The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, February 18, 1992 - Page 3 I Dahmer sentenced flS~n0 to lifem Pn MILWAUKEE (AP) - Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced to life in prison yesterday after some relatives of his 15 victims called him a devil and Dahmer told the judge, "I know society will never be able to forgive me." "I take all the blame for what I did," he said. Nine relatives of Dahmer's vic- tims described the painthey have suffered because he killed, butchered and had sex with the corpses of their family members. The hysterical sister of victim Errol Lindsey shouted "Satan!" at Dahmer and screamed, "Jeffrey, I hate you !" as she lunged toward him, shaking her first and shouting obscenities. She was led away. A jury decided Saturday that Dahmer, 31, was sane when he killed 15 young men and boys he lured to his home. Dahmer pleaded guilty but insane. The former chocolate factory worker confessed to 17 slayings since 1978 after his arrest last July. He is to stand trial in an Ohio killing, and wasn't charged in one Milwaukee death because of lack of evidence. "I hope God has forgiven me," Dahmer said. "I know society will never be able to forgive me. I know the families of the victims will never be able to forgive me for what I have done." Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Laurence Gram Jr. sentenced Dahmer to consecutive life prison terms. Under consecutive sentences, if Dahmer gained parole in one sentence the next sentence Student groups sponsor tribute to author Haley by Sarah McCarthy lives ,by asking what images the Author Alex Haley once quoted media is presenting to the African- from the Koran that "the death from - y - ;American community today. "Is which ye flee will truly overtake there a natural progression from you. Then will ye be sent back to the ' Roots to The Cosby Show?" Shaw Knower of things secret and oven, ..w asked. AP PHOTO Rita Isbel, sister of Errol Lindsay, one of Jeffrey Dahmer's victims, shouts at Dahmer yesterday in a Milwaukee County Court.. would automatically take affect. The prosecutor said Dahmer would not be eligible for parole for 936 years. Dahmer's lawyer, Gerald Boyle, said no appeal was planned. "I wanted to find out just what it was that caused me to be so bad and evil," Dahmer said. "The doctors have told me about my sickness and now I have some peace." "This has never been a case of trying to get free," he said. "I never wanted freedom. Frankly, I wanted death for myself." Wisconsin has no death penalty. "I should have stayed with God," Dahmer said. "I tried and I failed, and created a holocaust." "I feel so bad for what I did to those poor families, and I understand their rightful hate," he said. "I have seen their tears and if I could give my life right now to bring their loved ones back, I would do it." "Jeffrey Dahmer has erased a million future memories for me of my brother," J.W. Smith, brother of victim Eddie Smith, said as he read brief statements from each of Eddie's 12 brothers and sisters. "Jeffrey Dahmer, you have be- come a hero for a few, but you have become a nightmare for so many more," said Stanley Miller, uncle of victim Ernest Miller. "Did you ever think this was someone's son?" Dahmer's three-week sanity trial included testimony from police and psychiatrists who described how the serial killer's urges to have sex with the dead led him to drug, kill and dismember. Witnesses told how Dahmer cooked and ate a heart, bicep and thigh; how he slit corpses from ster- num to toe and cut the flesh into fist-sized pieces; and how he soaked torsos in acid and kept skulls and other parts as mementos. Dahmer said he would not con- test civil lawsuits some victims' families have filed against him, seeking any profits he might make by selling his life story. "If there is ever any money, I want it to go to the victims' families," he said. and He will tell you the truth of the things that ye did." These words rang particularly true as members from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity sponsored a tribute to Haley in Stockwell Hall last night. The tribute was part of the sec- ond annual service project targeting education and the Black family. Alpha Kappa Alpha saw Haley as a figure who "let us know we are all related," said Corie Morman, an Engineering junior. "I look at my skin color and I wonder how many people I have in me." "AlexHaley helped show us what a unique people we are and that our history is reflective of years of struggle back to the days of slav- ery," she added. Haley visited the University three weeks ago to participate in a panel addressing African-American suc- cess in the 1990s, which was at- tended by 600 members of the University community. Haley, best known for his Pulitzer Prize winning novel Roots, a saga tracing his family genealogy back six generations to colonial