erald
Give us
a fucking break
For all the news that’s unfit to
print turn to the 1981 Oregon
Daily Immorald inside.
*5
Vol. 82, No. 123
Eugene, Oregon 97403
Wednesday, April 1,1981
Evidence indicates Hinckley suicidal
Reagan resumes command in
‘exceptionally good condition’
WASHINGTON (AP) - Jus
tice Department sources said
Tuesday they have found
written evidence that John
Warnock Hinckley Jr., accused
in the shooting of Pres. Ronald
Reagan a day earlier, may have
wanted to “go out and do
something to get himself killed."
Hinckley was given tran
quilizers and was held without
bond at a Marine base in Virgin
ia, awaiting psychiatric testing
to determine if he is competent
to stand trial on charges of at
tempting to assassinate the
president and assault upon a
federal officer.
Reagan rebounded Tuesday
from gunshot surgery in
"exceptionally good condition”
and with a strong dose of humor
as he signed a major economic
bill and resumed command of
the country.
Vice Pres. George Bush said
the chief executive was rosy
cheeked and looked robust as
he took up presidential business
from his hospital bed early in the
morning. Bush, meanwhile, as
sumed the president’s day-to
day White House schedule.
The 70-year-old president
was described by doctors as
being in “excellent spirits,”
fewer than 24 hours after an
assailant’s bullet was removed
from his left lung.
“It's pretty much business as
r
usual, with the vice president
pinch-hitting for the president,”
said Bush spokesman Peter
Teeley.
Justice Department sources,
who declined identification,
revealed that federal investiga
tors found an unmailed letter
written by the accused assailant
in which he indicated "he might
go out and do something to get
himself killed.”
The letter, the sources said,
was addressed to 18-year-old
movie actress Jodie Foster and
reflected that Hinckley, the
25-year-old son of a wealthy
Denver oilman, was in an “I
don’t care what happens to me”
frame of mind.
Administration and congres
sional sources, who declined to
be identified, said Hinckley's
letter spelled out his plans in
detail. They did not elaborate.
Actress Foster played a pre
teen prostitute in the movie
“Taxi Driver” and made her
stage debut last week in a
student production at Yale,
where she is a freshman.
Earlier Tuesday, Sen. Paul
Laxalt, R-Nev., said authorities
established a motive in the at
tempted assassination, in which
Pres. Reagan, his press secre
tary and two law officers were
shot.
However, Laxalt refused to
divulge details, and there was
no public word from other of
ficials whether the discovery of
the letter was linked to the su
spected motive.
Hinckley, confined to a
six-by-10 foot private cell, was
being watched around the clock
by at least two U S. marshals,
said Bill Dempsey, a spokesman
for the U S. Marshals Service.
Meanwhile, at the White
House, lunchtime crowds milled
outside, while aides inside took
pains to portray the government
as functioning normally.
Bush directed a Cabinet
meeting, met with congression
al leaders and greeted the visit
ing prime minister of the Neth
erlands, Andreas A M. Van Agt.
White House communica
tions were installed at the
George Washington University
Hospital, where Reagan was
recuperating, seven blocks
west of the White House.
Reagan appointments secre
tary David Fisher set up an of
fice there, and deputy White
House press secretary Larry
Speakes said "there’s not a lot
of difference from him (Reagan)
being in the Oval Office.”
"We’re fully prepared to take
care of anything,” Speakes
said. “He’s fully able to function
as he would be anywhere in the
world.”
White House Chief of Staff
James Baker said shortly after
Emerald Photo
Pres. Ronald Reagan, on the road to recovery after surgery on
Monday, signed a major economic bill Tuesday as he resumed
command of the country.
the wounded president reached
the hospital Monday, “full com
munications" were opened
between the medical center, the
White House situation room and
the airplane carrying Bush back
to Washington from a speaking
trip to Texas.
Baker insisted the adminis
tration was prepared at all times
“for any contingency that might
arise."
The chief of staff refused to
say whether the United States
had sought assurances from the
Soviet Union or warned Moscow
not to try to take advantage of
the situation.
White House press secretary
James Brady was described by
Dr. Dennis O’Leary as having
suffered “fairly extensive
damage" to the right side of the
brain.
"We believe he is going to
live, but we have no idea were
he is going to end up," said
O’Leary, a George Washington -
University hospital official serv
ing as a spokesman. Later in the
day, Speakes said he was “very
optimistic” about Brady.
1
University grad to become J-school dean
Photo courtesy of UO News Bureau
Everette Dennis
< , * • > ’ » f f '
Minnesota Prof. Dennis
formerly edited Emerald
University journalism graduate and former
Emerald editor Everette Dennis is the new dean of
the journalism school.
Dennis currently is professor of journalism and
director of graduate studies at the University of
Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass
Communication.
The 38-year-old will take over for current Dean
Galen Rarick July 1, according to Richard Hill,
acting provost and academic vice president.
“He's very highly regarded in the journalism
education community," outgoing Dean Galen
Rarick says. "His reputation is just excellent.”
Rarick, dean since 1976, will return to teaching
in the journalism school, raising the number of
full-time faculty to 14.
One problem Dennis will have to grapple with is
overcrowding in the journalism school. Enroll
ment increased 22 percent last year, increasing
the total to over 800 students.
Dennis has had an outstanding journalism
career. He received the outstanding journalism
graduate award from the University in 1964. He
previously had worked part time for the Lincoln
County Leader, the Newburg Graphic, the Daily
Journal of Commerce and the Eugene Register
Guard.
After graduation, Dennis worked for one year as
an information specialist for the New York
Department of Mental Hygiene. From 1966-68, he
was director of public information for the Illinois
Department of Mental Health.
The new dean began his academic career when
he joined the journalism faculty at Kansas State
University in 1968. He went to the University of
Minnesota in 1972, becoming director of graduate
studies at the journalism school in 1979.
He completed his master’s degree at Syracuse
University and his doctoral degree at Minnesota.
He is author or co-author of eight books