WEi "Ul Weather Tonight: Mostly cloudy, low around 20°. Tomorrow: Chance of light snow, high in the 30s. One hundred six years of editonazlfreedomr Thursday January 30, 1997 - - .E mig Court panel dismisses Baker case Justices uphold earlier ruling favoring Baker Jeffrey Kosseff Jenni Yachnin Daily Staff Reporters A panel of judges from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday dis- missed the case of a former University student charged with transmitting inter- state threats over the Internet. In a 2-1 vote, the appellate court panel upheld a 1995 U.S. District Court decision in favor of Jake Baker, a for- r University student suspended by n-University President James Duderstadt for posting "degrading, humiliating and frightening" stories on Internet newsgroups. The chief judge and two circuit judges Nimoy *peaks on Spock, reigion By Carrie Luria Daily Staff Reporter *'rekkies and members of the Jewish community packed the floor of Hill Auditorium last night to hear about "Spock in the Diaspora." Actor Leonard Nimoy spoke about his life, his career and how his Jewish identity is represented in the charac- ters he plays. "I carry Jewishness with me, and it does enter the charac- ter" Nimoy said. "Spock is the clas- sic Diaspora char- acter. He is not entirely at home with the Vulcans Nimoy nor with the humans" Nimoy also talked about his child- hood influences and how they have qected his life. "My parents were very responsible people. They encouraged me to live an ethical life," Nimoy said. Nimoy said his first performance outside of children's theater was an enlightening experience. "This play illuminated humanity bet- ter than I ever thought possible," Nimoy said about the role he played in the play "Awake and Sing" when he was 17 years old. *He said it was easy to portray the See NIMOY, Page 5A comprised the panel. Their decision rep- resents the court's view, but it may also be appealed before the entire court. The case initially gained national attention two years ago and helped break open the new field of Internet law. "This is the leading Internet Y case that sends a message to the government," said David Cahill, Baker's civil attor- Baker ney. "They have to tread carefully in the new media." The charges brought against Baker in February 1995 were the result of an FBI agent's affidavit, citing language in a story posted on an Internet usegroup involving the name of one of Baker's female University classmates. Baker was suspended Feb. 1, 1995, when Duderstadt invoked Regent's Bylaw 2.01. The provision allows for emergency suspension of students who may be a threat to the University com- munity or themselves. "At the time we took the action we did, we felt that was the appropriate thing to do,' Associate Vice President for University Relations Lisa Baker said last night. "I don't think it has any effect on the University's reputation." Baker was then arrested Feb. 9, 1995, after a University alum read Baker's sexually explicit story on the Internet, involving the rape and torture of one of Baker's classmates. "(Baker) was thrown out of the University badly and illegally," Cahill said, adding that the rule used to suspend Baker had not been used in seven years. Following his arrest by federal agents, Baker was twice denied bail by U.S. District justices. After more than a month in prison, Baker was freed when U.S. District Court Judge Avem Cohn dismissed the federal threat charges. "I don't think (the decision) comes as any great surprise," said Anne Marie Ellison, chair of the Student Rights Commission for the Michigan Student Assembly. "It really does leave the door open as to how the First Amendment applies to the Internet." Baker, now a student at the See BAKER, Page 2A David Cahill, one of Jake Baker's attorneys, sits in his home office last night. 'U' study ranks city segregation By Chris Metinko Daily Staff Reporter Three Michigan cities are ranked among the most segregated in the coun- try, according to a University profes- sor's findings. Using the 1990 census, sociology Prof. Reynolds Farley found that. Detroit, Flint and Saginaw are three of the most segregated cities in the nation. Detroit ranks second behind Gary, Ind. Farley said he's not optimistic about the short-term chance of desegregating Detroit. "Desegregation will occur very slow- ly in Detroit because of the past racial animosity,' Farley said. "I do not see rapid change in Detroit." Farley began the survey in 1991, using the 1990 census for population figures. He rated cities on a scale from one to 100, according to their patterns of racial composition. Detroit received an 89, while Gary received a 91 rating. "We looked at 232 metropolitan areas with substantial black populations in 1990," Farley said. Ann Arbor received a 55 rating in the survey, placing it near the middle group of segregated cities. Anthony Neely, spokesperson for Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, said there is no reason to be overly con- cerned with the ranking. "Mayor Archer does not see the racial composition of Detroit as a prob- lem," he said. Neely said Detroit is doing many things to desegregate the community. He pointed to economic and residential development intended to diversify the city as an example. Detroit has com- pleted or is in the process of completing 25 