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One hundred four years of editorial freedom
Wednesday
February 15, 1995
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*3 C ,'1:4'4
' had Baker e-mail before
suspension, officials confirm
DOUGLAS KANTER/Daily
Matthew Robinson, an LSA junior, and Mike Dushane, an EMU student,
kiss on the Diag as part of Queer Unity Projects' Valentine's Day kiss-in.
Vlentine' Day kss-
in attracts10 to Dina
By Cathy Boguslaski
and Ronnie Glassberg
Daily Staff Reporters
In suspending LSA sophomore
Jake Baker on Feb. 2, University Presi-
dent James J. Duderstadt used his
authority under Regents' Bylaw 2.01
for the first time since the adoption of
the Statement of Student Rights and
Responsibilities.
The regents' bylaw gives the presi-
dent the authority to maintain "health,
diligence, and order among the stu-
dents."
The University suspended Baker
after he posted stories of sexual tor-
ture on the Internet, with one includ-
ing the name of a female University
student. He also sent e-mail messages
that describe acting on this plan to a
man in Ontario.
Baker has been charged in federal
court with transmitting threats of kid-
nap, torture, rape and murder across
state lines via the Internet.
Vice President for University Re-
lations Walter Harrison confirmed
yesterday that the University had all
information released by the federal
judge, including the e-mail messages.
"We had those in our possession. I'm
not able to comment on what action
we took and why we took it," he said.
David Cahill, an attorney for
Baker, said his client's hearing under
Bylaw 2.01 has been postponed until
Baker is out of jail.
The University has handled non-
academic discipline under the state-
ment, the code of non-academic con-
duct, since it was enacted in January
1993.
According to current records, the
University has expelled one student
and suspended three others under the
code.
Cahill said he does not think the
University could have charged Baker
under the code.
"I think if they had brought a
code case, I would have said there is
no harassment and it is a free speech
protected activity," Cahill said, "and
that line of approach would have
gone reasonably well with a student
panel."
Duderstadt said his action came at
the request of Student Affairs em-
ployees and Vice President for Stu-
dent Affairs Maureen A. Hartford.
"This was not an issue of free
speech," Duderstadt said. "It was their
belief, and I tended to share that, that
we had to move very, very rapidly."
The code provides for an emer-
gency suspension "if a student's
actions indicate that his or her con-
tinued presence on campus or par-
ticipation in University activities
Student called 'a v
By Josh White
Daily Staff Reporter
Two judges deemed him too dangerous for society,
a former roommate would not comment as to his dispo-
sition, and two former classmates called LSA sopho-
more Jake Baker "obnoxious over the computer."
While a U.S. attorney describes Baker as a threat to
a female University student and others in the commu-
nity, students here have a mixed view of the 20-year-old
Ohio native.
"He was basically a very quiet
guy and he kept to himself," said
LSA first-year student Jesse Jannetta,
Baker's roommate this year. "We got
along well, but it took a while for us
to get to know each other.
"He has a good'sense of humor.
He is definitely not the monster the
FBI makes him out to be," he said.
Jannetta also said Baker was in- Raker
tensely interested in computers.
"Jake worked on his computer a lot," he said. "He
just got a book on Unix (computer operating system)
and went nuts with it. I had never heard of any stories or
fantasies until the police got involved and I certainly
rey quiet guy'
210 with Baker during winter term 1994, said he ridiculed
classmates in a class-oriented computer conference.
"He would send personal opinions and was arrogant
and mean to everyone on the conference," Tanowitz
said. "He thought that he was smarter than everyone. He
would always sit in the front row of lecture by himself."
LSA sophomore Jennifer Weisberg, who also took
the class with Baker, said his computer messages were
scary, but she never talked to him in person.
"I always thought that he was strange, but very
intelligent," Weisberg said. "Since I only had lecture
with him, I was never intimidated by him. I don't think
I ever met him, I just saw him in the lecture of about 70
people.
"Butif I were named in one of his stories, I would
definitely be very scared of him."
Baker's roomate from last year said he and Baker
did not get along very well.
"He was a very quiet person and we just didn't have
a lot in common," said LSA sophomore Roger Yoo,
Baker's former roommate. "I didn't hang out with him
a lot, but I know he had some friends."
Yoo said that he moved out of the East Quad room
before the end of last year but declined comment on the
reason. When asked what type of person Baker was,
Yoo also said "no comment."
See BAKER, Page 7
never heard of the girl he named."
LSA sophomore Jill Tanowitz, who
took Linguistics
By Katie Hutchins
Daily Staff Reporter
The Queer Kiss-in was more of a
queer huddle yesterday afternoon, as
about 100 gays, lesbians, bisexuals
and supporters shivered, hugged and
sang on the Diag.
* The. event - organized by the
Queer Unity Project, a student activ-
ist group - was arranged on
Valentine's Day to "celebrate our right
to express affection for those we love,"
according to a flier the activists passed
out to onlookers and passersby.
"There's not tons of kissing going
on,"- said supporter Manu Malhotra,
an LSA senior.
The kiss-in was characterized
ore by the size of the crowd and the
speakers who chanted, rallied and,
played music through a microphone
on the steps of the Grad Library.
LSA senior Chad Beyer of the
Queer Unity Project said the kiss-in
was a demonstration of community.
"I think that what's important is
that we're here," he said.
LSA junior Matthew Robison
*greed. He proclaimed from the steps
of the library that kissing is an impor-
tant symbol to the gay and lesbian com-
munity. "It's the constellation of feel-
ings and emotions and love that people
can have for one another," he said.
Students passing through the
crowd had mixed reactions.
"I think it's going to promote a
lot of thought," LSA sophomore
Kym Ahrens said. "Probably a lot of
anger too, but that's good because
at least it's out in the open."
