Verdict expected today
Prosecution rests in ex-coach’s trial
By JEFF BAKER
Of the Emerald
A verdict is expected today in
the theft trial of ex-assistant
University basketball coach Ron
Billingslea.
Billingslea is accused of
stealing $1,680 in state funds
through an account in his name
at Bronson Travel agency.
Deputy district attorney Darryl
Larson rested the state’s case
Tuesday afternoon after calling
six witnesses, including Univer
sity basketball coach Jim Haney
and Greg Robinson, former
athletic department business
manager.
Before the defense calls its
witnesses, Judge William Beck
ett must rule on a motion for
acquittal submitted by Billings
lea’s attorney, Larry Roloff.
Out of the jury’s presence,
Roloff argued that the money
Billingslea is accused of
stealing is Bronson Travel’s, not
the University’s. He claimed a
policy between the University
and Bronson stated the
“agency must bear the financial
consequences of misdirection
of funds.”
Therefore, Roloff argued, the
case against Billingslea is not a
criminal one because he did not
steal state funds. Larson re
sponded by quoting sections of
state law dealing with theft and
by arguing that Bronson was
merely a “convenient conduit"
that Billingslea used to turn un
used airline tickets into cash.
The defense did not contest
evidence that Billingslea
received two checks from the
Bronson account in April, 1978,
one month after Billingslea left
the University. They also did not
contest evidence showing the
first check was cashed and the
second check was cashed par
tially, with the remainder placed
in Billingslea’s checking and
savings accounts.
Former basketball coach Dick
Harter cast a long shadow over
the trial. It was shown that
Harter received a $201 check
from a personal account of his
own. He was subpoenaed as a
witness, but a Pennsylvania
judge ruled last month that it
would cause him undue hard
ship to appear.
Under persistent questioning
from Roloff, former Bronson
agent Peggy Hamlin denied set
ting up an account for Billings
lea at Harter's request.
“I’m under oath, so I'll say I do
not recall,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin also couldn’t recall
personal accounts for Billings
lea, Harter or Andy Christoff, a
former assistant football coach.
She didn’t recall any checks
Degree requisites may change
The University Assembly will vote on two
graduation requirement motions today at 3:30
p.m. in Room 150 Geology.
Both motions were submitted by Thelma
Greenfield, chairer of the Committee on the
Curriculum.
Last week the University Senate approved
19-10 with two abstentions Greenfield’s motion to
defer until 1983 instituting a math requirement for
a bachelor of science degree.
Richard Hill said at that meeting that instituting
the requirement next fall, as approved by the
Assembly in November of 1979, would cost the
University $74,000 for additional graduate teach
ing fellows to teach beginning mathematics and
language courses.
“We'd have to cut positions in other
departments because they aren’t in our budget,"
Hill said.
Senate members George Struble, a computer
science professor, and Lewis Ward, a math
professor, strongly disagreed with changing the
previously approved Assembly legislation.
Greenfield’s other motion would change
course, cluster and procedural requirements for
graduation.
The Senate could not take an official vote on
the motion because it lacked a quorum. However,
the Senate did tally a straw vote of 8-7 with two
abstentions against the motion.
issued to Billingslea or any
refunds for unused tickets.
Hamlin formerly handled
travel business for the Universi
ty basketball team.
Head coach Jim Haney tes
tified that he was unaware of
any personal travel accounts
until investigators contacted
him. Haney, who worked with
Billingslea for six years when
both were assistant coaches
under Harter, said he dropped
off unused tickets at Bronson
and ‘‘didn’t know what hap
pened to them after that.”
Haney said it isn’t unusual for
travel plans to change during
basketball recruiting. Unused
tickets are common, he added.
The trial will resume today at
10 a m. in the Lane County
Courthouse.
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