ws: 76-DAILY
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12
One hundred seven years of ediiori lfreedom
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Friday
March 13, 1998
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tate
Mike Spahn.
aily Staff Reporter
The state House of Representatives
yesterday that - once approved
ler - will ban assisted suicide in
d impose criminal penalties on
olved in aiding the death of an indiv
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Wil
egenmorter (R-Hudsonville), passed
66 to 40 after it had already passed th
"This is a strong, straight-forward
ns assisted suicide," Van Regenmort
ink it's a great, strong bi-partisan v
nds a powerful message."
fore representatives passed the
Iegisaors
they voted down a proposal that would have put suicid
the issue on November's election ballot, as advo- willin
passed a cated by the group Merian's Friends. The group, Walla
by Gov. named for former Ann Arbor resident Merian Joh
Michigan Frederick, was founded to lobby for a ballot ini- said E
anyone tiative that would legalize assisted suicide for assist(
vidual. terminally ill, mentally competent adults. the co
liam Van Rep. Ted Wallace (D-Detroit), chair of the "Th
by a vote House Judiciary Committee, sponsored the legisl
he Senate. defeated bill. He worked to pass the bill that said.
bill that would have put the Merian's Friends initiative on Tru
er said. "I the ballot, regardless of whether the group col- unnec
vote. This lected the 250,000 signatures required for a peti- "TI
tion drive. peopl
measure, "I was willing to support (the ban on assisted on the
ban assisted suicide
[e) and put on a temporary ban if they were
g to let the people of Michigan vote on it,
ce said.
n Truscott. spokesperson for Gov. Engler,
Engler has consistently supported a ban on
ed suicide and will probably sign the bill in
ming weeks.
he governor has always said that if they put
ation on his desk, he will sign it,' Truscott
uscott said putting the issue on the ballot is
cessary.
hese people are the elected officials for the
e of Michigan, so there's no reason to go
e ballot;' Truscott said.
Rep. George Mans (D-Trenton), who voted
for the ban, said he agrees with Truscott, adding
that legislators are sent to Lansing to make these
types of decisions.
"I feel that we are elected up here to deal with
all types of issues;" Mans said. "I didn't know
why (assisted suicide) would have to be split out.
That was my role today."
Laura Baird (D-Okemos), vice chair of the
House Judiciary Committee, said that although
she does not completely agree with Merian's
Friends, she feels some legislators are succumb-
ing to the "800 lb. gorilla" that is the right to life
lobby.
"I'm not sold on the language of Merian's
Friends. But, the majority of the legislature is
right to life; that's the lobby they follow," Baird
said.
Merian's Friends Chair Ed Pierce said this leg-
islation contradicts what the people of Michigan
want, citing polls that show a majority of people in
the state are in favor of assisted suicide.
"The legislature is thumbing their nose at the
people. The polls consistently show that people
want to be able to time their own deaths" Pierce
said.
Law Prof. Yale Kamisar, who published his
first article on assisted suicide 40 years ago, said
"the reason we have this law is to stop Jack
See STATE, Page 8
y' HE
Basketball
oping it's
deja vu all
over again'
Dan Stiliman
Daily Sports Editor
ATLANTA - The similarities are eerie.
In 1989, interim coach Steve Fisher's
Michigan team started the NCAA
Tournament as a No. 3 seed in Atlanta. The
Wolverines would go on to win six straight
games in a magical tournament run that
culminated in the school's first and only
basketball national championship.
Tonight, interim coach Brian Ellerbe's
Oichigan team is scheduled to begin play
in the 1998 NCAA Tournament as a No. 3
seed in Atlanta's Georgia Dome against No.
14 seed Davidson at 7:40 p.m.
This is Michigan's first trip to the
NCAAs in two years. Last year, the
Wolverines weren't offered a bid but won
the less prestigious NIT. Even though
they're excited to be back in the hunt for an
NCAA title, the Wolverines no doubt hope
e results of this tournament are more like
89, rather than their past two trips to the
Big Dance.
In 1995, the ninth-seeded Wolverines
were knocked out in the first round by No.
8 seed Western Kentucky. In 1996, despite
going in as a No. 7 seed, Michigan was
eliminated in the first round once again,
this time by Texas, the No. 10 seed.
Senior forward Maceo Baston would like
nothing more than to erase the memories of
his two previous NCAA Tournament
pearances.
"The first time I went, my freshman
year, it was a bad experience - we lost to
Western Kentucky," said Baston, a native of
Dallas, Texas. "My sophomore year I had a
pretty good game, but we still lost to my
rival back home, Texas. I had to go home to
a lot of lip-talking."
But this year should be different. At least
that's what the team and its fans hope.
For starters, Michigan (11-5 Big Ten, 24-
&overall) is on a roll coming into the tour-
nament, having won its past six games. And
thanks to their recent surge, which includ-
ed winning last weekend's Big Ten
Tournament, the Wolverines have made
their job tonight a little bit easier.
Thought by many to be on their way to a
No. 4 or 5 seed, the Wolverines improved
their standing with the NCAA selection
committee with their recent push. As a
result, Michigan, now ranked No. 12 in the
country, earned a higher seed and a first-
*und date with Southern Conference's
Davidson (13-2, 20-9).
