Page 8-Tuesday, May 22, 1979-The Michigan Daily
TWO SCHEDULED TO DIE WEDNESDAY MORNING
Condemned killers denied stay of e
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)-The grants reprieves for the condemned raised no new issues. The majority also case
Florida Supreme Court yesterday killers. found no merit in arguments by Dar- Ez
refused to delay the executions of con- "We intend to remain in the office den's attorney that he was denied due Will
demned killers John Spenkelink and and pray," said one of the protesters, process of law by the state's clemency stay
Willie Jasper Darden Jr., scheduled to Mike Jenrzejczyk of Nyack, N.Y. process, during which the state Cabinet torn
die in the electric chair Wednesday "We're going to stay here until the considered whether to commute his over
morning. governor grants a stay of both sentence to life in prison. imm
Even as the state's highest court executions." HOWEVER, THE three minority New
rejected the appeal from Spenkelink, Graham said the protesters could justices said Darden should be granted An
his attorneys hand-delivered an remain "as long as their action does not a two-day stay of execution to allow his
xecution
to be argued in the courts.
arlier Monday, U.S. District Judge
iam Stafford denied a request for a
of execution from Spenkelink's at-
ey, David Kendall. An appeal to
rturn Stafford's denial was filed
ediately with the appellate court in
Orleans.
nd in Bartow, Fla., Circuit Court
See FLORIDA, Page 13
emergency appeal to the U.S 5th Cir-
cuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans,.
The U.S. Supreme Court has four time
refused to grant Spenkelink a reprieve.
The seven Florida justices voted
unanimously to refuse a stay of
execution for Spenkelink and, by a 4-3
margin, to reject Darden's appeal.
They issued their decision after
meeting in private most of the day
Monday.
ANTI-DEATH penalty protesters,
meanwhile, maintained a prayer vigil
outside the office of Florida's Gov. Bob
Graham, vowing to stay there until he
infringe on other people's legitimate
rights."
SPENKELINK, 30, faces elec-
trocution at 7 a.m. and Darden, 45, one
hour later in Florida's heavy oak elec-
tric chair-a three-legged seat built by
inmates, with arms deeply gouged by
the struggles of the convicts who died in
it.
They would be the first men executed
in the United States since Gary Gilmore
was put to death by firing squad in Utah
in 1977.
The state Supreme Court turned
down Spenkelink's appeal, sayng he
Man waits for death; says
he killed in- self-defense
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - "Oh, I have been segregated from other Death
do mind dying, but even more, I resent Row inmates.
having to die like a trussed chicken," Unlike others on Death Row,
John Spenkelink once wrote from the Spenkelink has been to the Q-wing
Death Row cell where he awaits before. Former Gov. Reubin Askew
execution. signed the execution order in Septem-
Spenkelink, sentenced to death for a ber 1977, but a federal judge ordered
1974 murder in a Tallahassee motel -the execution delayed.
room, was told Friday he had just five "I can't say I wasn't afraid,"
days left before he would die in the elec- Spenkelink wrote of that experience. "I
tric chair. was, but I still had hope."
Death warrants for him and a second THIS TIME there's little hope, even
man, Willie Jasper Darden, Jr., were by Spenkelink's attorneys.
signed Friday - bringing closer the "It's frightening to think a punish-
hour Spenkelink had contemplated in a ment of this kind still exists today,"
two-year correspondence with Fran Spenkelink wrote the newspaper, "but
Williams of the Fort Myers News-press. it's even more frightening to think there
"IT'S QUIET down there - even the are people who can watch such a
guards act in a strange and bizarre thing."
manner . . . almost apologetic," Spenkelink was convicted of shooting
Spenkelink wrote the reporter about the to death a Detroit man he'd picked up
Q-wing, or death house, where in the hitchhiking through the Midwest. The
past prisoners about to be executed victim was shot three times.
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Aide says Talmadge knew
of financial corruption
WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. Herman Talmadge, who is accused of five
Talmadge knew of, approved of, and counts of financial misconduct, sat
profited from the diversion of cam- quitely behind the smoke of his ever-
paign contributions and the padding of present cigar as his former aide
his official Senate expenses, a former testified.
aide to the Georgia Democrat testified MINCHEW, WHO is under heavy
yesterday. guard because of a telephoned threat
Daniel Minchew, who was that his daughter would be killed if he
Talmadge's top aide from 1971 through testified against Talmadge, also
1974, also testified that others in the showed no nervousness in his first ap-
senator's office knew of the diversions. pearance before the committee.
Minchew told the Senate Ethics The former aide told the committee
Committee he set up a secret bank ac- he converted a $2,000 campaign con-
count in Talmadge's name and fun- tribution of travelers checks into cash
neled more than $39,000 in Senate and after Ms. Allyne Tisdale, the senator's
campaign funds through it in 1973 and financial secretary, told him in August
1974 only after several conversations 1974 that Talmadge did not want the
with Talmadge about how to raise funds checks deposited into his campaign ac-
for the senator's personal use. count.
TALMADGE'S knowledge of the He said he deposited the travelers
diversions and of the overcharges of checks into the secret account and
expenses is the key to the allegations withdrew $2,000 by writing a check to
against him. The veteran senator has cash
said overcharges occurred as the result MINCHEW TESTIFIED he gave $500
of staff error and has repaid $37,604 to from that transfer to Talmadge later
the Senate. But he denies any that day in the senator's private office.
knowledge of the secret account or of He said he told Talmadge that Tisdale
the conversion of campaign con- had the remaining $1,500. He said he put
tributions. He contends Minchew is a the remaining $1,500 in a cabinet as
"liar, cheat and embezzler." Tisdale had asked him to do in a memo.
Minchew testified he was not proud of
his actions, which, he said "evolved out Minchew also said Talmadge often
of misplaced loyalty" to Talmadge. had $100 bills in his pocket and that the
"Today, I wish I had not been so senator sometimes pulled out a $100 bill
anxious to please," he said. to pay for an item he had ordered.
Palisades nuke plant
operating after 3 weeks
ContinuedonPage.5
sumers' other nuclear plant, the Big Big Rock has been closed since Feb. 2
Rock facility near Charlevoix. when it went down for refueling. The
ABOUT TWO quarts of radioactive leak was discovered in mid-April as
coolant water leaked from piping plant workers attempted to get the
around control rods at the 16-year-old facility back on line. The shutdown
power plant. Authorities were con- costs Consumers $30,000 a day to replace
sidering three possible methods of the electricity Big Rock usually
repair and Koschik said they still have produces.
not determined which method to use.
to 0 *
Jackson prison poisoning
leaves 19 hospitalized
(Continued on Page 5
own alcoholic beverages by fermenting All the hospitalized inmates were un-
fruit or fruit juices taken from the kit- der guard and Pogats said he did not
chen, "This is the first time I've ever foresee any unusual security problems.
heard of anybody drinking that stuff." "We don't think we'll lose any of
"It's a tragic damn thing," Pogats them," he said. "They're in no con-
said. "This stuff is dangerous stuff." dition to split anyway."
ENERGY.
We can't afford t@ waste it.
- m