The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, May 17, 1978-Page 7
State House OK's domestic violence bills
By MICHAEL ARKUSH
Five bills designed to give the police
and courts more power to curb
domestic violence were passed
unanimously by the state House of
Representatives yesterday.
The bills were immediately submit-
ted to the, Senate, where discussion is
expected to begin early next week.
YESTERDAY'S vote followed
several days of hearings and thorough
reviews by House members. During the
three readings, the bills were slightly
amended but no major changes were
approved.
Most representatives predicted the
House would easily approve the series
of bills which were introduced last Sep-
tember by Rep. Connie Binsfeld (R-
Maple City).
"Nobody expected we would lose the
vote but I am still excited about it. We
worked a long time for this," said
Melinda Remer, an aide to Binsfeld.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE is violence
committed by a member of one sex
against a person of the opposite sex,
while they are living together in the
same residence or after they are
separated.
One bill would enable police officers
to arrest suspected perpetrators of
domestic violence without acquiring a
search warrant. This would allow
police to arrest anyone who they
believe is initiating the violence when
there is "probably cause that beatings
occurred or an imminent danger that
physical assault will happen."
A second bill would increase the
power of a court injunction that bars a
member of one sex from visiting a per-
son of the opposite sex if one has
demanded that the other stay away.
For example, if a wife obtained an in-
junction prohibiting her husband from
visiting her but he disobeyed the court
order, he would be subjected to a
misdemeanor. Under the new bill, the
misdemeanor would cost him a man-
datory jail sentence and a fine. The
present law only forces him to pay a
fine.
THE OTHER THREE bills focus on
court counseling for convicted assailan-
ts, assurance the injuctions would be
kept in the police station and not in the
courtroom and specific classification of
domestic violence according to the type
of victims involved.
Rep. Perry Bullard (D-Ann Arbor)
yesterday said he believes the bills
would deter future domestic violence.
"I think it would make more tools
available and help stop the spread of
domestic violence," Bullard said.
TWO BILLS, which deal with
domestic violence but were not voted on
yesterday will be submitted to the
House next week. One would establish a
committee to allocate money to dif-
ferent agencies involved in the treat-
ment of domestic violence. The other
bill would require police officers to at-
tend a basic training program before
they would be assigned cases dealing
with domestic violence.
United Press International reported
yesterday that Governor William
Milliken said he will ask the legislature
for $1 million to establish a shelter for
battered wives and their children in
Detroit.
Bullard said he expects the Senate
will pass the bills quickly and that
Milliken will then sign them into law.
Infant's death sparks
search for parents
By R. J. SMITH spillway. From what I've been told, in
Following the discovery of a dead in- theory this baby could have come from
fant in the Huron River last Saturday, as far away as Dexter," Whitaker ad
Ann Arbor police have mounted a ded.
massive campaign to identify the Police are awaiting the results of
child's parents. tests sent to Lansing which will give a
The Ann Arbor Police disputed a much fuller autopsy report. There is
story which appeared in the Ann Arbor currently a question of whether the in-
News yesterday, which stated police fant died of strangulation or of
might soon begin to send divers into the drowning. "These tests often take up to
river to search for the child's mother. six weeks," Whitaker added.
Police Captain Whitaker said police Police have been checking local
would not dispatch divers into the lake missing children and adult files
"in any organized way" until it could be and reviewing state missing person
determined "that there was a missing teletypes to either identify the child or
motherE" Ihis parents. Because of the inability to
A CITY RESIDENT was walking his identify the baby, police have
dog near Argo Pond Saturday morning speculated that foul play was involved
when he spotted the child floating in the in both the child's death and that of at
Huron River east of the Broadway least one of his parents.
Bridge. "WE ARE THINKING about the
The child, a boy estimated between possibility we may be dealing with
nine and fourteen months old, was some kind of doublebmurder," said
wearing a diaper and dark colored Police Chief Walter Krasny.
sleeping wear. An initial autopsy in- BuacrigtWhaksedn
dcated behad not been abused before But, according to Whitaker, sending
his death. It was not known if he had divers into the lake is only one of the
died before or after he hit the water. plans, and one that will not be acted
Whitaker said although the body upon "at l o the next day o t
showed no signs of being in the water naturewof any of these other plans.
for a long time, its decomposition may "Usually in these things," sai
have been slowed by the cold water. "A Krasny, "people will start coming for-
body suspended underwater in very ward. But so far, we have searched all
cold temperatures will stay in pretty the missing person reports through
good condition for along time," he said.
"THIS CHILD was small enough t police agencies all over the state and
go over dams. It could go over a we've come up empty-]landed.
The Ann Arbor Film Cooperative
presents at AUD. A
Wednesday. May 17
COUSIN, COUSINE
(Jean-Charles Tocchella, 1976) 7,8:40, 10:20-AUD. A
Remember when "French" meant "spicy," "sexy," and "suggestive"?
This French film lives up to that reputation. Two cousins have an affair
with each other to revenge themselves on their unfaithful spouses, and
find love instead. The film is lighthearted, in the Truffaut tradition, espe-
cially with its glimpses into the personalities of peripheral characters. A
1977U,.S..hit: hitFrench, with subtitles.,
DAILY EARLY BIRD MATINEES -- Adults $1.25
OISCOUNT IS FOR SHOWS STARTING BEFORE 130
MON. thru SAT. 10 A.M. tit I:30 P.M. SUN. & HOLs. 12 Noon til 1:30 P.M.
EVENING ADMISSIONS AFTER 5:00, $3.50 ADULTS
Monday-Saturday 1:30-5:00, Admission $2.50 Adult and Students
Sundays and Holidays 1:30 to Close, $3.50 Adults, $2.50 Students
Sunday-Thursday Evenings Student & Senior Citizen Discounts
Children 12 And Under, Admissions $1.25
TICKET SALES
1. TiIcets sold no sooner than 30 minutes
prior to showtilne.
2. No tickets sold later than 15 minutes
after showtime.
12:45
3:45
wman7:15
9-45
LL CLAYBURGH ALAN BATESRI
"House
'Calls"
1:15
4:00
6:45
9:15
GLENDA JACKSON
ART CARNEY
RICHARD BENJAMIN
P4M7N i.7W iI