Africa, died Feb. 10 of a heart attack. Haley is also known for initiating the Playboy interviews that eventu- ally led to his novel T h e Haley Autobiography of Malcolm X. A presentation and discussion ti- tled "An African-American Identity: A Critical Need" was given by Todd Shaw, a graduate student in African- He emphasized that while Haley's oral tradition began on his front porch, there is culture being made on different avenues, leading to the same goals today. The presentation was followed by readings from Haley's works. The tribute was later concluded with a moment of silence, a prayer and card signing which will later be given to Haley's survivors on behalf of the University. "One of the best tributes an au- thor can receive is to be remembered as one who increased an understand- 'One of the best tributes an author can receive is to be remembered as one who increased an understanding of the arts.' - Clifton Flowers LSA senior American Studies. The discussion highlighted Haley's emphasis on an accessible history for the African-American family. "As Alex Haley thinks," Shaw said, "real history is in our grandmothers." Those attending the tribute re- lated Haley's words into their own ing of the arts," LSA senior Clifton Flowers said. "Alex Haley will not only be re- membered as such.an artist, he will also claim the triumph of establish- ing the African-American role in lit- erature as a dynamic and versatile instrument conveying emotions and sensibilities particular for African Americans," he added. Today last day to register party preference in Michigan primary by Karen Sabgir Two booths are set up at each lo- ration or who are declared Daily Staff Reporter cation, one Democratic and one Independents. Hearng to decide if Kevorkian charged with murder for assisting in suicides Today is the last day for regis- tered voters to state their party pref- erence for Michigan's presidential primary. For those interested in making declarations for the March 17 pri- mary, 53 poll sites across the city - one in each voting district - will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. tonight. Republican. Unlike past elections, people who wish to vote on the Democratic ballot can declare their party preference today or wait until election day. Steve Gools, spokesperson for the Michigan Democratic Party, said the only people who may make their declaration on election day are those who have previously made no delca- Those voting Republican are also not required to state their preference. Alan Robertson, executive direc- tor of the County Republican Committee, said the hours will be strictly enforced so the validity of the election cannot be called into question. Only those still waiting in line after 8 p.m. will be allowed to register. ROCHESTER HILLS (AP) - A decision on whether Dr. Jack Kevorkian will stand trial on murder charges will be announced Feb. 28, a udge said yesterday at the end of a earing for the man nicknamed "Dr. Death." Kevorkian was portrayed by his attorneys throughout the three-day hearing as an angel of mercy who helped two Michigan women escape terrible pain when he hooked them up to his suicide machines in a re- mote cabin Oct. 23. Prosecutors say neither of the women was terminally ill and that hooking them up to machines to al- low them to die was murder. One of the women, Marjorie Wantz, of Sodus, was mentally ill and should have gotten treatment, assistant Oakland County prosecutor Larry Bunting argued. Instead, she got a lethal injection of drugs from Kevorkian's machine, Bunting said. H *Rochester Hills District Judge James Sheehy said he would rule by month's end whether Kevorkian will stand trial in the deaths of Wantz and Sherry Miller, of Roseville. During three hours of testimony yesterday morning, Sheehy dealt several blows to the prosecution's case and at least one to the defense.. He agreed to allow into evidence a videotape of the candlelit cabin and the two women's bodies, which defense attorney Geoffrey Fieger denounced as a "Stephen King" movie. The judge refused to allow testi- mony from witnesses Bunting had planned to call to testify about the ethics of Kevorkian's acts and about the mental state of Mrs. Wantz. In addition to two open murder charges, Kevorkian is charged with delivering a controlled substance. Bunting said that to violate the law, doctors must deliver the chemicals in a manner outside legitimate medi- cal practice. I THE LIST An expert on medical ethics, Arthur Caplan of the University of Minnesota, was to testify that giving a patient drugs to help them die was outside medical ethics. Bunting ar- gued Caplan's testimony would prove Kevorkian violated the drug law. Fieger argued, however, that the drug law is designed to stop drug dealers, not physicians who engage in controversial practices. Sheehy ruled that criminal court was not the proper forum for a dis- cussion of medical ethics. "The bottom line here is whether the acts and evidence support the crime," Sheehy said. "To go further with this would be to ask the court to take the place of the Legislature, and I'm not going to be a judicial activist." He also declined to allow two psychiatrists who had treated Marjorie Wantz to testify, and re- fused to admit evidence that barred Kevorkian from assisting with any more suicides. Detroit chief tried by federal judge DETROIT (AP) - The federal judge overseeing one of the biggest trials in Detroit history is described by attorneys as an unflappable judge well-suited for high-profile court battles. