2A — Thursday, February 19, 2015
News
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

420 Maynard St.

Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327

www.michigandaily.com

The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by 

students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may 

be picked up at the Daily’s office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $110. 

Winter term (January through April) is $115, yearlong (September through April) is $195. University affiliates 

are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must 

be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press.

JENNIFER CALFAS

Editor in Chief

734-418-4115 ext. 1251

jcalfas@michigandaily.com

DOUGLAS SOLOMON

Business Manager

734-418-4115 ext. 1241

dougsolo@michigandaily.com

Newsroom

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News Tips

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Photography Section

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Finance

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EDITORIAL STAFF
Lev Facher Managing Editor lfacher@michigandaily.com

Sam Gringlas Managing News Editor gringlas@michigandaily.com

SENIOR NEWS EDITORS: Shoham Geva, Will Greenberg, Amabel Karoub, Emma Kerr, 
Emilie Plesset, Michael Sugerman

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS: Anastassios Adamopoulos, Tanaz Ahmed, Neala 
Berkowski, Alyssa Brandon, Nabeel Chollampat, Gen Hummer, Emma Kinery, Lara 
Moehlman, Carly Noah, Irene Park

Aarica Marsh and 
 

Derek Wolfe Editorial Page Editors opinioneditors@michigandaily.com 

SENIOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Claire Bryan and Matt Seligman

ASSISTANT EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Regan Detwiler, Michael Paul, Melissa Scholke, 
Michael Schramm, Mary Kate Winn 
BLOG EDITOR: Tori Noble

Max Cohen and
Jake Lourim Managing Sports Editors 
sportseditors@michigandaily.com

SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS: Max Bultman, Daniel Feldman, Rajat Khare, Erin Lennon, 
Jason Rubinstein, Jeremy Summitt 
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS: Chloe Aubuchon, Minh Doan, Jacob Gase, Kelly Hall, 
Zach Shaw, Brad Whipple

Adam Depollo and 
 
 adepollo@michigandaily.com

Chloe Gilke Managing Arts Editors chloeliz@michigandaily.com
SENIOR ARTS EDITORS: Jamie Bircoll, Kathleen 
Davis, Catherine Sulpizio, Adam Theisen 
ARTS BEAT EDITORS: Alex Bernard, Karen Hua, Jacob Rich, Amelia Zak

Allison Farrand and 
 
 photo@michigandaily.com 

Ruby Wallau Managing Photo Editors 

SENIOR PHOTO EDITORS: Luna Anna Archey, James Coller, and Virginia Lozano
ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITORS: Amanda Allen and Paul Sherman

Emily Schumer and 
 
 design@michigandaily.com 

Shane Achenbach Managing Design Editors 

Ian Dillingham Magazine Editor statement@michigandaily.com 

DEPUTY MAGAZINE EDITORS: Natalie Gadbois
STATEMENT PHOTO EDITOR: Luna Anna Archey
STATEMENT LEAD DESIGNER: Jake Wellins

Hannah Bates and 
 
 copydesk@michigandaily.com

Laura Schinagle Managing Copy Editors 

SENIOR COPY EDITORS: Emily Campbell and Emma Sutherland
Amrutha Sivakumar Online Editor amrutha@michigandaily.com

Kaylla Cantilina Managing Video Editor 
Carolyn Gearig Special Projects Manager

BUSINESS STAFF
Madeline Lacey University Accounts Manager 
Ailie Steir Classified Manager
Simonne Kapadia Local Accounts Manager
Olivia Jones Production Managers
Jason Anterasian Finance Manager

THREE THINGS YOU 
SHOULD KNOW TODAY

The Michigan Daily’s 
music columnist Adam 
Theisen discusses the 

the potental rivalry between 
Kanye West and Kendrick 
Lamar for “Greatest Rapper 
Ever.” 
>>SEE THE BSIDE, PG. 3B
2

CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES

Gifts of Art 
performance 

WHAT: The classic string 
trio, Trio Barbuto, will 
perform music that explores 
classic string music 
literature. 
WHO: Gifts of Art 
WHEN: Today from 12:10 
p.m to 1 p.m.
WHERE: University 
Hospital Main Lobby 

Off-Campus 
Housing Fair 

WHAT: This housing 
fair will give students an 
opportunity to explore off-
campus housing options. 
WHO: Beyond the Diag 
WHEN: Today from 
12 p.m. to 4 p.m. 
WHERE: Michigan 
Union, Pendleton Room 

Michigan’s Got 
Talent 

WHAT: Watch 12 different 
acts competing to win the 
Michigan’s Got Talent title. 
WHO: Center for Campus 
Involvement 
WHEN: Today from 6:30 
p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 
WHERE: Michigan League 
Please report any 
error in the Daily 
to corrections@
michigandaily.com.