Although the Wolverines are confident,
they know upsets are not uncommon when
°l
./
ADNESS BEGI
RS/Daid
today.
re
ge.
MSA candidates
campaign, meet
students on Diag
N MSA hopefuls think
personal touch will
enhance election
By Kristin Wright
Daily Staff Reporter
Names and campaign platforms were
matched with faces yesterday afternoon
on the Diag when students met face to
face with Michigan Student Assembly
candidates.
"I think people have to be able to
associate names with faces,' said New
Frontier Party vice presidential candi-
date Michael Enright. "It's more of a
substantial exchange out here.
You really don't get to say M ,
much on the posters, and it's a
really good way of campaign-
ing."
Students were invited to join
candidates on the Diag to dis- u-i
cuss both individual student concerns
and candidate platforms. Candidates
distributed fliers to students detailing
their individual plans for future MSA's
role in the University.
Students' Party presidential candi-
date Trent Thompson said the event was
a great way to reach out to students.
"This was an excellent thing
because you do get to tell people what
your issues are and what you want to
do," Thompson said. "The difference
between the serious candidates and
the candidates that aren't serious is
speaking to students and letting them
know what you want to do to change
things."
Students walking across the Diag on
the way to and from noon classes were
approached by liaisons and asked if
they wanted to meet MSA candidates to
talk about ideas and concerns.
LSA sophomore Andrea Lamothe
,.,
t "
said the meet-the-candidates event has
made her take a greater interest in the
upcoming elections.
"I didn't really know much about the
elections coming up, or the candidates"
said Lamothe. "But after talking with a
few of them, I think I may take the time
to vote."
Independent candidate Vikram
Sarma said the most important thing
candidates can do is educate voters on
the campaign's issues. Sarma is running
for an LSA representative seat on the
assembly.
"Voting is an important thing. That's
what elections are all about - taking
the time to learn," Sarma said.
>A "There's a great list of candi-
dates. I just believe in working
' hard and educating. That's what
I believe MSA is all about,"
LSA junior Mark St. John
-i" said the candidates listened to
him discuss his concerns about the new
Information Technology Division
billing system.
Independent presidential candidate
Ryan Friedrichs said the event allowed
students to match his slate's accom-
plishments with their faces.
"This is what wins - it's people
putting a face to a name;" said
Friedrichs. "Our major advantage in
this race is what we've accomplished.
One of the best parts of today is con-
necting the projects and the names to
the faces. That's what wins"
Friedrichs' runningmate, LSA first-
year student Albert Garcia, said he
agreed that personal contact between
candidates and voters is crucial.
"Some of (the students) are a little
See MSA, Page 8
Inside: Meet the MSA candidates and
learn about their platforms. Page 18.
MARGARET MYER
Michigan guard Louis Bullock and forward Brandun Smith laugh as they beat their teammates during a 3-point
shooting contest at practice Thursday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Michigan is scheduled to play Davidson t
it comes to March Madness.
"We know we have to come out and play
hard for 40 minutes, or it could be our last
game," co-captain Robert Traylor said.
"And I know I don't want it to end this
fast:'
Davidson actually leads the series histo-
ry with Michigan, 3-2. The Wolverines won
in their last meeting, 82-70 on Dec. 30,
1995. Those Wildcats who remember beat-
ing Michigan three years ago said they
hope to benefit from the experience.
"It kind of helps take away the mystique
factor because you're familiar with the per-
sonnel,' senior guard Mark Donnelly said.
Like Michigan, the Wildcats are also
streaking into the tournament, having
won 12 games in a row and 14 of their
last 15, including the Southern
Conference Tournament title and their
third-straight regular-season conference
championship.
See BASKETBALL, Page 5
M' women's
basketball team
faces Bruins in
NCAA opener
For only the second time in
the program's history, the
Michigan women's
basketball team (19-9) will
compete in the NCAA
Tournament. The Wolverines
will face UCLA (19-8)
tonight at 7 in Tuscaloosa,
Ala. Michigan coach Sue
Guevara has been at the
helm for just two years, but
she has already improved
Michigan's Big Ten record
to 10-6 this season, after it
was a combined 5-63 in the
conference over the four
years preceding her arrival.
Big Nile Style
may have some troubles
against the No. 7 seed
Bruins, who have a big,
strong front line led by
center Janae Hubbard and
forward Maylanna Martin.
inside: See Page 14 for mo
women's basketball covera
_.
2
man dies in jump from parking structure
n Stoffr
aily Staff Reporter
A 23-year-old male Ann Arbor res-
ent died yesterday after jumping
om the eighth deck of the Maynard
treet parking structure, Ann Arbor
Huron Valley Ambulance dispatched a
unit at 12:04 p.m. to transport Hinds to
the University Hospitals' emergency
room. Doctors pronounced him dead at
3:11 p.m.
AAPD Sgt. Larry Jerue said Hinds, a
1989-90 school year. He did not contin-
ue his secondary schooling in Ann
Arbor after that year.
Omas Fregene, an Ann Arbor Pioneer
High School student, was standing
under the parking structure when the
knelt besides the man and checked his
condition,
"I heard him breathing and a woman
working in (Score Keepers) felt his
pulse," Fregene said.
AAPD Officer Bill Clock, who
I
71 _ fl