Update
Animal-rights activists
make false accusations
At a news conference held
Dec. 29. a coalition of animal
rights activists presented
photographs that were taken
from slides stolen from Univer
sity animal labs during an Oct.
26 raid.
The Animal Liberation Front
had claimed in an earlier letter
that the photographs would be
"incriminating examples of the
systematic torture of living
animals that takes place behind
the locked doors of your
institution."
However, it turned out that
all but two of the photographs
shown were taken at
Washington State University.
John Moseley, University vice
president for research, said the
slides were old and out of con
text and bore no relationship to
what is happening currently at
the University animal research
laboratories.
Chris DeRose, founder of the
lx>s Angeles-based I jist Chance
for Animals, and Donald
Barnes, director of the National
Anti-Vivisection society, show
ed about two dozen
photographs of monkeys, cats
and other animals undergoing
various experiments.
Barnes was not aware until
the news conference that the
photographs had not been taken
at the University.
According to the University
News Bureau, the only
photographs that were actually
taken at the University are a
spoof showing Greg Stickrod.
animal laboratory services
director, delivering a baby
monkey from a human female in
a mock Caesarean section.
The slide was in a pile of old
photographs and material.
Stickrod said.
He added that he regretted
having participated in the
12-year-old spoof and said he
has not done anything like that
before or since.
California animal-rights
groups received copies of the
photographs anonymously from
the ALF. the group that claimed
responsibility for the laboratory
raids. DeRosa said.
The University has filed a
claim with the state restoration
fund for $36,415, the estimated
cost of the losses resulting from
the laboratory break-in.
The figure includes the theft
of $5,613 worth of research
animals, equipment and sup
plies; damage to equipment and
supplies was valued at $18,791,
and travel expenses associated
with temporarily relocating the
remaining and recovered
animals to other institutions
which is $2,744.
University innocent
of negligence charge
A Lane County Circuit Court
jury decided the state of Oregon
and Fircrest Poultry Farms Inc.
were not negligent in the 1984
accident that resulted in the
deaths of two members of the
University wrestling team.
The jury, handing down its
finding on Christmas Eve after
three weeks of testimony, voted
10-2 against Fircrest’s alleged
negligence and 9-3 against the
state’s alleged negligence.
The $4 million civil lawsuit
was filed by Norma Kesey on
behalf of her son. led, 20, and
Vnrnell West on behalf of his
brother. Lorenzo, also 20.
Kesey and West were killer! in
lanuary 1984. when a van carry
ing 10 members of the wrestling
team and two assistant coaches
to Washington State University
for a meet hit ice and plunged
over an embankment near
Palmroy, Wash.
During closing arguments,
the attorney for the plaintiffs.
Art Johnson, contended that the
"needless" death of the two
athletes was caused in part by
negligence on the part of the
state of Oregon and Fircrest.
lohnson alleged that Fircrest
was negligent in failing to supp
ly the van loaned to the wrestl
ing team with seatbelts and
other safety equipment, while
the state of Oregon was
negligent in allowing assistant
coach Dean Dixon to drive un
safely in hazardous conditions.
Johnson told jurors that
awards should be countered
against both defendants to not
only compensate the families
for their losses, but to help
establish acceptable safety
guidelines.
Attorneys for the state. Jerry
Thonn of Seattle and Win
Calkins of Eugene, countered
that Dixon lost control on "sud
den. unexpected ice." and that
the highway lacked proper war
ning signs and a secure guard
rail.
Portland attorney Frank Day.
who represented Flrcrest, told
the jury that company owner
Ray Hooley was a civic-minded
man who only wanted to help
the University athletic program.
Day argued that the van.
which had snow-tread tires,
was adequately equipped for
the conditions met on the trip.
He also told the jury that the
seatbelts were removed because
attempts to clean them during a
renovation of the van were not
successful.
According to Kesey, the
plaintiffs are looking into an ap
peal. but she was unsure as to
the details.
"We were disappointed in
the verdict.’* she said. “There
clearly seemed to be
negligence.
“People who have children
riding with sports and other act
vities should check first. We
took It for granted that there
would be rules,” Kesey said.
"I understand the University
has come up with some rules
lately. I'm glad to see that," she
added. “People forget how easy
it is to get killed in a car
wreck.”
Budget funds to pay
for airport expansion
Off campus news over the
holidays:
•The Eugene City Council voted
5-3 to repay a bond issue for
Mahlon Sweet Airport expan
sion costs with existing and
future budget funds, not with
an increase in property taxes.
•A lawsuit was filed seeking to
force the U.S. Air Force to file
an environmental impact state
ment before constructing a
Ground Wave Emergency Net
work tower near Klamath Falls.
The No-GWEN Alliance of
Klamath County and the
Klamath County Board of Com
missioners are named as plain
tiffs in the lawsuit, which seeks
a temporary injunction against
construction of the tower until
the environmental impact and
land-use issues are resolved.
•A Berkeley, Calif., architec
tural firm was selected by The
Carley Capital Group to prepare
the master site plan for the
Riverfront Research Park.
ELS/Elbasani & Logan Ar
chitects will begin work on the
project this month and expect to
complete the work in about six
months.
•Oregon’s first test-tube baby
was born at Sacred Heart
General Hospital on Dec. 22.
Fire breaks out
in dormitory room
A fire broke out in Hamilton
Complex on Sunday night caus
ing damage to a room and
evacuating residents from the
hall.
The fire broke out in Room
405 Watson Hall, at the corner
of 13th Avenue and Agate
Street, said Tim Birr, public in
formation officer for the Eugene
police, fire and emergency
services.
The fire was reported at 9:52
p.m., and the first of five fire
units arrived at 9:53 p.m.. Birr
said. Two campus security of
ficers. Dennis Kelley and Kent
Abbott, conducted a search of
the fourth floor before
firefighters arrived, he said. The
fire was reported under control
at 10:06 p.m.
The fire, which was confined
to the room, was caused by a
candle that was left burning on
a bolster on the south side of the
room when the occupants left
the room. Birr said.
“It wasn’t a real major fire,
but there was quite a bit of
smoke throughout the hall.”
Birr said.
No injuries were reported,
and the hail was evacuated, he
said.
The occupant of the room will
pay for the damage, which in
cludes smoke damage to the bed
and closet doors, said Marjory
Ramey, director of University
Housing.
Correction
On Dec. 12, in an article
about the play “Teatro
Nuestro," the Oregon Daily
Emerald misspelled the names
of Ernesto Ravetto and Arman
do Morales. The Emerald
regrets any confusion this may
have caused.
GET CARRIED AWAY THIS TERM
Get three months’
of unlimited rides
for just $44!
Bus service is better than ever Now
you can get earned away to and from
school and all over town with an LTD
Term Pass Riding the bus isn't /ust
quick and easy, it's cheap1
Passes and information available at
• Customer Service Center,
10th and Willamette
• UO Bookstore, 13th and Kincaid
• EMU, 13th and University
Get carried away this term
the brisl
take
Express Yourself!
For information call 6875555
r
vv
/ /if’flrd it through the grapevine...
In the Emerald Classifieds
Advertise today!
i.
^11 MU