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One hundred seven years of editonr lfreedom
Thursday
January 8, 1998
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By Sharat Raju
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan hockey defenseman Chris Fox was
arraigned yesterday on a charge of "assault with intent
do bodily harm less than murder" at the 48th
istrict Court in Bloomfield Hills.
The charge Fox faces stems from an incident that
occurred June 15, when he allegedly struck
Waterford resident Robert Thomas in the face dur-
ing a hockey game at the Detroit Skate Club in
Bloomfield Hills.
Both Fox, an LSA senior, and Thomas were play-
ing in a summer "no-checking" hockey league
when the assault in question occurred. The alleged
strike by Fox caused Thomas to lose one tooth, and
oosened two others and chipped one. Thomas has
reportedly undergone two root canals and is sched-
uled to undergo further oral surgery in the near
future.
After posting a $25,000 bond yesterday, Fox was
Omenn
peaks to
Medical
students
By Jennifer Yachnin
I -ly Stall Reporter
'itting with his knees bent and hands
dropped between them, Executive Vice
President for Medical Affairs Gilbert
Omenn spoke to a handful of primarily
Medical first-year students last night
about their future
profession.
"Our faculty
and students are
doing great sci-
ence," Omenn
said. "I hope they
have as much
enthusiasm as I did
then and now."
Omenn came to
Omenn the University last
fall as its first
EVPMA, a position created to oversee
the Medical School, University
Hospitals and a $1 billion annual bud-
n tune with the title of the lecture,
"What Will Medical Practice Roles
Become for Today's Medical Businos
Students?," Omenn discussed topics
ranging from community involve-
ment to doctor and patient use of S t
computers in treatment and admin-
istration. fi
Medical first-year student Tom
Gaffey, one of the organizers of the
event, said he was happy that Medical
, ents got a chance to meet with By Diba
enn. Daily Sta
"We wanted to give him this oppor- Stud
tunity to voice his vision for the med- Rose B
ical community and the Medical al cham
School," Gaffey said. that the
Gaffey said a good relationship rally at
between the EVPMA and Medical stu- How
dents is necessary, especially while the the stre
University's medical community faces plans fo
$200 million in budget cuts in the next Due
e years. were ch
"The relationship should be one in et holde
which there is an open door should Website
questions or concerns come up," and 750
See OMENN, Page 2
key
defenseman arraigned
released and a preliminary examination was sched-
uled for Jan. 15, in Bloomfield Hills before District
Judge Edward Avadenka. The assault charge carries
a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Prosecutors are reportedly seeking medical compen-
sation from Fox for upwards of several thousand dol-
lars.
Fox practiced with the team yesterday and has
not been suspended by the team or the University.
The Grosse Pointe Farms native was unable to com-
ment on the allegations, but he spoke with The
Michigan Daily about the increased attention
around him the past several days.
"It's frustrating to see myself in this negative light,"
Fox said. "I've worked hard to become a good hockey
player, a good student and a good person - most
importantly being a good person."
The specifics of the incident have caused some
confusion and debate. Six months after the inci-
dent, there are a variety of interpretations of the
alleged assault.
James Halushka, chief of warrants and investiga-
tions in Oakland County Prosecutor's Office, said
the attack was "cowardly" and "completely unpro-
voked." Halushka said Fox singled out the smallest
opponent on the ice, swung baseball-style with his
stick from behind, and knocked out one of Thomas'
teeth.
This account differs from that of Fox's attorney
David Binkley, who told Detroit radio station WWJ
yesterday that Fox was protecting himself.
"Chris was hooked and had a gash in his face and
was confronted by another player," Binkley said. "He
thought he was going to be attacked again."
Fox received 15 stitches following the contest.
The prosecutors claim there was a six-month
delay in accusing Fox because they were unsure of
the identity of Thomas' attacker. Following the
strike, Fox's summer team coach was told to give the
See ASSAULT, Page 2
CELEBRATION TIME
FILE PHOTO
Michigan defenseman Chris Fox was arraigned yesterday on charges of assault for
knocking out an opponent's tooth during a pickup hockey game in Oakland County.
Coaches, peers
saddened by
wrestler's death
IL NAMAN/ Dfly
s senior Eric Sealov shops at Michigan Book & Supply yesterday to show his Wolverine spirit,
e Van
udents fae limited e aly
^ets parade mightbehl
By Jordan Field
and Katie Plona
Daily Staf' Reporters
Although weeks have passed since
Michigan wrestler Jefferey Reese died
after a strenuous workout, he is far from
forgotten in the minds of people who
knew him - and even those who did
not.
Some remember Reese as a dedicat-
ed wrestler who earned the respect of
teammates and coaches, while others
recall a kind friend who always put
himself second. Some say he was a
well-rounded student who prioritized
not only his wrestling pursuits but also
his academic endeavors, while another
misses a caring boyfriend.
Whatever their relationship with
Reese, his impact won't be forgotten.
