TAX CUT See editorial page E Ninety Years of Editorial Freedom :4Iatiut BETTER See Today for details I Vol. XC, No. 128 Ann Arbor, Michigan-Friday, March 14, 1980 Ten Cents Fourteen Pages Ford found innocent in Pinto From AP and UPI WINAMAC, Ind.-A jury from the nation's heartland yesterday found Ford Motor Co. innocent of reckless homicide charges in the first criminal prosecution of a corporation in a products defects case. Defense attorney James Neal said the acquitals on charges stemming from the fiery highway deaths of three teen-agers showed even a giant corporation can win the day if it has "a fair and reasonable story." WHEN THE VERDICT, was delivered to the Ford company board of directors, it drew a cheer. "We heard the results in the middle of the board meeting," said Henry Ford II, whose decision to resign as chairman of the company was up for action by the board. "Everyone was highly elated." Attorneys for the nation's second largest automaker, which spent $1 million defending itself in the landmark case, said the verdict vindicated the Pinto. But two members of the jury said they wouldn't drive the compact cars. homicide case "WE FELT THE state never presented enough evidence to find Ford guily," said jury foreman Art Selmer, 62, a retired farmer. "We were waiting for more evidence." Elkhart County prosecutor Michael Losentino said, "We were severely limited in being able to present our evidence." He said Judge Harold Staffeldt's rulings limited the evidence he could present about crash tests that really counted, those for the 1973 model Pinto, and during rebuttal. THE VERDICT CAME in the fourth day of the jury's deliberations, including a marathon session that went into the early morning hours yesterday. Cosentino said after the verdict that there was a "strong possibility" he would appeal the judge's rulings in the case. Neal said of a possible appeal, "I don't care aboutathe appeal. They can appeal all the points of law they want. I'm through with the case." Because a corporation cannot be imprisoned, a conviction in the case could have carried a maximum penalty of a $10,000 fine on each of the three counts. But the case was considered a landmark battle because of its possible effect in other such cases and on pending civil suits concerning the Pinto. An Elkhart County Superior Court grand jury issued the indictments in September, 1978 under an Indiana law that allows corporations, as well as individuals, to be prosecuted criminally. Windfall profits bill passes House easily; Republicans quashed Daily Photo by CYRENA CHANG Winter (continued) Though Ann Arbor residents may be ready to enjoy spring's audacious regeneration, nature refuses to cooperate. Unloading its worst on Michigan and the rest of the country, nature again covered the area with a blanket of snow and ice yesterday. ANTI-REGIS TRA TION PROTEST CALLED TOO DRASTIC: From AP and UPI WASHINGTON - The compromise version of President Carter's "windfall profits" tax on the oil industry swept through the House yesterday after Republican-led efforts to soften it were defeated. The vote of 302-107 sent the landmark energy measure to the Senate, where final congressional action is expected next week. THE TAX would take back from the oil industry an estimated $227.7 billion of the.$1 trillion that consumers are ex- pected to pay in the 18)980s because of Carter's decision to end federal price controls on U.S. crude oil. The bill earmarks 60 per cent of the tax, or $137 billion, for income-tax reductions, although any tax cut would Teach By GREGG WOLPER Several of the professors participating * today's teach-in programs do not support the boycott of classes called by the Committee Against War, which is a sponsor of the teach-in. History Prof. John Broomfield, who will be leading a discussion of the Afghanistan situation, said that while a teach-in is an effective method of protest, present conditions do not call for a boycott. He would support a boycott in a time of national crisis such as the U.S. 'vasion of Cambodia in 1970, he said, ut added that "I don't see the present crisis at that level,". "YOU SHOULD reserve big guns for big occasions," he said. Jury gives Gacy electric chair From UPI and AP CHICAGO - John Gacy, convicted Wednesday for the murders of 33 young men and boys, was sentenced yester- ay to die in the electric chair. The jury, which took less than two hours to convict Gacy of more killings than anyone else in U.S. history, took two hours and 15 minutes to decide on the death penalty for Gacy. Cook Coun- ty Circuit Judge Louis Garippo imposed the sentence immediately after his clerk read the jury's decision. Earlier, the defense had asked that the jury be discharged and replaced by new one for the sentencing phase. ATTORNEY Sam Amirante told Garippo that "obviously the jury wa predisposed in finding Gacy guilty and was out only an hour and 50 minutes . .. it is wholly unbelievable that this jury could have examined all the evidence in the case. . . their mm- ds were made up." in profsopse bocot Political Science Prof. J. David foreign policy. He added that he would said. "Interest peaked about a month Singertalso opposes the boycott "be surprised if anyone comes" to his and a half ago." althogrhesopsesteyin faoofdiscussion. Economics Prof. Frank Stafford does although he is "completely in favor of "I DON'T SENSE that much concern not expect students to miss class to . the teach-in," and he said that most about these matters on campus," he See TEACH-IN, Page 5 have to be approved in subsequent legislation. Another 25 per cent, or $57 billion,,would help an estimated 18 million low-income families pay rising energy costs. The remaining $34 billion would finance energy programs. In addition to imposing the tax, the bill authorizes $3.1 billion in energy aid to low-income families in 1981; $8.3 billion worth of tax inicentives for businesses to conserve energy and produce non-oil fuels, and an expanded tax credit - up to $4,000 - for in- dividuals who install a solar or wind energy system in their homes. PRESIDENT CARTER has promised to sign the final version hammered