Page 4-Wednesday, June 3, 1981-The Michigan Daily Inmate release haltedin Kent County, LANSING (UPI) - A state appeals court yesterday, in a bid to challenge a Kent County early release program to" ease crowding at the county jail, or- dered a stay of the program until the case has been heard. Kent County Prosecutor David Sawyer filed the suit in the Michiganr Court of Appeals last week to protest" the early release plan, which was or- dered by Kent County Judges and has " resulted in the release of 46 prisoners. , IN ISSUING THE order to stay the early release plan, the appeals court made Kent County Sheriff Phillip Hef-- fron a defendant in the case and notified Gov. William Milliken of the proceedings. Milliken was - notified because Sawyer contends that Kent County judges usurped the governor's power to commute sentences by ordering Hef- fron to release certain prisoners before Kelly their terms have been served. Sawyer, who has fought the early ... calls for prison funding release program since its adoption May prisons, noting Michigan's penal 14, said the decision represents a vic- system has been growing much more tory for people who have seen too many slowly than the general population, criminals arrested only to return to the despite an increasing crime rate. streets without adequate punishment. The rioting which hit Jackson, the MEANWHILE, misconduct charges Michigan Reformatory in Ionia and are expected this week over an Marquette Branch Prison last month unauthorized shakedown blamed for followed weeks of growing triggering riots at Southern Michigan disagreement between state officials Prison. A union spokesman warned and the Michigan Corrections yesterday that stern action could cause Organization over staffing levels and laborunrest. security procedures in the peniten- A spokesman for the Department of tiaries. Corrections confirmed published repor- The MCO admits union members is that misconduct charges are expec- initiated a lockdown and search of ted to be filed today or tomorrow again- prisoners on the morning of May 22 in st guards suspected of organizing an response to attacks on two guards the unauthorized lockup and search for night before. weapons, that could lead to penalties "TO MY understanding, there are ranging from reprimand to dismissal. going to be some misconduct charges He also said reprimands have been brought" against guards involved, said issued to seven guards accused of John Robitschun of the corrections balking last week when ordered to department. He refused to confirm a release prisoners in Jackson's recep- published report that six to 10 guards tion and guidance center for routine would be cited. testing. Fred Parks, executive director of the IN HOLLAND, Attorney General MCO, said the mood in the prisons is Frank Kelley called on the legislature tense and any strong action such as a to appropriate funds needed for new dismissal could trigger a walkout. - mm -m m - - m m - -m m - - - o SURPLUS' ' *P We stock a full line of clothing, boots, backpacking &, 3 camping equipment, hunting clothing, military sur- plus clothing, and camouflage clothing. S - 201 E. Washington at Fourth -Open Mon.-Sat. 9-6 994-3572 15% OFF ALL Merchandise 1 with this coupon (except sale items) ' Expires June 6, 1981 ~inmmmmmmmmommmmmm 4 In Brief Compiled from Associated Press and United Press International reports Begin tops poll for first timein two years TEL AVIV, Israel - Prime Minister Menachem Begin's Likud political bloc has pulled ahead in an opinion poll for the first time in two years, and 28 days before elections it is seen leading the Labor Party by 45 seats to 42 in the 120-member Parliament. Opinion polling is a young science in Israel, and large discrepancies between soundings are common. But if the latest poll is accurate, it signifies a remarkable turnaround from last summer, when Begin was believed sure to go down in crushing defeat. Labor Party officials said they treat all polls with reservation and remain confident of at least 52 seats. Party spokesman Israel Peleg said Labor was counting not on polls but on its ability to get out the vote on elec- tion day. Likud officials, who have not seen a favorable poll since Begin signed the March 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, toasted the event with champagne, ac- cording to a party spokeswoman. It came on the eve of Begin's summit with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, a meeting Likud strategists hope will remind the voters that it was hawkish Begin --not the dovish Labor Party - that gave Israel its first peace accord with an Arab state. Most important, perhaps, is that Begin maintains iron-fisted control over his party - a quality that Shimon Peres, Labor Party's candidate, seems to lack. Laser fizzles in missile test WASHINGTON - The Air Force's push for a revolutionary laser weapon turned up a dud in a secret attempt to use high-intensity light to destroya 2,000-mph missile, it was learned yesterday. "The test failed and we don't know why," said Col. Bob O'Brien, spokesman for the Air Force Systems Command, when asked about the air- borne experiment over the China Lake, Calif., range on Monday. Had it succeeded, the effort to destroy a supersonic air-to-air missile with a laser beam shot from a special laboratory plane would have marked significant progress toward a weapon that couldf drastically change the character of warfare. Pentagon spokesman Henry Catto also acknowledged failure of the test. Scientists say there are considerable difficulties in propagatjing effec- tive high-energy laser beams in the atmosphere because atmospheric fric- tion tends to lower beam intensity. Also, bad weather, clouds, smoke or other phenomena absorb laser-beam energy and limit the range of such weapons. Technicians are trying to find out why the test failed, O'Brien said, and the results of those evaluations will determine when another attempt is made. He would not speculate on how long this might take. While stressing the importance of this test, officials have emphasized that a practical laser weapon, which would revolutionize warfare, is still years away., Average cost for new homes reaches record high WASHINGTON - The average cost of a new house in April reached a record $84,000, the government reported yesterday, putting it out of reach for more than 97 percent of American families by a trade group's estimate. "The decline ... certainly portends severe housing problems in the future," said Jack Carlson, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors. Potential homebuyers are hard hit by inflation', which has increased the cost of the government's same "constant house" of 1,700 square feet from $54,200 in 1977 to $79,900 in the first three months of this year. Bangladesh President buried; coup leader slain DACCA, Bangladesh - President Ziaur RahmaA was buried at an emotion-charged ceremony yesterday after enraged village guards killed the major general who launched the coup in which Zia was assassinated. About 10 other people were reported slain in clashes between government and rebel forces. Six howitzers fired a 21-gun salute to the 45-year-old warrier-hero of the 1971 battle for independence who led the successful coup four years later to take control of Bangladesh and who was assassinated with seven aides Saturday in the port of Chittagong by troops led by Maj. Gen. Abul Manzr. 'teamsters vote for loyalty oath LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Teamsters delegates yesterday voted to require members to take a sweeping union loyalty oath apparently aimed at dissidents, then considered other constitutional amendments including one to boost the salary of indicted Teamsters President Roy Williams to $225,000 a year. The union loyalty oath, which was adopted without floor dissent, would require members to pledge "not to bring reproach upon the union" and "not divulge to non-members the private business of the union."