Lo N Matthew Green: The University should use the Statement of. Student Rights and Responsibilities as a positive - not negative - document. }> PAGE 4A be 0iidiiiy ian 40aIlj Ann Arbor, Michigan Thursday, March 25, 2010 michigandaily.com UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL Charges dropped in Innocence Clinic case Provience outcome is clinic's third major exoneration since its 2009 founding By JILLIAN BERMAN and ELYANA TWIGGS ManagingNews Editor and Daily StaffReporter University Innocence Clinic officials announced yesterday that the Wayne County Prosecu- tor's Office has dropped its charg- es against Dwayne Provience. Provience, 36, was convicted in 2001 of murdering Detroit resi- dent Rene Hunter and was sent to prison. In November 2009, Provience was released from jail after the Innocence Clinic was able to prove that there was a lack of evidence to convict him. Earlier this year, the prosecu- tion called for a retrial in the case, which was scheduled for April 5. But with yesterday's announce- ment that the prosecution is dropping the case due to a lack of evidence, Provience will no lon- ger have to face the retrial. Accordingto aUniversitypress release, the announcement is the Innocence Clinic's "third major exoneration since it was founded in the winter of 2009." Second-year Law student Brett DeGroff, a student attorney with the Innocence Clinic, said in an interview last night that the reso- lution of the case is "just because (Provience) was completely inno- cent all along." "We're thrilled," DeGroff said. "It's a huge event for Mr. Provi- ence. Until today, the specter of retrial was always kind of loom- ing over him, he had the tether on his ankle and he wasn't free to come and go as he pleased." University Law Prof. and Inno- cence Clinic co-director David Moran said in a press release that in the more than one year that the clinic has been working on the case, they've gathered a great deal of evidence proving Provi- ence's innocence. "We hope that, having found that overwhelming evidence of who the real killers are, the pros- ecution will consider bringing to justice the killer who is still out there walkingthe streets," Moran said in the release. Provience said in the release that he was appreciative of the students in the Innocence Clinic. "If it wasn't for the Michigan Innocence Clinic - students See CLINIC, Page 5A MARISSA MCCLAIN/Daily Assistant Director of the Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratories Timothy Peters demonstrates yesterday how the Physical Modeling Basin in West Hall functions. Constructed in 1904, the basin is used to test various elements of a marine environment. Its the largest of its kind owned and operated by an educational institution in the U.S., accordingto Peters. Officials say error onMS MS W we1X votng ebsteis now fixed Glitch caused by voted in the Michigan Student The application mixed which ued to the confirmation page an Assembly elections before 8 a.m. party appeared first on each per- submitted their ballot, there wei randomizing feature yesterday morning. However, offi- son's ballot so that 25 percent of no problems with the randomiz d ire .a- has since been disabled By KYLE SWANSON Daily News Editor officials worked much of yes- terday to correct problems that occurred for some students who cials say, the problem has since been fixed and ballots cast now will be properly tallied. According to Michigan Student Assembly election chair Sagar Deshpande, the issue came about because of a ballot randomization feature, which was designed to ensure that no party or candidate would have an alphabetical advan- tage over another. voters would see Defend Affirma- tive Action Party at the top of the ballot, 25 percent would see Inde- pendents at the top of the ballot, 25 percent would see MForward at the top of ballot and 25 percent would see the Michigan Vision Party at the top of the ballot, Desh- pande said. He said that for students who completed their ballot, contin- tion feature and their votes were counted. However, those who went back to modify their ballot before submitting it may not have noticed that the candidates were shuffled on the ballot when they returned to see it, but that the boxes they had marked were kept the same. Deshpande explained that this means someone could have origi- See MSA, Page 3A A LAB FOR EQUIPMENT Students discuss research with legislators in Visit to state capital highlighted the importance of undergrad research By CAITLIN HUSTON Daily StaffReporter Speaking before Michigan lawmakers yesterday, University students said the answers to the state's economic woes could come from the innovations of under- graduate research. Twelve undergraduate students from Michigan State University, Wayne State University and the University of Michigan - the institutions that make up the Uni- versity Research Corridor - were chosen to present their research to an audience of state legislators at the capitol on Wednesday. The Lansing students, as well as other higher education and state leaders, spoke about the importance of research to Michigan's economy. Speakers at the event included State Rep. Joan Bauer (D-Lan- sing), MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon, Jackie Jerome Marks, a special advisor to Michigan's governor, and Jeff Mason, execu- tive director of the University Research Corridor. See RESEARCH, Page 5A TOREHAN SHARMAN/Daily The machine shop, located in the basement of Randall Laboratory, manufactures a large portion of the lab equipment used by the physics department.Instrument maker Dave Carter said the shop made about $200,000 worthoftequipment last year. CAMPUS EVENTS Events aim to highlight Islamic culture PETA makes visit to campus, raises usual security concerns Lecture tonight will be capstone event for Islam Awareness Week By OLIVIA CARRINO Daily StaffReporter Tonight the Muslim Students' Association will be hosting a lecture to mark the end of Islam Awareness Week, an event aimed at highlighting Islamic culture. The lecture, which is co-spon- sored by Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, the Black Student Union and other student organizations, will feature two keynote speak- ers, stand-up comedian Preacher Moss and Yvonne Seon - aprofes- sor of African American studies at Prince George's Community Col- lege in Maryland and the mother of Dave Chappelle. The lecture will address the idea of being a "minority within a minority," by associating with being both African American and Muslim in today's world. LSA sophomore Sarah Abe, Islamic relations committee chair for the Muslim Students' Association, said the goal of the lecture and the week as a whole is to educate students about Islam. "We put on an event every single night (this week) about dif- See EVENTS, Page SA Lab workers sent e-mail to be alert in light of week-long demonstration By MICHELE NAROV Daily StaffReporter Students passing through the Diag are accustomed to student groups clamoring for their atten- tion. In the past two days, the Animal Liberation Project - a four-day exhibition displaying violent images of animal abuse - took its turn, confronting pass- ersby on their way to class. Sponsored by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals 2, a subset of PETA dedicated to youth outreach, the exhibition, which continues through today, is made up-of large panels that com- pare human suffering with the mistreatment of animals. Though no security issues have arisen as the result of the exhibit thus far, lab workers in biomedi- cal animal labs were notified of the event via e-mail and were told to make sure all employees was in the appropriate zones. One panel titled "Born Into Slavery" displayed an image of child laborers alongside an image of calves confined to veal crates.' "Branded" - another panel - showed images of both slaves and cows being branded. *ALP coordinator Adrianne Burke said the group aims to raise See PETA, Page 5A 0 WEATHER HI: 42 TOMORROW LO:27 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-763-2459 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know. NEW ON MICHi IA NIALY.COM Packard Pub owners talk business at lecture. MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS/THE WIRE INDEX NEWS .................................2A CLASSIFIEDS...........A....6A Vol. CXX, No.116 SUDOKU................. .......3A SPORTS............... .. ....7A 021 0The Michigan Daily OPINION..............4A THE FASHION ISSUE.........1B michiondailycom