Ni4gDF e Mh l Vol. LXXXIX, No. 16-S
e c igan aWednesday, May23, 1979
Twkelve Pages
Ann Arbor, Michigan Ten Cents
SECOND DEATH ROW PRISONER GRANTED REPRIEVE
Inmate scheduled for execution
STARKE, Fla. (AP) - Condemned
murderer John Spenkelink's remaining
A hours dwindled as one court rejection
followed another yesterday, but his
~ Death Row companion, Willie Jasper
Darden, Jr., won a reprieve from the
electric chair.
Spenkelink's appeal was rejected last
r nig ht by one U.S. Supreme Court
justice, and his attorneys sought out
another in hopes of preventing the
execution - scheduled for 7 a.m. today.
Darden won a temporary reprieve
when a federal judge delayed his
execution 15 hours before he and
Spenkelink were to die. U.S. District
Judge William Hodges ruled in Tampa
4v that Darden must be given time to ap-
A. peal in the courts. Darden claims the
prosecutor made inflammatory
remarks during his 1974 trial.
A AT THE prison here, Spenkelink's
mother made a tearful plea for her 30-
- 'year-old son's life. Lois Spenkelink
emerged from a four-hour visit with her
son to beg Gov. Bob Graham, who
signed the death warrants Friday, to
reconsider.
"He doesn't even know my son," said
the ailing, white-haired woman. "How
can he kill my son? My only
son ... Governor Graham, I am
calling upon you to issuea stay to save
my son," she said.
A ,, Hodges said Darden, 45, cannot be
executed until a full hearing is held in
federal court on his petition. The appeal
is Darden's first in the federal court
Doily Photo by LISA UDELSON system.
ARULE GOLDEN, owner of the Amoco station at 601 Packard, said unless he is "swamped" with customers, he will have "HE SAID that words could not ex-
an adequate supply of gas for the long Memorial Day weekend. press his love and appreciation for what
had been done for him," said Darden's
Adequate holiday gas predicted for A2 lawyer, Robert Harper, after
telephoning his client to report the stay.
"It's been a long, hard struggle and
By JOHN SINKEVICS weekend," said a spokesperson for the Lampe. "To avoid a panic, people it's encouraging to run into an at-
Most gas stations in the Ann Arbor Stadium Marathon Service at 121 S. should fill up their tanks only when they mosphere ... of enlightenment at this
ea will be open for the upcoming Maple Rd. "It's contingent on how big a have to, not every time they get a little level," the lawyer said.
morial Day weekend, and many rush there will be, but we're fairly well low." And the rejections of Spenkelink's
tion owners say a shortage of fuel is covered." Gasoline wholesalers in the area also appeals continued. His lawyers were
likely. Although a state survey showed said they are feeling the effects of turned down by a federal appeals court
"To tell you the truth, there's quite a yesterday that many stations across limited amUunts of fuel, but that careful in New Orleans, a state court in
of gas in town," said Bob Dennis of the state are raising their prices this management of existing supplies has. Gainesville, and by the state supreme
kstrup Motor Service, 3055 Packard week, most area stations raised their kept spot shortages from taking place. court.
. prices last week and do not expect to "My business is being affected, and IN WASHINGTON, U.S. Supreme
AN INFORMAL telephone survey of make further increases before See SUFFICIENT, Page 2 See JUDGE, Page 2
ar
Me
sta
un
bit
Sal
Rd
gas stations in the city indicated that
most station owners foresee little dif-
ficulty in supplying weekend motorists
with necessary quantities of gas.
"We're open 365 days a year and we
really don't think we'll run out this
BULLETIN
Canadians appeared to have voted
in a new government as election
returns continued to be counted late
last night. The Progressive Conser-
vative Party, headed by 39-year-old
Joe Clark, apparently swept into
power after a neck-and-neck race
with Canadian Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau and his Liberal
party. The Conservatives made in-
roads into predominantly Liberal
eastern Canada, especially in On-
tario. The western vote was still not
tabulated late last night.-See story,
Page5.
Memorial Day.
"WE AREN'T going to raise our
prices, but I'm not going to try and
outguess the oil companies," said Ernie
Weaver, owner of Weaver's Service,
1500 E. Stadium Blvd. "I'm going to be
closed Sunday and Monday for the
holiday, but it's not because I don't
have any gas."
William Lampe, owner of Lampe's
Shell Service, 1800 Plymouth Rd., said
the high price of gasoline will probably
ensure the maintenance of sufficient
supplies of fuel.
"You could say I've been rationing
my gasoline by price. When the price
hits a dollar a gallon, there'll be plenty
of gas," said Lampe.
LAMPE ALSO said that although the
Ann Arbor area will not be hit by a shor-
tage of gas this weekend, many Detroit
area stations have already closed.
"In the Detroit area, there will be
spot shortages this weekend," said
Tri al to begin in
+Ex-eityeekssuit
By JOHN GOYER Weiss to agree to a transfer to a lower
U.S. District Court Judge John level position at a reduced salary.
Feikens yesterday ordered a trial in a Weiss agreed to the transfer, but
case brought against Ann Arbor by requested a vacation. Later, however,
former City Clerk Jerome Weiss. Weiss he told city officials he would not return
claims he was unjustly fired from his to city hall.
job at City Hall. Murray said that he had acted at his
Weiss is asking $2 million in damages own initiative in dismissing Weiss,
from Mayor Louis Belcher, City Ad- although he had discussed the action
ministrator Sylvester Murray, and the with the mayor and council members.
nine council members, who were on WEISS CLAIMS in his suit that
City Council when Weiss was removed Murray violated the city charter by
from his job in May, 1978. dismissing him. The charter requires
MURRAY, WHO removed Weiss
from his job as city clerk, had asked See CITY, Page 2,