Twenty-two years after 
his 
death, 
Random 

House 
Publishing 
has 

announced 
the 
publish 

date for two new Dr. Seuss 
books, USA Today reported. 
The author’s widow and his 
secretary found the new 
stories and sketches. 

1

Lunar 
celebration 

WHAT: Celebrate the 
Lunar New Year, the 
year of the Sheep. Music, 
Chinese translation and 
free food will be available 
to participants. 
WHO: North Quad 
WHEN: Today from 2 p.m. 
to 4 p.m. 
WHERE: North Quad, 
Space 2435 

The NFL has found a 
New England Patriots 
staffer who tried to get 
an unapproved football 

into the “Deflategate” game, 
ESPN reported. A locker 
room 
attendant 
tried 
to 
 
 

sneak a “kicking ball” into the 
game.

3

Conference 
poster workshop

WHAT: Participants in 
this workshop will learn 
how to create professional-
looking conference posters. 
 

WHO: Teaching and 
Technology Collaborative 
WHEN: Today from 1 p.m 
to 3 p.m. 
WHERE: Hatcher 
Graduate Library, 206 

Advertising 
speaker 

WHAT: Advertising 
executive Jose Miguel 
Sokoloff will speak about his 
award-winning marketing 
campaign against guerrilla 
warfare in Colombia. 
WHO: Penny W. Stamps 
School of Art and Design 
WHEN: Today from 5:10 
p.m. to 6 p.m. 
WHERE: Michigan 
Theater 

ON THE WEB... 
michigandaily.com

THE WIRE 
Cambridge 
scholarship 

BY CARLY NOAH 

University student Ana 

Guay was named a recepient 
of 
the 
Gates 
Cambridge 

Scholarship out of 755 initial 
applicants. 

TUESDAY:

Campus Voices

THURSDAY:
Twitter Talk

FRIDAY:

Photos of the Week

WEDNESDAY:

In Other Ivory Towers

MONDAY:

This Week in History

PAUL SHERMAN/Daily

Chime master Heather O’Neal helps Ann Arbor resident Nina 
Rosenzweig play the chimes during a chime concert at 
Kerrytown Market Wednesday.

University alum proves that 
Wolverines nationwide are still 
excited about their new coach. 

“I just saw an elderly Michigan 
alum in a coffee shop in San 
Jose. I said ‘Go Blue.’ He smiled 
and replied, “We got Har-
baugh!”

“Did you know the past 5 U.S. 
presidents earned #LiberalArts 
degrees? Happy #PresidentsDay! 
via @SmartColleges” 

— @umichLSA 

The College of Literature, Science, 
and Arts celebrated President’s 
Day by sharing some presidential 

Each week, “Twitter Talk” 
is a forum to print tweets 
that are fun, informative, 
breaking or newsworthy, 
with an angle on the 
University, Ann Arbor and 
the state. All tweets have 
been edited for accurate 
spelling and grammar. 

The University graduate program 
congratulated students for 
receiving a high number of 
Fulbright honors. 

“Not trying to brag, but @
UmichStudents received 
more Fulbrights than any 
other U.S public university. 
#leadersandbest” 

LOOK AT OUR 

#TWEETS 
(please)

CHIMING IN

THE WIRE
University tops 
Peace Corps list

BY GENEIEVE HUMMER 

For the 15th consecuitive 

year, the University has 
placed on the top of the 
Peace Corps’ list of top-
volunteering 
universities, 

producing 51 volunteers. 

DELANEY RYAN/Daily

Award-winning director Gabriel London speaks at a reception before the screening of his film “The Life and Mind of Mark 
Defriest” at Rackham Graduate School Wednesday.

Lawsuit focuses on footing 
drain disconnection program

Ann Arbor 

residents challenge 
sewage mitigation 
efforts for homes

By LAURA SCHINAGLE

For the Daily

Ann Arbor residents Anita Yu, 

John Boyer and Mary Raab sued 
the city last year over the legal-
ity of a program requiring home-
owners install sump pumps in 
private residences.

In the original complaint, 

filed in February 2014 as Yu v. 
City of Ann Arbor, the plaintiffs 
alleged that the program inflict-
ed uncompensated burdens and 
monetary costs. The plaintiffs are 
seeking monetary compensation, 
as well as injunctive relief and a 
statement that the drainage pro-
gram violates their right to due 
process.

Though a Washtenaw County 

Circuit Court judge ruled last 
week not to sanction the city after 
the plaintiffs alleged court pro-
ceedings were drawn out unnec-
essarily, the legal battle over the 
policy is far from finished.

Launched in 2001, the city’s 

footing drain disconnection pro-
gram was intended to reduce 
stormwater flow to the sanitary 
sewer system, which had caused 
sewage 
backup 
problems 
in 

homes throughout the city. To 
divert water from the sanitary 
sewer system to the stormwater 
drainage system, the program 
mandated that the footing drains 
in residents’ homes be discon-
nected and replaced with sump 
pumps.

