r s - , k,. , { .a 777 7, 8 .., a. y .g. t.._ , ;N'? ,,_ 3 .1W tti 1 One hundred three years of editorial freedom i I U.S. cities to choose new leaders in elections ASSOCIATED PRESS Republicans hope to whittle the big Democratic advantage at state- louses and city halls today in elec- tions for the top jobs in New Jersey, Virginia and New York City. The contests offer the broadest glimpse of voter attitudes on crime and taxes since President Clinton's victory a year ago. Odd-numbered years are consid- ered off years for politics, yet ballots from coast to coast are packed with Spen mayoral contests and questions on state and local policy, from school choice to gay rights to Sunday shop- ping. Boston, Atlanta, Detroit and Mi- ami are among big cities guaranteed to elect new mayors. And trend-set- ting Californians are deciding whether to dedicate a half-penny of the state sales tax to local police and fire de- partments, and whether to offer state- *funded vouchers allowing parents to send children to private schools. The contests being watched most closely were New Jersey, New York City and Virginia. New York's contest was a heated See ELECTIONS, Page 2 -~ ~6 i Kingsley Midterm exams produce stress, then celebration SI 4 ~ I C y Wardl Ann Arbor City Council elections are today. You can vote if you are registered in Ann Arbor. You should have a voter identification card that you can use to find out which ward and precinct you vote in. Ward 5 (not onmap) includes western Ann Arbor. p - a Madison Huron North University Washington eWard2 - - - I - K .~- L South Unlve1ty 1 1 W H E R E T 0 Location Precinct1 Michigan Union 14 Alice Lloyd Hall 1-2 Community High School 1-3 625 N. Main St. Bursley Hall 1-7 Fire Station #5 2-1 1946 Beal Ave. Mary Markley Hall 2-2 East Quad 3-1 South Quad 3-2 Mary St. Polling Place 4-1 926 Mary St. 4-2 Coliseum, Fifth Ave. & Hill St. 4-3 Ann Arbor 'Y' 350 S. Fifth Ave. 5-1 c ti. r- V At 0m - 4 - I. - Hoover Hill rd4 -r- 0 0 Cambridge. Ward 3 4 Students bemoan busy weeks in middle of semester, enjoy post-test partying By JUDITH KAFKA DAILY STAFF REPORTER A group of first-year students broke up the monotony of yesterday morning's rush to class by doing a brief dance on the Diag's big "M". The fear of stepping on - or any- where near - the ominous letter had been diminished upon their comple- tion of the all-feared first blue-book exam. Accompanying the seasonal cold wind and fallen leaves, this time of year bears an academic mark as well - midterms. While no specific time is designated for midterm examina- tions, and many professors hold tests throughout the semester, these few weeks in the middle of the term tend to be filled with exams, and therefore, filled with stress. University students deal with the pressures of midterms and the subse- quent release in different ways. Some sacrifice everything for their studies, holing up in the Grad, skipping extra- curricular activities, their social lives and even some meals. Others try to maintain a "life-as- normal" attitude, although often with little success. "It's difficult, but I try to balance everything," grimaced LSA sophomore Stephanie Garretano, who is dealing with nine exams over the course of three weeks. Some students more readily admit defeat. "I didn't have time to prepare for my last midterm," complained Larisa Lacis, an LSA sophomore who had three midterms in a row. RC sophomore Sam Copi took another, although not necessarily unique, tact to his work-load. "I al- ready dropped one of my classes, and I'm thinking of dropping another," he boasted. When midterms are over, how- ever, the tests become a cause for celebration - an aspect of the exams far more appreciated than the pain incurred beforehand. After a tough week in school, many took the week- end off to recuperate through various See EXAMS, Page 2 WO % I x Granger GIANLUCA BACCOIOCCHI/Daily Supreme Court reconsiders Miranda decision WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court agreed yesterday to set new boundaries for its landmark Miranda ruling on the rights of crimi- nal suspects by deciding just who qualifies as a suspect and how police must respond to vague requests for a awyer's help. The justices will use murder cases from California and South Carolina to clarify what is still an often-dis- puted part of law enforcement - the legal protections accorded people being questioned by police. Decisions in both cases are ex- pected by July. The court's 1966 ruling in Miranda vs. Arizona requires police nation- ide to warn suspects before ques- tioning them while in custody that they have a right to remain silent or get a lawyer's help, and that anything they