" ,ftx . '1 Page 10-Saturday, February 3, 1979-The Michigan Daily ...best munchies in town. The New Village Bell Stop 'E-by one evening. Judge rules Ford to' stand trial ELHART, Ind. (AP) - A Judge refused yesterday to block prosecution of Ford Motor Co. on criminal charges stemming from the deaths of three young women in a fiery rear-end Pinto automobile crash. Elkhart County Superior Court Judge Donald Jones sifted through more than 200 pages of legal briefs before denying the automaker's motion to dismiss the indictment, which represents the first criminal charges brought against a I I Ford changing transmissions DETROIT (UPI) - Ford Motor Co. said yesterday it is changing the design of automatic transmissions suspected by federal safety officials of causing hundreds of accidents and at least 23 deaths. A Ford spokesman said the design change on 1980 model cars is intended to "make it more difficult for human error" that results in idling vehicles jumping from "park" into "reverse." THE NATIONAL Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Ford's C6 and FMX transmissions, used in some nine million 1970-78 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles, to determine if design flaws are to blame for the mishaps. The agency says it has record of 777 accidents involving 259 injuries and 23 deaths linked to the Ford tran- smissions. Most of the accidents oc- curred when the vehicles were left unattended with the engines running. Ford spokesmen Robert Harnar said company .0nd government in- vestigators have found no evidence that design flaws are responsible for the slippage incidents. The company contends the accidents were caused by drivers failing to push the shift lever fully into "park". He said the two transmissions, under federal study since the fall of 1977, "are essentially the same as those of our competitors." manufacturer in an auto defects case. JONES SET arraignment on the three counts of reckless homicide for Feb. 15. The indictment handed down by an Elkhart County grand jury in Septem- ber said Ford recklessly designed Pinto fuel tanks. The three young women were killed Aug. 10 when their 1973 Pinto sedan ex- ploded in flames when it was struck from the rear by a van that police said was traveling 50 mph on a northern Illinois highway. THE CAR WAS 'among 1.5 million Pinto and Bobcat sedans made between 1971 and 1976 that Ford announced in June were being recalled after National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tests showed the cars consistently leaked large amounts of fuel in moderate-speed crashes. H. R. Nolte, vice president and general counsel for Ford, said from the company headquarters in Dearborn, Mich., that Ford was considering an immediate appeal to the Indiana Court of Appeals. "We continue to believe that Ford Motor Co. has not violated the criminal laws of Indiana," he said. ELKHART COUNTY Prosecutor Michael Cosentino said: "The primary issue is if this case is successful that a corporation can be held criminally liable for producinga defective product and knowing it is defective and not doing anything about it." In asking that the charges be dismissed, Ford argued among other things that the 1977 law under which the indictment was brought could not be applied to the Pinto case -because the car in question was made in 1973. Cosentino argued that the law did ap- ply because the charges were based on an accident that happened 10 months after the law took effect. JONES, WHO took over the case from retiring Judge Charles Hughes on Jan. 1, ruled that the charges were not based solely on actions prior to 1977. "Rather it appears that the indic- tment alleging reckless 'design and manufacture are simply antecedent facts establishing the duty by the defendant to make such repairs," he said in his decision. Do a Tree a Favor: Recycle Your Daily UAC offers eleven diverse mini-courses TEKET D Help New Students Discover the Diversity of Michigan BE FLL 0111 ENTEITION LEOlDER Pick up applications at the Orientation Office (2530 SAB) from Mon. Jan. 22, to Friday Feb. 16, 1979 * an affirmative action non-discriminatory employer * By JOYCE FRIEDEN When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen - well, at least to one of their represen- tatives when giving a mini-course sec- tion for the University Activities Center (UAC). UAC is offering 11 non-credit mini- courses at the Michigan Union begin- ning next week. Sponsored by UAC's Union Programming Committee, students can learn anything from belly- dancing to plant care. All classes are open to the public and most of them are free. EACH COURSE is taught by a local resident who is an expert in that field. The E.F. Hutton representative will speak on business investments, while Suhela of Art Worlds dance studios will teach belly dancing. According to Melanie Potash, UAC programming committee member, mini-courses benefit both teachers and students. Potash said local merchants, while teaching the courses, get publicity for their businesses while the student gains more knowledge in that merchant's field. Potash said merchants are more than willing to donate their time to such a venture. "It's a public ser- vice . . . people are usually pretty cooperative," said Potash. POTASH SAID the mini-courses held last year were successful. She ex- plained that although only two courses were offered last term, the committee decided to expand the program this term because of the high interest shown. Potash said another objective of the mini-courses is to promote use of the Union, especially after its recent student acquisition. "Mini-courses are a good way of getting people back to the Union - to think of it as a place to come to," Potash said. Courses will begin Tuesday, Feb. 6 and will continue until Wednesday, March 28. Most of the courses are taught in one session, usually from 7 to 10 p.m. People may sign up any time before the class- meets, Complete listings of times and places are available at Ticket Central, located on the first floor of the Union. An Equal Opportunity Employer Slim styling, hassle-free battery powered, and reliable I! in the union-530 S. State Street. Ann Arbor. Mich. 48104 FX4B All the functions of the FX-2500 model (below), but in a mini-card, only 1/8 inch thick! 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