The event went peacefully as many
students either looked on in support
or wore amused glances as they made
their way through the smooching
couples.
"I think it's inappropriate," said
Brad Weltman, an LSA firsf-year stu-
dent. "It's almost rude in a way. It's
almost rubbing it in people's faces."
However, Weltman said, "It's
an open expression that nobody can
stop, because they have the right to
do it."
"I don't think this event is about
changing people's minds," Beyer said.
Rather, it is partially organized to
help closeted people realize there is a
cohesive and supportive gay commu-
nity on campus, he added.
LSA senior Nick Pawlowski held
hands with his partner as he pro-
claimed, "We're here to express our
love to each other. ... We get weird
looks all the time. I feel safer here
with more gay people."
poses an imminent danger to per-
sons or property."
Under this provision, the vice
president for Student Affairs can
take emergency action through im-
mediate suspen-
sion for those
t cases.
"Our sense
was that the emer-
gency clause (of
the code) did not
allow us to move
rapidly enough,"
Duderstadt Duderstadt said.
Dude rstadt
said he has only used his power under
the bylaw once before, about seven
years ago.
Cahill said he is displeased that
the University used the bylaw to
handle Baker's case.
"It's their custom to use it in the
case of someone who they think has
gone crazy, I think that's why," Cahill
said. "They probably didn't think it
would be contested. They probably
felt he would go along with it."
He said the code would have better
protected Baker's rights by allowing a
student panel and an open hearing.
Regent Andrea Fischer (R-Bir-
mingham) said she supports
Duderstadt's use of the bylaw.
"I think this was an appropriate
use of his power. In light of the
student's action, I don't think he
Woman named in stories
declines to make comment
By Josh White
Daily Staff Reporter
The female University student
named in the Internet fantasies of LSA
sophomore Jake Baker has decided to
decline comment on Baker's case.
The student, who U.S. Attorney
Ken Chadwell called "the silent vic-
tim" of Baker's Internet postings
and e-mail messages, told her land-
lord that she does not want to talk
about the case. "She has asked that
she have no publicity about this case
and I have felt like I should honor
that, for her sake," Jim Curtis, of
Curtis Properties, said last night.
After attempts to reach her,
Michigan Daily reporters found a
note taped to the front door of her
building. Curtis said he placed it
there at the request of the student.
"To whom it may concern:" the
should be afforded the privilege of
attending the University at this time,"
she said. "I think President Duderstadt
handled the situation very well."
Duderstadt said his power under
the bylaw is not duplicated in the
code.
"I think there have been and there
letter begins. "It has been brought
to our attention that persons from
the news media have attempted to
enter this apartment building for
the purpose of interviewing certain
persons concerning a certain news-
worthy event.
"These persons involved with
this recent event and who live within
this property have asked our man-
agement company to post this no-
tice requesting that there be no so-
licitation of any kind on the imme-
diate grounds of this property.
"We sincerely ask as a manage-
ment company that you consider
the personal issues of this person's
request."
Daily Editor in Chief Michael
Rosenberg said the Daily will make
no further attempts to contact the
woman
will continue to be very rare occa-
sions where Bylaw 2.01 should be
used," he said. "I do think the Univer-
sity needs to protect the community."
In an interview before his arrest,
Baker said two days before his sus-
pension he met with Assistant Gen-
See BYLAW, Page 2
Grand jury probes possible
*connection to Inkster rapes
By Frank C. Lee
Daily Staff Reporter
A Wayne County grand jury is
collecting evidence to determine
whether or not to charge suspected
Ann Arbor serial rapist Ervin D.
Mitchell Jr., 33,
*ith six rape-mur-
ders that occurred
between 1989 and
1991 in Inkster,
Mich.
State Police and
the Inkster Police
Department are
investigating Mitchell
Mitchell's pos-
sible involvement with the Inkster
crimes. However, new information
released yesterday by the state police
indicates a difference between the
profiles of the Inkster and Ann Arbor
what extent - if any - Mitchell was
involved in the rapes and murders in
Inkster, where he resided before mov-
ing to Ann Arbor three years ago.
'There was a string of prostitutes
that were killed in the Inkster area over
a period of a couple of years," Schram
said. "We've got some samples from
the victims that we will be able to
compare with a suspect, when we are
able to identify a suspect."
Preliminary results from DNA
tests conducted after Mitchell's al-
leged involvement in a Christmas Eve
assault and robbery attempt matched.
DNA found on four of five Ann Arbor
rape victims.'
The five Ann Arbor sexual as-
saults occurred over a 2 1/2-year pe-
riod, beginning at approximately the
same time Mitchell moved to Ann
Arbor. One victim died from injuries
sustained in the attack.
have all of their DNA testing done by
Feb. 27," Mackie said. "That's the
only reason that we're asking for at
least a two-week adjournment."
It is not known at this time what -
if any - relationship Mitchell might
have had with the Inkster women. Po-
lice have released little information
about their ongoing investigation.
"I can't even get into that, not at
this time," Schram said. "There's a
grand jury. So obviously there's lim-
ited information that we can give out."
A grand jury is typically convened
to decide whether there is enough
evidence to charge someone with a
crime. Grand jury proceedings are
closed, because evidence and testi-
mony are often heard that may not be
admissible at a trial.
Mackie said use of grand juries is
fairly uncommon in Michigan.
It will be four to six weeks before
Having a
Heart
Ann Meyerson
(right) helps/
serve a
Valentine's Day
meal to some of
the homeless
people at the 4
First Baptist
Church on
Washtenaw
Avenue last
night.
JOE WESTRATE/Dayly
First-term GOP reps.: Elmnate 4 depts.
WASHINGTON (AP) -A group of Republican House
"We have seen that they don't solve the problem."
I