The suit implies that the city 

engaged in questionable prac-
tices in adopting and executing 
the program. Among other com-
plaints, the plaintiff claims the 
city gave favorable treatment to 
certain private contractors by 

granting them the exclusive right 
to install the required footing 
drains on private properties.

On Feb. 12, the court heard the 

plaintiffs’ oral argument in which 
they called on the judge to sanc-
tion the city for unreasonably 
drawn out legal proceedings. The 
plaintiffs sought monetary sanc-
tions for “the fees and costs occa-
sioned by the continued burden 
in this case of protecting them-
selves from a seeming attack by 
the City.”

In an interview with The 

Michigan Daily, Anne Warrow, 
the city’s project manager, main-
tained that the footing drain dis-
connection program was based 
on legitimate studies that con-
sidered the welfare of Ann Arbor 
residents.

The plaintiff’s attorney Irvin 

Mermelstein said in an interview 
that this was not the case.

“These people didn’t study 

anything,” he said. “They knew 
exactly what they were doing.”

The 
two 
plaintiff 
parties 

— Boyer and Raab, who live 
together, and Yu — said they did 
not 
experience 
sewer-related 

problems before pumps were 
installed in their homes under the 
program. The lawsuit’s key com-
plaint, Yu says, is that due to a dis-
ability, cannot maintain a sump 
pump without a contractor, and 
the city has not compensated her 
for this burden. Likewise, Boyer 
and Raab cited uncompensated 
burdens, 
including 
recurring 

flooding and the necessary instal-
lation of a $600 backup hydraulic 
pump.

When the case was first filed 

in the Washtenaw County Cir-
cuit Court, the city attempted to 
remove the case to federal court. 
However, the plaintiff countered 
with a motion to send it back to 
state court, which was granted. 
A series of motions followed, 
including unsuccessful motions 
to reassign the case to another 
judge and to disqualify the city’s 
legal counsel, Abigail Elias.

Last Thursday, Elias argued 

Movie screening highlights 
issues within prison system

Director Gabriel 
London chronicles 
life of escape artist 

Mark DeFriest

By ALAINA WYGANT

Daily Staff Reporter

The 
student 
organization 

Human Rights Through Edu-
cation hosted a showing on 
Wednesday of “The Mind of 
Mark DeFriest,” a documentary 
that follows a prison escape art-
ist, along with a Q&A session 
with the movie’s director.

The film will appear on Show-

time in March and won the Best 
Documentary Feature award at 
the Lone Star Film Festival.

In the film, DeFriest, a cur-

rent inmate at a Californian 
prison, was originally incarcer-
ated for theft, a four-year sen-
tence, in 1981. However, due to 
frequent escape attempts, his 
sentence was increased.

Now with 34 years in prison 

behind him, 27 of which were 
spent locked in solitary, DeFri-
est has a chance at obtain-

ing parole thanks to the film, 
whereas before he would have 
likely stayed in prison until his 
death.

In an interview, Gabriel Lon-

don, the film’s director, said 
he thought the film built up 
momentum around the case.

“The film itself catalyzed a 

lot, and the audience catalyzed 
a lot, too,” London said. “When 
the film was released, his parole 
date was 2085, and now I think 
there’s a very real possibility 
he’s going to get out of prison.”

He said he first heard of 

DeFriest 
while 
working 
on 

another prison documentary. 
Noticing he was one nonviolent 
offender among many violent 
offenders locked in solitary con-
finement, he found the letters 
DeFriest had written while in 
prison, and began tracking his 
story.

London said his focus with the 

documentary was on examin-
ing how individuals arrive in the 
criminal justice system.

“We imprison very freely,” 

London said. “The federal system, 
for example, the majority of its 
prisoners are nonviolent.”

DeFriest was first put in soli-

tary confinement while under-
going a psychiatric evaluation, 
according to the film. During 
his subsequent time in solitary 
confinement in several prisons, 
London said DeFriest was denied 
clothing, and was also accosted 
with water from a hose. The film 
also points to torture and gang 
rape DeFriest underwent at the 
hands of other prisoners.

Theater and Drama Prof. Ash-

ley Lucas, director of the Uni-
versity’s Prison Creative Arts 
Project, also joined London for 
the Q&A, answering questions 
about a slightly different issue — 
the role of creativity in prison.

Prisons are boring, she said.
During 
his 
incarceration, 

DeFriest made keys, painted, 
carved soap and wrote poetry, 
among other activities.

Law Prof. Samuel Gross, editor 

of the Law School’s National Reg-
istry of Exonerations, also spoke 
before the film screening about 
the topic of exoneration. He said 
the attention DeFriest’s case has 
garnered from the documentary 
is the exception when it comes to 

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