"I just hope that he is remembered as
he was. He was always happy," said
Jennifer Rasmussen, Reese's girlfriend.
"He was just so caring and so giving."
Rasmussen, who is a Kinesiology
junior and student trainer, said the large
attendance at both the memorial service
held for Reese in Ann Arbor and the
wake in Reese's New York hometown
are testimony to how many lives he
touched.
The private funeral service, held in
Wellsburg, N.Y., was attended by those
who were close to Reese, including
family members, his wrestling team-
mates and close friends.
Assistant wrestling coach Joe
McFarland, who was with Reese on the
night of his death, said he will never
forget that night, nor the qualities that
made Reese a wonderful person.
"The whole thing is just so devastat-
ing," he said. "I miss Jeff dearly. He was
such a great kid, and such a pleasure to
be around and to work with.
"He loved what he was doing and
took wrestling very seriously. It is a
tragedy, but we all know we need to
move forward and stick together for
support. But even as we move forward,
no one here will ever forget Jeff and the
person that he was.
John Fisher, an assistant wrestling
coach who trained with Reese during
the summer and throughout the year,
said he felt overwhelmed by the out-
pouring of people at Reese's wake.
"I got to his funeral and there were so
many people there," Fisher said,
"That's when I
knew how wonder-
ful Jeff was
because it wasn't
only me who
thought it.
"I knew Jeff
from the wrestling
world, but his
goodness was
everywhere,"
Reese Fisher said. "It car-
ried over to any-
where he was and with everyone he
met."
Fisher considered his relationship
with Reese more than just a typical
player-coach relationship. Fisher spoke
of a time during the summer when he
was training but had no work-out part-
ner. So Fisher called Reese in New York
and said he needed him. Reese drove to
Ann Arbor and helped Fisher train for a
week.
"I considered him a close friend
because that's what friends do' Fisher
said. "He knew it was important to me,
and he was there for me."
Fisher isn't the only person who has
stories about Reese's caring nature.
Reese's high school wrestling
coach, Dave Buck, said the two often
spoke on, the phone about school or
wrestling over the past two years, and
Buck often updated Reese on his old
team.
During Reese's first year at
Michigan, Buck told him that one of
his former high school teammates
would compete in the state finals the
upcoming weekend - the same tourna-
ment Reese had won the previous year.
See REESE, Page 7
Rab
iff Reporter
ents returned from winter break this week with
owl memorabilia and enthusiasm for their nation-
npionship football team, but some are now upset
ey may not be able to celebrate at Sunday's pep
Crisler Arena.
ever, they may be able to celebrate the victory on
ets of Ann Arbor if the University goes ahead with
br a parade.
to limited seating at Crisler, rally ticket recipients
osen by a lottery of the 66,000 football season tick-
ers. Season ticket holders can check a University
this week to see if they are one of 7,000 students
0 faculty and staff who received a ticket to the rally.
"There's no way to distribute tickets other than by way of
lottery, said Senior Associate Athletic Director Keith
Molin.
Adding these numbers to the 400-member band, the 160-
member football team, the coaches and the Athletic
Department staff, the 13,000 seats in the stadium will be
full, Molin said.
It's possible a parade might precede the pep rally, said
Senior Associate Athletic Director Fritz Seyferth.
"We're trying to see if we could get it all worked out,"
Seyferth said yesterday. "We have to see if it is even feasi-
ble, and we need to move quickly. We hope to know by
noon tomorrow."
Tickets will be distributed today and tomorrow at Cliff
See TICKETS, Page 2
I
S. Korean economic
crisis causes problems
tor University students
Let me in
By Rachel Edelman
Daily Staff Reporter
The turmoil of the South Korear
economic crisis has forced several
University exchange students to
return to Korea because of financial
straints. The crisis is affecting
h international students and
Korean Americans in the University
community.
"I know that a lot of exchange stu-
dents are going back," said LSA first-
year student Nam-Hee Park, who is
The crisis began in mid-November
when several South Korean conglomer-
ates collapsed. The conglomerates had
financed their expansion by borrowing
funds, which caused the banks to be
saddled with bad loans, estimated at
$26 billion. A credit crisis ensued,
plunging the Korean currency, the won.
The won had lost half its value
against the dollar by the end of 1997.
The stock market's index fell to a near-
ly 10-year low. Eight of the top 10
South Korean conglomerates were
Nichols avoids
death penalty
The Washington Post
DENVER - Terry Nichols was spared the death penalty
yesterday when federal jurors were unable to agree on
whether the Oklahoma City bombing conspirator should pay
for the crime with his life.
U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch dismissed the panel,
which deliberated for 13 hours over two days before notify-
ing him of the impasse, and said he will now assume respon-
sibility for sentencing Nichols.
Matsch cannot by law sentence Nichols to death for his
role in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building,
in which 168 people were killed. The judge can, however,
sentence Nichols to a maximum of life in prison without the
possibility of release. He asked for recommendations from
the prosecution and defense by Feb. 9 and promised a deci-
I I