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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1985)
Oregon daily emerald Friday, May 3, 1985 Eugene, Oregon Volume 86, Number 146 Crowd rallies for released protesters Energy concentrated on continued fight Photo by Ron Martin Apartheid protesters Adam Ward (left) and Arthur Mortell wasted no time Thursday between being released from the Lane County Jail and urging continued struggle against South African racism. About 100 students and community members gathered across the street from the jail to cheer the released demonstrators. By Paul Ertel? Of the Emerald University students Adam Ward and Arthur Mortell step ped out of the Lane County Jail Thursday and into afternoon sunshine and warm applause from waiting supporters. Ward and Mortell, who were among the 89 people arrested during an anthapartheid rally Wednesday night, were releas ed on bond at about 2:45 p.m. Nine juveniles arrested at the rally were released earlier from Skip worth Juvenile Home. “This is not the climax; this is the beginning... and we’re off to a good start,” Ward told about 100 people waiting across the street from the jail. ' Mortell, too, encouraged the crowd to continue fighting South Africa’s racial policies and the U.S. government’s sup port of South Africa. “We have rattled them, but we have yet to completely rattle,” he said. The protesters were arrested after a sit-in at the Federal Building that followed a rally in the EMU Courtyard. Most pro testers were charged with trespassing. Costas Christ, editorial page editor of the Emerald, was charged with in terfering with the police. Also, 86 of the protesters were cited for making false statements. When arrested, they identified themselves as Steve Biko, 25, of Freetown, South Africa. Biko, the leader of the South Africa Black Student Union and a prominent anti-apartheid ac tivist, died in September 1977 during an interrogation by South African police. Official cause of death was listed as self inflicted head wounds, but that version has been rejected by anti-apartheid activists, who consider Biko a martyr for their cause. Ward said the protesters used Biko’s name to promote solidarity and unity but later gave their real names at the ad vice of an attorney. Ward added that it was important to raise consciousness about apartheid among people in the United States and throughout the world. “Once the weight of that con sciousness hits the government of South Africa, the moral weight will crush that system,” he said. Ward said he was treated well during his night in jail, but he added he did not want to get ar rested again if it did not stimulate others to get involved in the anti-apartheid cause. “It’s not important what goes on in there; what’s important is what goes on out here,” he said. The protesters’ release was greeted by enthusiastic ap plause from the crowd of sup porters who lined Fifth Avenue across from the jail. Many of the supporters had gathered in the EMO Courtyard for a noontime rally before marching downtown. Once at the jail, they waited almost two hours, chanting, singing and listening to speakers. Protesters were releas ed in small groups throughout the afternoon and evening. They were released as quickly as they could be processed, a sheriff’s deputy said. Although most of those ar rested were University students, several students from South Eugene High School were taken into custody. A. 15-year-old student named Abe, one of those arrested, said he was persuaded to join the protest after seeing stories about South Africa on television newscasts. “South Africa is really there,” Abe said,. ‘‘When you see a person crying because their kid got killed, because their husband got killed, it’s a real person — they really did get killed. ‘‘I think a lot of people see it and don’t consider what they see. It’s almost like entertain ment to them,” he added. Several of the students reported reactions from their parents ranging from understanding to hysteria. A father of a 16-year-old who was arrested admitted Wednes day night that he had mixed feelings about the situation. “I’m a little apprehensive about his arrest, but it’s not the first time he has been arrested,” he said. “He was in one of these when he was 1% years old.” Organizers of Thursday's ral ly vowed to continue their ac tivism and encouraged people to attend a Student’s Against Apartheid meeting at noon Saturday at the Koinonia Center, 1414 Kincaid St. The apartheid issue will be debated in the Oregon Legislature today when the House Human Resources Com mittee holds a work session on a bill to divest state funds in vested in companies doing business in South Africa. The session on House Bill 2001 begins at 1:30 p.m. in Hearing Room D of the Capitol Building in Salem. See related photo Page 3A Bnles sanity argued in trial Series marks end of Nazi Germany A series of lectures and a film examining the defeat of Nazi Germany and the fate of East Euro pean peoples will be held tonight and Saturday, concluding a week-long look at World War II. The free public humanities symposium, titl ed “Forty Years after V-E Day,” is sponsored by the University’s Russian and East European Studies Center in commemoration of the sur render of Nazi Germany on May 7, 1945. Today’s events include a lecture on "The Soviet Defeat of Nazi Germany. The Search for a Usable History,” presented by Professor Alan Kimball in 107 Lawrence Hall from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Immediately following, Stephen Reynolds, associate professor of religious studies, will talk on “The Fate of Religions in the Western USSR from the End of World War II.” “The Impact of World War II on the Non Russian Nationalities of the European USSR” is the topic of a speech by Vernon Asparturian, of Pennsylvania State University, tonight at 7:30 p.m., also in 107 Lawrence Hall. By Jolayne Houtz Of the Kmerald The "guilty except for insanity” defense came under scrutiny Thursday in the trial of former Eugene resident Douglas Andrew Briles, who allegedly attack ed a University professor last November and set fire to his house. Deputy District Attorney Frank Papagni told jurors in his closing argument that Briles knew what he was doing when he went to the house of Harry Wolcott, 56, a University education and anthropology professor. "All the facts add up to show that this young man (Briles) wants to extract the best revenge he can get,” Papagni said. Briles, 24, of Escondido, Calif., is charged with first-degree arson, first-degree burglary and second degree assault in a Nov. 8 fire that destroyed Wolcott’s home at 85711 S. Willamette St. Defense attorney Ted Carp contends that Briles committed the crime while suffering from a mental ill ness that was aggravated or caused by his homosexual relationship with Wolcott, who allegedly exploited Briles while writing a scholarly article on Briles’ life history. The burden of proof rests with the defense, who must prove that Briles suffered from a mental disease or defect when he committed the crime. Briles is a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic and also suffers from an anti-social personality disorder. In Oregon, personality disorders do not qualify as mental illnesses that would enable a defendant to be found not criminally responsible for his or her actions. Papagni pointed out that in testimony that was recorded immediately after Briles’ arrest. Briles admit ted that he knew what he had done was wrong. ‘‘We're not denying that Mr. Wolcott seduced him, manipulated the relationship,” Papagni said. ‘‘He did. But...this wasn’t delusional thinking — this was revenge.” Papagni said Briles wanted to “get even” with Wolcott, whom Briles blamed for ruining his life because of their sexual relationship. Carp focused his arguments on Wolcott’s testimony that he initiated most contact with Briles and on Briles' history of family and emotional problems. ‘‘The boy is vulnerable emotionally,” Carp said. “The signs were already there in terms of loneliness. He’s immature and he’s not so bright. . . he’s on the bare edge of survival,” Carp said. 'Harry Wolcott is seeking help for Doug Briles. . .but it’s help with a hook,” he said.