Oregon Daily
FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1993
EUGENE, OREGON
VOLUME 94. ISSUE 121
Man charged
with murder
acted alone,
police say
j Wife of suspect says he
suffered ‘fits of violence”
PENSAC'Ol.A. Fla. (AP) — The man
arrested in the slaying of a doctor outside
his abortion clinic apparently acted alone,
police said Thursday. His wife said he
had suffered "great Tits of violence" and
threatened her and their children. The
man was ordered held without frond.
In the wake of what’s believed to tie the
nation's first killing stemming from an
abortion demonstration, clinics around
the country tightened security and
women's groups urged Congress to
approve legislation making the blocking
of clinics a federal crime.
At conservative Pensacola's two abor
tion clinics, police increased security. The
clinic where Dr. David Gunn was killed
was closed, and a candlelight vigil in his
memory was planned for Thursday night.
Gunn, 47. was shot three times in the
back with a 38-caliber revolver at point
blank range as he was getting out of his
car at the hack door of the Pensacola
Women's Medical Services. Anti-abortion
demonstrators were picketing the < liitio
Turn to SHOOTING, Page 4
Photo Oy knttvoi'y fc»»**y
Kitty Piercy, Oregon National Abortion Rights Action League presi
dent, and Sally Sheklow, Eugene Feminist Woman's Health Cantar
development director, spoke out Thursday on the murder of Dr
David Ounn, an abortion provider in Pensacola, Fla
Murder angers
local activists
j Local clinics have increased security
since the murder of a doctor Wednesday
By Daralyn Trappe
EmofakJ Associate I dtfOf
The fatal shooting in Florida Wudnosdav of an abortion
provider hits provoked outrage from local pro-i hoice advo
cates; the state's most promimmt anti-abortion group also
denounced the murder.
At a press conferom e fhursday at the F.ugeno Feminist
Women's Health Center, Sally Sheklow, the center's devel
opment director, said she is appalled at the murder of Dr.
David Gunn, hut not surprised
"Frankly. we're amazed that something like this didn t
happen earlier.” she said " The Feminist Women's Health
Center and other t:lini< s who provide abortion services have
survived violent ottos ks for year*.''
In September. Sheklow said, the center was set on fire
Sheklow blamed anti-abortion groups and the "religious
right" for creating a c Innate of violence that fosters such
attacks
"(Wednesday's) murder is the most serious form of vio
lence to i nme out of the antrdbortiou movement,'' Sheklow
said " The anti-abortion movement has i mated a wave of ter
ror in this country and it is these fieople who an- responsible
for the murder of I)r Gunn."
Kittv Piorcy, president of Oregon National Abortion Rights
Action League, said anti-abortion groups in general and the
Reagan-Bush administrations have fostered an atmosphere in
which harassment, rather than protection, lias been om our
aged
Bei kv Moure, spokeswoman for Oregon Right f’o Life,
responded that simply having a position on a issue does not
Turn to VIOLENCE Pago 4
Groups deny stories of serial rapist
j Ri$e in local sex crimes lead to
increased fear among women
By Rebecca Merritt
Emerald Reporter _
Thu Eugene police department Indieves there is
not a serial rapist in the area even though one sus
pect has Ihiuii Iinked to four different sex crimes,
an EPD spokesman said Thursday.
Sgt Dave Poppy said despite increasing fears
and rumors among local women, the police depart
ment has not been withholding information
regarding any reported sexual assault However, he
said, the department realises that most sex crimes
are unreported and is working to increase rape
awareness.
Thursday's news conference, representing the
Sexual Assault Support Services of Lone County.
Self Defense from the Inside Out and the Eugene
Office of Publii Safety, was organized in response
to the recent scare created by rumors and media
attention surrounding recant sexual assaults.
“Rumors, false information and a tielief in the
myths and stereotypes afiout rope and rapists have
served, in our community, to keep people's fear
level high ami restrict people's lives." said Krin
Collier, program coordinator for Sexual Assault
Support Services
Calls to the support service's crisis line have
increased by 25 percent since the media publi
cized information about a series of rapes commit
ted hi North Eugene that involve a white male
suspect in Ins mid-30s with shoulder-length
brown hair and a thin beard.
The first of these rapes occurred Nov to near
Trend College. Poppy said The next two victims
were raped in a parking lot near the Santa Clara
Fred Meyer Dei 26 and Feb. 2 The fourth sex
crime was committed Feb \ in front of Sheldon
High School.
Poppy said four sexual assaults were reported
last weekend However, the police department is
certain the crimes are unrelated to previous
assaults
"There's no reason to believe they are connect
ed." Poppy said.
The demand for self-defense classes has also
grown liei.au.su of the large number of rapes (lulls
to Self Defense From the Inside Out have increased
by 50 percent.
"Many calls are from people who want to know
Turn to RAPIST. Page 4
Rainmakers
Don Delaplian (right), crew leader for Grant's Land
scaping, helps Monte Crase install the new sprinkler
system between Gilbert and Fenton halls
WEATHER
All of the Northwest will
enjoy fine weather Friday and
Saturday as a dry air mass will
bring sunny and pleasant
weather. High temperatures
will be in the upper Ms
THERE'S A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN
HAYWARD. CaItf*(AP) - The geese in Patrick Swartz s yard look like
barnyard birds, but tlwy re really playing watchdog.
The four geese, along with a tough Peking duck named Yacky. have
trapped at feast four suspected burglars with their loud honking and wing
flapping since he started his flock live years ago. Swartz said
They re the urban watchdogs of the 90s." said Swartz, a retired morti
cian 'If they see anything weird, they II alert us,"
The 45-pound geese made their latest collar last month, honking to alert
police to an armed robbery suspect behind their pen. Nine months ago.
they cornered a man who allegedly broke into a neighboring house.
_SPORTS
LAS VEGAS (AP) - The UNLV basketball program, dogged
by problems ihe pasi 10 years, has been (oiled anew with a
report that an instructor was pressured into giving a passing
grade to leading scorer J.R. Rider
"I find it unimaginable that any instructor would let any
one prvssure them into giving a grade.' UNLV President
Robert Masson said Thursday
Vicki Bertolino told the Los Vegas fleview Journal she was
pressured bv two people in Ihe athletic department to give
Rider a grade even though he had not completed his course
work. She said the pressure came at a time when her huv
band was recovering from a heart attack.