residential projects worth approxi- mately $210 million, Neely said. Since 1994, Detroit has announced more than $4 billion in projects to help the city's economy. These investments, Neely said, should help desegregate Detroit. "The mayor is trying to make Detroit attractive to all races," Neely said. "The outlook for Detroit is very positive." Others also said they've seen some improvement in desegregating Detroit. "I see it changing," said Nikia Grimes, a Kinesiology first-year stu- dent. "When I went to visit my high school, I noticed there were a lot more white students." Farley, however, said Detroit won't change quickly for a variety of rea- sons. He said segregation remains when there are slow rates of popula- tion increase and residential develop- ment, along with past racial strife and animosity - all factors that he said affect Detroit. See DETROIT, Page 7A AJ/A UDEKLEVA COENDalt/~y Debbie Burr, a volunteer at the Jewel Heart retail store at 208 S. Ashley St., tries on a mask. The store, along with an adja- cent reading room, recently opened in Ann Arbor. Budst Leai room its By Jeff Enderton For the Daily The smell of incense and an atmos- phere of peace are moving into a store on South Ashley Street. The Jewel Heart, a nationwide group that promotes Tibetan culture and Buddhism, recently celebrated the open- ing of the first Ann Arbor reading room and retail store dedicated to these two areas of study. "We want to provide a place where people who are interested in Buddhism can get information," said Debbie Burr, Jewel Heart store organizer. "We also want to preserve the culture of Tibet" The store carries a wide variety of Tibetan merchandise including jewelry, sweaters, rugs and crafts from Tibet and India. The various items range in price from a few dollars for a simple wooden craft to thousands of dollars for the rugs that hang along the store walls, "A lot of students are interested in Tibet and Buddhism," said Buddhist studies Prof. Luis Gomez. "The Tibetan culture has been in Ann Arbor for 20 years." The 8-year-old Ann Arbor branch of Jewel Heart, the organization's nation- al headquarters, will hold activities in the reading room, Burr said. On Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m., Gelek Rinpoche, founder and spiritual leader of Jewel Heart, will teach about Buddhism as a way of life. Rinpoche also will teach meditation classes at 1:30 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month, beginning Feb. 2.. The store features several books on Tibetan culture as well as Buddhist practices and methods of See BUDDHIST, Page 7A Plaintiff says firing led to depression cholarship sends senior to Oxford By Susan T. Port For the Daily OBetween studying for classes, working 30 hours a week, leading student organizations and playing the piano, LSA senior Heather Stoll also found time to capture one of the nation's most coveted scholarships. Stoll is one of 40 students nationwide who will travel and study in England next fall as a Marshall Scholar. The scholarship, which is funded by the British govern- ment, will send Stoll to Oxford University for two years. Political science Prof. John Campbell nominated Stoll for the scholarship and described her as "one of the best students 'have ever encountered." Zach Levey, another political science professor, also nom- inated Stoll for the scholarship. Stoll was in three of Levey's classes, yet he said it took a while before he noticed her. "She sat in the back of the class, and on occasion would answer a question," Levey said. "She never tried to dominate a class discussion." Stoll caught Levey's attention when she wrote a paper on By Ericka M. Smith Daily Staff Reporter The third day of testimony in the civil suit of three former Dental School workers continued yesterday as the last two plaintiffs took the stand. Before Washtenaw County District Court Judge Donald Shelton, the three black employees - Dawn Mitchell, Theresa Atkins and Delano Isabelle - contended that the University and Dental School supervisor Linda Vachon, who now goes by the married name of DeMarco, discriminated against them in a 1995 firing. While the Dental School employees continued to say they were wrongfully fired from their jobs, University coun- sel contended that the employees had been neglectful and deserved to be tem- porarily relieved from their positions. Isabelle, who took the stand early yesterday morning, said he attempted suicide as a result of a racist environ- ment at the Dental School. "I had begun to start cutting myself," Isabelle said. "I wanted to kill myself." Isabelle then said that when he returned to custodial work after leaving, he felt shunned by other employees and supervisors. "(The appointment) went kind of rough," lsabelle said. "I felt that I had "- -tl,1,;+A7 , JONATHAN SUMMER/Daily Ruth Williman, a former University employee, took the stand yesterday. al help with Donna Chompine, a University psychiatrist. Because Chompine was unable to attend yesterday's court proceedings, plaintiff attorney George Washington's assistant read Chompine's deposition. "We look at depression as having multiple causes," Chompine's statement said. "Environment can contribute." Chompine wrote that losing the job at the Dental School was a blow to . ,. . . . , . . . ... . ,..... . . ,. .. ... _ :1. . < . .;