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Gadola is handling the government's embezzlement case against former Detroit Police Chief William Hart. "He's got just superb judicial temperament," said Detroit attorney N.C. Deday LaRene, who recently tried a case before Gadola. "He's diligent as hell." "I really think he's a very inde- pendent thinker and will render a judgment based on what he thinks is rioht not what's nonilar" Detroit Produced by MSA Communications Committee Chair: Steve Stark Vice-Chair: Melissa Saari Staff: Megan Carey, Tom Hemr MICHIGAN STUDENT ASSEMBLY We are your student government, the student voice. We elected representatives from each school and deal with issues of student concern on campus. We have direct contact with the administration and are responsible for the allocation of over $37,000 to student organizations. We meet every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the 3rd floor of the Union. At 7:45 any student may address the assembly. We have many committees and commissions that are always looking for student help and input. For further information or to voice a concern, call 763- 3241. Committees and Commissions * Budget Priorities - Sejal Mistry, chair - Office Hours * Campus Governance - Ken Bartlett, chair - Thursday 5:00 * Communications - Steve Stark, chair - Wednesday 5:00 " External Relations - David Englander, chair - Thursday 7:00 * Rules and Elections - Brian Kight, chair - Thursday 2:00 * Health Issues - Scott Gast, chair - Sunday 2:30 * Student Rights - Michael David Warren, Jr., chair - Tuesday 6:30 * Women's Issues - Heather Johnston, chair - Sunday 4:00 * Environmental - Nend Shaw, chair - Wednesday 5:00 at Dominicks " Academic - Jeff Muir, chair - Tuesday 6:30 * Peace and Justice - John Vandenberg, chair - Monday 4:00 * All meetings take place at the MSA office 3909 Michigan Union MICHIGAN STUDENT ASSEMBLY NEWS * Passed a resolution calling for preserva- * Registered 44 student groups from tion of students' freedom of speech at the January 1 through February 11. Registra- University. The resolution will be placed tion allows use of University facilities. before the student body for approval in " Appointed students to the Central: the March election. Student Judiciary and the court of common pleas. " Distributing a petition in support of student's freedom of speech. * Hired Sarah Flynn as a full-time bookkeeper. * Passed a resolution calling for Ann * Encourages student input via MTS on Arbor city elections to be moved from the MSA:Talks computer conference. pril ovember. Access the conference by typing Source * Organizing a petition drive in support MSA:Talks at the MTS pound (#) prompt. What's happening in Ann Arbor today Meetings Recycle UM Mass Mtg. 2520 Natural Resources Bldg. 6:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Committee to defend Abortion and Reproductive rights (AACDARR) general mtg, Michigan Union, Tap rm. 6:30 p.m. MSA Weekly meeting 3909 Michigan Union, 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. IASA Board Meeting, Nikki lounge, Mo-Jo, 9-11 p.m. Asian American Student Association, weekly meeting, Nikki lounge, Mo-Jo, 7:30 p.m. Anthropology Club, meeting Dominick's, 7 p.m. Speakers "Die Bibel Hat Doch Recht" 3050 Frieze Bldg,, 4:00 p.m. Colloquim, Dr. Muller, 1640 Chem, 4:00 p.m. "The Emergence of a Chinese Regional Economy," International Center, 12:00 p.m. "Latinas in Prison: in the U.S. and ,si A meia (_S. iAS)Socia,,lv Furthermore Stress and Time Management, Consultations with peer counselors available, 3100 Michigan Union, 11-1 p.m. Undergraduate Psychology Department, Undergraduate psychol- ogy advising, walk-in or appointment, K-108 West Quad, 9 a.m-4 p.m. Spark: Revolutionary History Series, "Revolutionary History Series, 1918-23" MLB rm B122 7:00p.m.-8:00 p.m. Kaffeestunde, weekly German coffee and conversation, 3rd floor Commons Rm, MLB, all welcome, 4:30-6 p.m. The Eskimo: Fight for life and Yesterday, today: The Netsilik Eskimo MLB Lecture Rm 2,7:00 p.m. BABIO, An experiment with the performance modes of the 12th Century Latin "Comedy," Residential College/East Quad Auditorium, 500 p.m. ECB Peer Writing Tutors, Angel/Msonn Ha ln ,mtuting Center,'