say may be used against them. Generations of movies and televi- sion shows have made the warnings famous. Later high court rulings require all police questioning to stop when crimi- nal suspects invoke their right to have a lawyer's help, and bar police from initiating subsequent interrogation. But what should police do when a suspect utters what could be a request for legal help? Lower courts have reached differing conclusions. The U.S. Court of Military Ap- peals upheld Robert Davis' murder conviction, ruling that Navy investi- gators correctly asked him to clarify his wishes after Davis responded to a question by wondering aloud whether he should talk to a lawyer. Davis was convicted and sen- tenced to life in prison for the Oct. 3, 1988, murder of Keith Shackleton, a sailor at Charleston Navy Base in South Carolina. Prosecutors said Davis killed Shackleton by beating him with a pool cue after Shackleton lost a pool game and refused to pay a $30 wager. Davis quickly became a suspect. He was questioned after waiving his Miranda rights. But about 80 minutes into the interrogation, he said, "Maybe I should talk to a lawyer." Naval Investigative Service agents said they immediately stopped ques- tioning Davis to clarify his request. They testified that Davis then said, "No, I'm not asking for a lawyer." The Court of Military Appeals upheld the use as evidence of every- thing Davis told the investigators af- ter making his comment about talking to a lawyer. In the California case, the justices must decide whether Robert Stansbury was a suspect in custody when ques- tioned 11 years ago at a Pomona po- lice station about the murder of 10- year-old Robyn Jackson. Police contended - and the Cali- fornia Supreme Court agreed - that Stansbury was not "in custody" for the first 30 minutes of questioning because he was not then a "suspect." The girl was last seen alive talking to an ice cream truck driver near her home in Baldwin Park, Calif., on Sept. 28, 1982. Her body was found the next day in Pasadena. Stansbury was one of two ice cream truck drivers who had been in the area that day. Police went to his home and asked him to go to the police station to answer questions. Stansbury was not given any Miranda warnings until he made an incriminating remark about 30 min- utes into the questioning. All his comments were used against him at his trial. He was con- victed and sentenced to death in California's gas chamber. Native American month s eaker focuses on values $ B~JI In addition to reconsidering the Miranda decision yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court: Refused to let Colorado enforce its anti-gay-rights amendment while state courts consider its validity. Agreed to decide in a case from Mississippi whether federal juries must be told a criminal defendant will be committed to a mental hospital, and not be freed, if found not guilty by reason of insanity. Let Florida judges block public access to court records in some criminal cases by refusing, without comment, to hear an appeal by newspapers in that state. Nicknames banned for assembly" candidates By KAREN TALASKI DAILY STAFF REPORTER When Juliet innocently questioned Romeo, "What's in a name?" she had no idea what she was asking. In this year's Michigan Student Assembly election, a name has taken on much more importance than even William Shakespeare could have an- ticipated. Assembly candidates who wanted By APRIL WOOD FOR THE DAILY Native American Heritage Month - a se- ries of events to celebrate the cultures and history of America's indigenous people - began last night with a deep discussion in the Kuenzel Room of the Union. Joseph Raincrow Neale, a teacher, counselor, and community worker, kicked off the Opening Ceremonies by speaking to a packed crowd about the impor- tance of family and spiritual values. Neale worked at American University in Washington, D.C., for 27 years as director of American Indian Students, dean of men, and dean of students. Throughout the course of his career, he has given countless hours of commu- complete. "Nobody is better than anybody else," he said, adding, "If you can learn from the elders, try not to forget." The audience was captured by his words, and gathered in a circle around him. Students and Ann Arbor residents of all ages and ethnic backgrounds attended the ceremony, many wearing Native American jewelry. "It's wonderful to meet people whose heart is like your heart," Neale said. Neale's thesis revolved around four con- cepts - simplicity, humility, belief and uncon- ditional love - that he called crucial to spiri- tual human survival. "Be who you are," he said. "Don't let people W }. s, n,_. . . .,, . ...