdered in 1994. His killer
has never been found.
"The pain doesn't get any
easier," Mr. Duchin says. "Not
a day goes by that I don't think
about him — and the nights, I
wake up ..."
Burt Duchin was working in his store,
Perry Warehouse Furniture in Pontiac,
when someone walked in and shot him to
death between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m. Sept. 22,
1994. Both Pontiac and state police are
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continuing to investigate the case.
'We definitely have leads, and some new
angles on some old leads," said Det. Sgt.
1-..a.te Po-
0 Richard Percy'
lice. And while two years have passed since
Mr. Duchin's death, a murder investiga-

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