nut by House and Senate negotiators even though it recommends making more than half the revenue available for tax cuts instead of energy programs. Opponents claim the tax will be paid ultimately by consumers. Backers say consumers will pay because of decon- trol; the only issue, they add, is whether the oil industry keeps all the price increase or whether a share goes to the government. Oil producers contend the nation would be better off if they were allowed to keep the $227.7 billion and re-invest it in the search for more energy. The Car- ter administration notes the tax still would leave the industry an extra $221 billion that it would not have received had price controls remained in effect. See HOUSE, Page 2 'r protessors in isa epartment agree witn him. "A boycott implies that classes are something between a waste of time and a form, of positive support for the rise of militarism," he said. Singer will be holding a discussion of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Allen Whiting, also a Political Science professor, agrees that a boycott is unnecessary. "The information available can be obtained without boycotting classes," he said. Whiting said that he does not expect students to miss class to attend his 9 a.m. talk on Suspended play es quiet scholarships in question By ALAN FANGER The five Michigan football players who were suspended Monday by Coach Bo Schembechler for a drug- related violation of a team training rule maintained their silence on the matter yesterday, while University administrators attempted to learn more about the issue. The suspended players - quar- terback B. J. Dickey, wolfman Mike Kligis, offen'sive tackle Dan Kwiatkowski, outside linebacker Ben Needham, and placekicker Bryan Virgil - were dismissed from the squad at a meeting of the team's junior members. Three other players, including middle guard Mike Trgovac, were placed on probation, but University officials said they will remain on the team. Needham and Kwiatkowski, who were scheduled to make a public, statement at 1 p.m. yesterday, later decided to remain silent instead. However, informed sources said Needham was prepared to make a statement sometime today. See FIVE, Page 11E Tanker tips on I-94, causes evacuation By LORENZO BENET Fifteen Ann Arbor homes were evacuated yesterday morning when a tanker truck carrying 6,000 gallons of acetone, a highly volatile chemical, jack-knifed and began leaking the sub- stan'ce. The truck, while heading east on I-94, hit a jeep from behind and drove into a ditch alongside the high- way early in the morning. The only injury resulting from the in- cident involved 26-year-old Ann Arbor native Susan Stalker, who was driving, the jeep. She was treated for minor cuts and bruises, and released from St. Joseph Mercy Hospital yesterday. MAJOR WALTER Hawkins of the Ann Arbor Police Dept. said at 12:00 noon that the police had asked the Dickens Elementary School to keep its pupils from going home for part of the day. The truck's trailer, which flipped over on its side after becoming detached from the cab, was leaking about one gallon of the highly explosive chemical per hour, according to State Police Officer Bill King. There was some chance of the acetone spilling into a nearby drain and getting into the Ann Arbor and Pittsfield Township water supplies, King added. Arthur Anthus, the driver of the truck bound from Chicago to a Ferndale fac- tory, said the roads had been very icy. When traffic suddenly began to slow up in front of him, he hit his brakes twice, went into a spin, and skidded into a nearby ditch, he said. The trailer unhit- ched in the process. "I CAN'T tell you whether or not I hit the jeep, I don't remember," said the 39-year-old native of Lake Village, In- diana. Trooper King said that Anthus swer- ved and hit the jeep, which made the rig jack-knife. The trailer then ripped off the cab and flipped over on its side, ac- cording to King. The I-94 eastbound lane was closed immediately after the accident. Both westbound and eastbound lanes were closed between the exits at 3:00 p.m. so the acetone could be transferred into another truck from Dow Chemical Corp. in Toledo. Meanwhile, motorists were advised to use either U.S. 23 or M- 14 as detour routes. King explained that crews were busy plugging the drain that leads under the highway. Once the drain was plugged, he said, the crews could upright the - trailer and begin transferring the acetone from the leaking truck. Daily Photo by MAUREEN O'MALLEY A TRUCK OVERTURNED on 1-94 southwest of Ann Arbor begins to leak its load of acetone into the air yesterday. The truck in the foreground dumps dirt to protect a water drain from contamination by the volatile chemical. See JURY, Page 5 'U 'U census takers, paying them while they attend classes on street etiquette and people counting. "Intensive testing" of applicants is scheduled for middle and late March, and if the applicant passes the test, work begins "soon." [7 The high cost of munching Price increases due to inflation have almost become a fact of life and most consumers have learned to grudgingly accept them. Nevertheless, a recent increase in the price of girl scout cookies has many sweet-addicts up in arms. It seems as if in its present cookie drive, the Huron Valley One-time offer Money can buy you almost anything these days- including virginity. That's right, for a mere two dollars you can become a member of the Tuskegee Institute Prudent Association, which entitles you to a Certificate of Virginity to help publicly proclaim your status. The association was started by three Tuskegee students as "kind of a joke," explained president Willie Berringer. "We wanted to give people some kind of novel gift and also to make a little money," he said. Berringer emphasized that no one is year-old student will be the oldest rookie lawyer ever to graduatefrom that school when he receives his sheepskin in the fall. "It-was tough-still is for that matter," Kocurek said. Maybe you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but you can apparently teach him to sue the pants off of someone else. On the inside E is II .I