Wednesday, June 26, 1974
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Three
Newspapers need not offer
reply space, High Ct. rules
WASHINGTON ;P - Newspapers can-
not be required to give free space to
political candidates to reply to editorial
attacks, the Sttpreme Court rtled unani-
moutisly yesterday.
In one of five decisions affecting free-
lom of speech and the press, the court
struck down a 61-year-old Florida law
challenged by the Miami Herald and
ether newspapers.
ONLY ONE other state, Mississippi,
has such a lass, but the lustice lDepart-
ment was considering proposing federal
legislation if the Florida law was upheld.
Chief Justice Warren Burger, speak-
ing for the court, said the right-to-reply
Good-by
It's time for Daily staff nemubers,
like the rest o the student population, to
start studying for exams or taking air-
planes home. We slop publication after
today's paper until July 9, after which
we wilt be on your doorstep again ues-
day throigh Satturdoy tilt sunnier.
iss "e\:cts a o i'ialty i t'he busis of
he content if a ness"'r" ''I said
he pe'alvt iw't'ded additisnat ntn ting
sosts and 'taking is sace that could
Ie devoted te oth"r mIt ciat the news-
.aner may hasve nrcf-rred to print."
"'The choice of material to go into a
1ewspaper and the decisions made as
o limitations on the si-e of the paper,
and content and the treatment of public
issues and public officials--whether fair
wr unfair-constitute the exercise of edi-
torial control and judgment," Burger
wrote. "It has yet to be demonstrated
how governmental reguilation of this cru-
cial process can be exercised consistent
with the First Amendment guarantees
of a free press."
IN OTHER CASES, the court:
-Ruled S to 4 that private individuals
may collect damages for injuries they
actually suffer because of a libel if they
are able to prove negligence. This cotuld
make it easier for an individual to win
a libel ,judgment. The coiurt also ruled
hat private individuals may not collect
punitive damages for libel unless they
,an prove reckless disregard for the
truth.
--field 6 to 3 that a union's use of the
word "scab" in a newsletter was covered
by federal law guaranteeing unions free
speech protection for their organizing
efforts. The word is sometimes used for
non-union workers.
-Struck down by a 6 to 3 vote the
conviction of a Seattle man who hung an
American flag out of his apartment win-
dow with a peace symbol attached to it.
The court said a state law against affix-
ing symbols or pictures to U.S. flags
abridged his constitutional right to free
expression.
Record drug bust
Customs agents said they seized this 10,500 pounds of marijuana from two tanker trucks which came across the border
from Mexico Sunday, and following clues gained in the truck bust, U.S. and Mexican authorities seized 42 tons in Mexicali,
Mexico, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced yesterday.
Teltran progresses sloWl
toward full bus service
By JEFF SORENSEN
The Ann Arbor Transportation Author-
ity (AATA) is moving slowly to enact
the Teltran proposal passed in the April.
1973 city elections to provide city-wide
Dial-A-Ride services.
Under the approved system, likely to
be completed next spring or summer.
CAW
City Council
nixes proposed
bond issu
By CHERYL PILATE
During a special session yesterday,
City Council defeated a proposed $750,-
000 general obligation bond issue for
street improvements which would have
been placed on the Aug. 6 primary bal-
lot.
The proposal, which was supported
solely by Republican council members,
was introduced during .a working session
Monday night by Councilman John Mc-
Cormick (R-Fifth Ward).
DEMOCRATIC opposition to the bond
proposal stemmed from the illegality of
placing an issue on the ballot that had
not been approved by the county clerk
49 days prior to the election. State law
would have required that the proposal be
certified over a week ago to meet the
deadline, ,
See COUNCIL, Page 11
city residents will be able to board a bus
anywhere in Ann Arbor and ride any-
where else in the city for 25 cents.
THE CITY-WIDE service will be pro-
vided by a combination of the present
large express-route buses and smaller
Dial-A-Ride buses. The large buses,
which are already in operation, will run
on regular routes on the main streets
and Dial-A-Ride vehicles will pick up
and deliver passengers door-to-door.
Dial-A-Ride operates much like a taxi
system-passengers call in specific pick-
up paints and destinations and wait ap-
proximately 10 to 20 minutes for the
rides.°
Progress in implementing Teltran has
been slowed considerably by early dif-
ficulties in obtaining federal financing
and also the city's impoundment of
more than 9200,000 in AATA money last
year.
AS A RESULT, six Ann Arbor cItizens
and the local League of Women Voters
filed suit against the city in January
asking- for an-accounting of the funds
and restoration of the money to the
AATA.
"Last April, a two and a half mill
transportation tax (approximately $1,400,-
000 in reveue for the AATA) was passed
by the voters," said Sally Vinter, one
of the plaintiffs, "and now it appears
that the city has taken $221,000 and
possibly more from the AATA without
the AATA approval."
The maze of financial interactions be-
tween the city and the AATA involve
withdrawals of AATA funds to repay a
1970 loan from' the city for AATA buses.
THE COURT hearing on the citizens'
suit has been set for Aug. 12 in Wash-
tenaw County Circuit Court.
Henry Bonislawski, Assistant Operat-
ing Supervisor of AATA, explains that
when Teltran is completed, "Ann Arbor
will have perhaps the country's most
comprehensive bus system.
"We're trying to provide a demand-
response system," he says, "one that
may offer an attractive alternative to
the automobile."
Lawyers to investigate
state prison conditions
By DAVID WHITING
Two Detroit lawyers have begun an
investigation of Michigan penitentiaries
which focuses on Marquette State Prison.
The two attorneys, Gabriel Kaimowitz
and Kennth Cockrell, are presently
working on "several suits" directed at
the Marquette prison, Kaimowitz says.
THEIR INVESTIGATION was sparked
by the strangulation death of John Ier-
rara, 26, at Marquette in February.
Prison officials termed the death a
suicide.
"We do nOt believe it was suicide,"
Kaimoiitz says. Herrara was found
hanging from cell bars in a solitary con-
finement section of the prison.
Kaimowitz is examining the circum-
stances surrounding Herrara's death and
claims, "we have eye witnesses," but
refuses to reveal their names.
HE CHARGES that Herrara was
"coerced" into taking part in the Mich-
igan Intensive Program Center (MIPC)
and attributes his death in part to this
coercion.
Terming the MIPC "a behavior modi-
fication unit," Kaimowitz contends thaf
many prisoners face a choice between
solitary confinement and compu!sory
participation in the program.
" Ted Koehler, Warden at Marquette
State Prison, calls allegations thuit t er-
rara was forced to joint the MIPC "lot
true."
KOEfILER DENIES prisoners are coi-
pelled to take part in the MIP('. con-
tending they do so by their own choice.
He refuses to discuss the lawyers' in-
vestigation further.
In relation to IHerrara's death, Cock-
rell is filing a suit contending that the
deceased's relatives are entttitud to
monetary compensation.