MLK papers case goes to jury
NATIONAL
BOSTON (AP) — A lawyer
for Boston University didn’t
accuse the widow of Martin
Luther King |r. of lying but
disputed her claim that her
husband wanted hack 83,000
documents that he had deposited at the school.
Lawyers for both sides delivered closing argu
ments Wednesday in Coretta Scott King's lawsuit
against the university, and jurors deliberated
briefly before recessing for the day. No verdict was
reached.
"This case is not about anybody lying. This case
is about something both beautiful and preserving
the human condition," Earle Cooley, a university
trustee and its lead attorney, had told the jurors.
"How easy it is to believe with your heart and
soul that something is the truth because it is your
desire.” Cooley said, noting that Mrs. King was
remembering events that took place nearly 30
years ago.
King signed a July 16. 1964, letter saying the
papers would become BIJ's "absolute property"
upon his death, and Cooley said that was a legal
ly binding contract.
But Rudolph Pierce, representing Mrs King,
said the letter was simply a declaration of King’s
intentions, not a contract He asked the jury to con
clude that the civil rights leader had changed his
mind before his April 4. 1968. assassination and
wanted the papers returned to the South as soon as
a suitable home for them was found.
Pierce also argued that King had to give the
papers to BU while he was alive or will them to
the university.
kin# died without a will and there was no evi
dence that he turner! over ownership of the pajiers
to the university during his lifetime. Pierce said
Hi* 1964 letter made clear that he retained own
ership of them
Mrs King sued tho university in Suffolk Superi
or Court seeking the return of about 43.000 docu
ments King deposited at Bl) in 1064 and 1965.
Mrs. King testified during the trial, which began
April 21. that her husband had changed his mind
before his death But Boston University President
John Silber testified King never told BU that.
Mrs King !) testimony was supported bv a sworn
written statement by Harry Wachtel. who repre
sented the Southern (Christian leadership Confer
ence in the 1960s. Wachtel. a Now York attorney,
said he asked King in 1967 if the civil nghts leader
had changed his mind, and King told him he had
Pierce said it also was virtually impossible that
the Southern Christian leadership Conference
would have set up a committee in 1966 to deni
with the issue of King s papers without King
knowing about it and approving it
Cooley also argued that Mrs King wailed loo
long — until 1987 — to Tile the lawsuit But Pitm »
said Mrs. King didn't know for sure until a Decent
her 1985 meeting with Silber that Boston Univer
sity wouldn't return the papers
Mrs King wants to unite all of her late hus
band's papers at the Martin Luther King Jr (’.enter
For Non-Violent Social Change in Atlanta The
center now has most of the King papers from l'Xil
on.
School edits gorilla sex from textbook
ERIK, Pa. (AP) — Passages
about the mating habits of apes
were deleted by teachers from the
book "Gorillas in the Mist," the
mother of a ninth-grader said.
Signe Prior said she was
appalled that teachers were
using felt-tip pens to black out
passages from the book by natu
ralist Dian Possey. The book was
assigned to her 15-year-old son's
honors class last year.
"1 thought, ‘What country do
we live in?"' she said
The book has been used at
Westlake Middle School since
19B8. As many as 60 honors stu
‘You're always
walking a
tightrope. We came
down on the better
aide of caution.'
— Joseph Cuzzola,
principal. Westlake School
dents in English classes read the
book each year.
Millcreek School District offi
cials this week refused I’rior's
second request to stop deleting
the sections. She began protest*
ing lust year
Westlake Principal Joseph
Cuzzolu said he permitted lew-ti
ers to black out the passages
after considering the potential
concerns of parents
"You’re always walking a
tightrope," Cuzzola said. "We
nme down on the better side of
caution."
No other parents have com
plained. he said
The book is based on Fossev’s
years of observations of gorillas
in Rwanda, Fast Africa. Hie pas
sages in question are largely
clinical.
A Tw
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Your Eyes
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Emerald
JOOEMU PO b ■ ii '.9 Ei.tH'Q.’ OR ■ 3-Pl t. H
Tl» Onto* folly CmmU a «n nu*l opportunity wnptoyrf
House OKs revised
voter registration bill
WASHINGTON (AIM The Houae on Wednesday approval
n M illed back ' motor voter" registration bill that Democratic
supporters said would "Hive a political volte to millions of
Americana."
The vote was 25b-164.
Republicans fought the measure, saying It would give orders
to the stales on how to register voters without providing the
money needed to pay for the changes
But Democrats suggested the GOP simply didn't want more
people to register.
The .Senate is expected to approve the compromise reached
by House-Senate negotiators and send the hill to the White
I louse later in the week, for President Clinton's signature.
"Here's another example of President Clinton moving on a
campaign commitment and delivering." said Rep Bill Richard
son, D-N M "It will give a political voice to millions of Amer
icans."
‘it will wicitm tho drew of (winix;rocy uv«n uu>n\ wiki nous©
Majority lewder Kic.ltarxl A (lephardt, D-Mo. 'It makes the vot
er registration process user friendly."
The measure permits voter registration by mail or at motor
vehii le offices and a wide range of other agencies, im hiding
public assistance and disability offices
Under the compromise insisted on by Senate Republh ana,
states are required to offer voter registration at welfare offic es
under a sot of rules designed to prevent < oercion by offii ials
favoring one pariy over another.
States would fas pemntted. but not required to allow people
to register to vote at unemployment offices.
And voter registration also would be offered to people seek
ing to enlist in the armed forces
Many Republicans insisted the bill still was seriously flawed.
"It mandates pushing new costs on the states." said Rep,
Porter Goss. R-Kla. "It takes away the right of local voting
officials to fully purge the voting roles, opening the doors to
fraud."
"ll should be i ailed the aulofrnudo bill." s^ml Rep. Bob Liv
ingston. R-U.
But Democratic Ken Al Swift said, "What we re seeing today
is people shopping lor an argument that is as respectable as
they can possibly find for not registering more people to vote "
"There are colleagues in the institution whom I must i urn
pliment for their great ability to carry obfuscation to a very high
art." said Swift, of Washington
Before moving to final passage, the House defeated. 252-170,
a GOP motion to return the bill to conference with instructions
to change it so states could ask for evidence of citizenship when
people register to vote.
Rep Dana Rohrabacher. R Calif. said that without the pro
vision the bill should lie named "the illegal alien registration
act "
But Democrats said the bill provides criminal penalties for
those who register fraudulently
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