Page 4-Friday, June 5, 1981-The Michigan Daily
JAMES EARL RAY:
Stabbed 2
stable condition
EtR benFrom APEand UPI man) Davis," she screamed. "He had
PETROS, Tenn. - James Earl Ray, James out in the general prison
who pleaded guilty to killiog civil rights population - he knew some people
leader Martin Luther King Jr., was wanted to get him.
stabbed several times in the chest, arm "We know of some new evidence in
and neck early yesterday in the law the case. I can't talk about it - but I
library at Brushy Mountain Pentien- think there is a contract out for him and
tiary, officials said. probably for me," the attractive Mrs.
Ray, 53, serving 99 years for King's Ray said.
murder in 1968 in Memphis, was taken SHE SAID she didn't believe the at-
to Oak Ridge Hospital under heavy tack was racially motivated.
guard, according to Debby Patterson, "I'm terribly shaken. James had a lot
deputy press secretary to Gov. Lamar of black friends," she said.
Alexander. Four inmates, three black and one
HE SUFFERED 22 stab wounds and white, were held after the stabbing at
also was beaten, said Dr. Ernest Hen- 8:58 a.m. EDT, a prison spokesman
drix, who performed the hour-long said. Their names were not released.
surgery. He said it took 77 stitches to Guards also confiscated a weapon
close the wounds. fashioned from a 12-inch metal brace
Ray was in stable condition. All his taken from a window frame.
chest wounds were superficial, Hendrix THE MAXIMUM-SECURITY prison
said. "Perhaps the worst area was the was locked down after the stabbing, but
left arm. Some of the wounds there there were no disturbances, said War-
were very deep." den Davis.
The doctor estimated that Ray, "These suspects will be held for in-
recuperating in a private room in the vestigation," he said. "I have in turn
intensive care unit, would "be out of notified the Morgan County sheriff and
here in a couple of days unless other we have sealed off the law library."
problems arise." No motive was known, according to
REPORTERS GOT a brief glimpse of Ronald Bishop, director of institutional
Ray as he was wheeled into an X-ray programs for the Correction Depar-
room. He looked pale and his eyes were tment.
closed. He was being .given fluids in- "RAY WAS in the general prison
travenously during the move. population and had no known problems
A prison spokesman said those in- with the suspects," he said. The law
volved with the attack would be library is accessible to the entire
charged with felonious assault with in- population, he added.
tent to commit murder. Armed guards were stationed outside
"I think it can be assumed that the hospital, 15 miles from the prison,
someone held him while someone else Patterson said.
stabbed him," said the prison Barbara Washburn, a hospital
spokesman. spokeswoman, said Ray came into the
RAY'S WIFE, Knoxville artist Anna emergency department, "was
Sandhu Ray, said she believed someone evaluated as having multiple stab
"had a contract" out on her husband wounds which he received at the
and indicated she feared for her life. prison" and sent into surgery.
She had not been notified of the attack Ray was a fugitive from a Missouri
when contacted by UPI. prison at the time King was slain April
"That son of a bitch (Warden Her- 4, 1968.
SUNDAY, JUNE 7
9am -3pm
POTTERS, GUILDA
In Brief
Compiled from Associated Press and
United Press International reports
Lefever faces more questions
WASHINGTON-President Reagan's besieged human rights nominee,
Ernest Lefever, faced closed-door committee questions yesterday about his
racial views, business ties and a purported assertion that his opponents are
"communist inspired."
Senate Republican Leader Howard Baker said he told Reagan again Wed-
nesday that he believes Lefever still can be confirmed by the full Senate af-
ter "a difficult struggle."
Baker said yesterday he had completed a head count that shows strong
Republican support for Lefever, possibly enough to win confirmation with
Republican votes alone.
Baker said he also found almost unanimous Republican support for cutting
off an expected filibuster on the floor of the Senate, although he said
Democratic help would be needed to get the 60 votes required.
Crinunins found guilty of felony
murder in Met killing
NEW YORK-Former Metropolitan Opera stagehand Craig Crimmins
was found guilty yesterday of felony murder in the backstage killing of
violinist Helen Hagnes Mintiks last July. The stage hand faces a maximum
of 25 years to life in prison.
Jury forewoman Christine Overton read the verdict at 2:55 p.m., and
Crimmins' relatives gasped when she said "not guilty" on the first count of
intentional murder.
When she said panelists found him "guilty" of felony murder, relatives
collapsed into each others' arms.
Prior to his arrest, Crimmins was said to have confessed to forcing Min-
tiks off a backstage elevator and later killing her. Throughout the trial, those
admissions and police behavior in obtaining them were in dispute.
Before reaching the verdict the panel heard a re-reading of testimony by
detectives about the night Crimmins confessed to the killing.
Fatigue may have caused
Nimitz crash
WASHINGTON-Fliers and aircraft crewmen on the carrier Nimitz had
worked nearly 14 hours a day for almost two weeks when a radar-jamming
plane slammed into the deck and killed 14 people, Navy officials said yester-
day.
They declined to discuss any specifics regarding the air crew who flew the
EA-6B which skidded across the flight deck last week, killing all three
Marine fliers and 11 Navy men on deck.
But they said the possibility that fatigue may have been a contributing
cause probably will be considered by investigators.
Commander James Harness, a Navy spokesman, said that long work
hours "most certainly" are common when any carrier is engaged in flight
operations at sea.
According to Harness, the Nimitz launched and recovered planes frequen-
tly in both day and night training during 12 days before the disastrous crash
off Jacksonville, Fla.
Williams nominated as
union president
LAS VEGAS, Nev.-Indicted Teamsters leader Roy Lee Williams,
described as the "progressive labor leader of the 80s," was nominated
yesterday to a five-year term as president of the nation's largest union.
Union international vice president Jackie Presser of Cleveland had placed
Williams' name in nomination, saying: "He's a problem-solver a tireless
leader of the labor movement ... In the line of fire, he's had to take the heat
for all of us.
"Like every courageous leader who has stood at the helm of this union, he
has withstood ina calm, honest and irreproachable manner attacks from ill-
informed, dishonest, headline-seeking elements who are trying to under-
mine the greatness of this union," Presser added.
Following a concession statement by Peter Camarata, his challenger from
the dissident faction of the nation's largest union, Williams was declared
elected by acclamation, and pandemonium broke out on the floor of the Las
Vegas convention center.
UMW may reject contract
PITTSBURGH-United Mine Workers President Sam Church said yester-
day he "wouldn't know what to ask for" if the union's 160,000 striking miners
reject a proposed contract this weekend.
"I really wouldn't know what to ask for if this contract was rejected unless
it would possibly be more wages or something," Church said while
promoting the pact in western Pennsylvania.
Church's visit to Pennsylvania came on the 70th day of the strike and
marked the sixth coal state he has visited since reaching the tentative
agreement with the Bituminous Coal Operators Association last week.