November 9, 2012

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Professor charged with child porn possession, suspended By Eric Dresden editor-in-Chief and Aaron McMann Managing editor

VICTOrIA ZeGLer/Photo eDitoR

Interim Associate Vice President of Communications Sherry Knight and CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley address the media in regards to the suspension of CMU Professor William Merrill on Thursday evening in the Bovee University Center Lakeshore Room.

A Central Michigan University professor was charged Thursday with four counts relating to child pornography, four days after he was suspended by the university. William Lord Merrill, 58 of Mount Pleasant, was charged in Isabella County Trial Court Thursday with a four-count felony: one count of child sexual abuse, one count of distributing or promoting child sexu-

ally abusive activity and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime, according to court records. He was also William Lord Merrill charged with misdemeanor charge of possessing a switchblade. Merrill, a professor in the teaching education and professional development department, has been at CMU since 1987. He was tenured in 1993. Interim Associate Vice President of Communications

Sherry Knight said an investigation into Merrill began Monday when officials received a tip from someone in the Office of Information and Technology shortly after 9 a.m. who observed child pornography on a university computer being used by the professor. Court documents show Merrill requested his computer be repaired on Monday because the Internet was shut down from his computer from excessive internet use. An IT worker found the use of torrents on his computer and, after examination, found three videos containing child sexually

abusive activity. After Merrill admitted to police that he downloaded the videos, he said there were no additional child pornography videos on his work computer, documents said. Police then served a search warrant on his office and home, finding 30 CDs, including one disc that had more than 10,000 files with most appearing to be pictures of child sexually abusive activity. More data is being reviewed, according to the documents. Merrill was suspended and banned from the university

A MERRILL | 2

Bennett charged with murder of carnel chamberlain, 4 Shelby Miller Senior Reporter

Anthony Michael Bennett, 22, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Bay City Wednesday for first-degree murder in the killing of four-year-old Carnel Chamberlain. Bennett was charged with first-degree murder, assault of a child, assault with a dangerous weapon, animal cruelty and witness tampering, the Associated Press reported. “We’re not surprised,” defense attorney Anthony Chambers said. “We’ll go forward and defend the case.” In June, Bennett was charged with assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a child younger than 16. Bennett was living with Carnel and his girlfriend, Carnel’s 21-year-old mother, Jaimee Chamberlain, on the Saginaw Chippewa Indian trial reservation when Carnel went missing. On June 21, Carnel was reported missing from his home by his mother after she left him in Bennett’s care while she was at work. After a weeklong search, his remains were found charred under their porch. “The Tribal community has waited for quite some time for this to occur, and now we begin our journey towards justice,” Tribal Council member

Louanna Bruner said in a press release. During the investigation, Bennett was charged with an earlier assault on Carnel, keeping him in custody while authorities developed the murder case against him, the AP reported. In June, Jaimee Chamerbalin told the FBI that she saw her son with a bruised and swollen face, as well as a cut lip in late May or early June. She said he had been struck by Bennett while she was away, according to a two-page criminal complaint, according to the AP. A few days later, she saw Bennett pick up her son by the neck and drop him before dragging him into a room by his foot, according to the court document. In June, Bennett was charged with assault resulting in substantial bodily harm to a child under 16. In November 2010, he was sentenced to resisting arrest and failing to stop for a police or conservation officer in Isabella County but did not serve the maximum sentence of two and three years, respectively, in May of 2011. Bennett is currently being held in the Bay County Sheriff ’s Office. metro@cm-life.com

former hockey captain inured in hit-and-run Hailee Sattavara Metro editor and Shelby Miller Senior Reporter

Former Central Michigan University Hockey Captain Mark Morley, 22, was critically injured following a hitand-run accident on Oct. 13. At 3 a.m., Mount Pleasant police Officers were dispatched to 1225 S. Mission St. following a report of a hit-and-run. When police arrived at the scene, Morley, a St. Clair senior, was lying on the sidewalk wearing roller blades, non-responsive but breathing, with apparent broken bones. Morley’s sister, Michelle, said she doesn’t know the extent of his injuries yet. “Brain injuries can take a long time, with the leg it’s too soon to tell, he can’t even put weight on it yet,” she said. Two pieces of plastic were picked up from the scene by police, and later matched to the passenger side mirror of a 1999 Buick owned by Jennifer Lynn Oxendale, 27, of Alma.

Isabella County Sheriff Deputy Nick Diedrich stopped the suspect’s vehicle and arrested Oxendale. Later, Mount Pleasant Police Officer Dale Hawks spoke with Oxendale while she was at the emergency room at McLaren Central Michigan Hospital, 1221 South Dr., who confirmed that she was alone but did not remember hitting anyone and did not remember seeing anyone in the roadway. Oxendale is scheduled to appear in court today at 8 a.m. “(Mark is) going through rehab at my parents’ (residence),” Michelle said. “Days are now filled with doctors appointments, physical therapy, speech therapy; it’s a huge setback.” Mount Pleasant first responders and MMR responded to administer first aid at the scene, police said. Morley was later transported to McLaren- Central Michigan. “I’m a paramedic, so it’s crazy being on the other side of things,” Michelle said. metro@cm-life.com

AdAM nIeMI/StAFF PhotoGRAPheR

Mount Pleasant Mayor Bruce Kilmer poses for a portrait in front of his office bookshelf consisting of frames of family members and gifts from Japan, where he taught English classes for two years.

‘Take a little rest’

Mayor Kilmer proud of time on city commission as term winds down By Emily Grove | Staff Reporter

When Mayor Bruce Kilmer’s term expires in two months, he knows he will look back fondly on all that was accomplished during his six years on the Mount Pleasant City Commission. After spending two years as a commissioner, two years as the vice mayor and his final two years as mayor, Kilmer decided not to seek re-election Nov. 6. As the regional administrator for the Michigan Supreme Court, Kilmer works in 27 counties with the various courts located in each, and his schedule has become more hectic over the last few months. “After six years, I thought it was time to give somebody

else a chance, especially with my work getting quite a bit busier. It’s becoming more difficult to get back here for the meetings,” Kilmer said. “I’ve really enjoyed it, but I think it’s time to take a little rest from it.” Kilmer said really exciting decisions were made during

his time on the commission, such as settling a five-year lawsuit with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe in 2010, the purchase of the Mount Pleasant Center in 2011 and adopting an antidiscrimination ordinance this July. These outcomes are all things in which Kilmer said he is proud. “The city does not have any more tracks of land that are vacant that large, so (the Mount Pleasant Center) is a way to expand our business and tax base or home base or whatever we end up putting there,” he said. “Also, the antidiscrimination ordinance we passed was big. I really wanted that to be unanimous, and it was, 7-0. It took us a while, but everybody voted for it.” Settling the tribal lawsuit

allowed for a better working relationship with the tribe on police and zoning issues, Kilmer said. It can be difficult for people to understand what the city is responsible for when there are so many different entities in the area. “I think that’s the thing residents don’t understand the most is how all the entities work together and which one is responsible for what. That’s probably the most confusing thing,” Kilmer said. “In some ways, it’s more difficult to have to work with these entities, but, in other ways, if we can learn to work together and collaborate, then we have more resources. I think that’s a lot of what I’ve been trying to do with my time here.” A KILMER | 2

first lady ross dances to aid united Way drive By Jackson Seedott and Carlee Campbell Staff Reporters

ChuCK MILLer/StAFF PhotoGRAPheR

CMU First Lady Elizabeth Ross and Lansing graduate student Michael McArthur do a dance duet as part of the Dance United Fundraiser Thursday night in the CMU Events Center.

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Six couples showcased their dance moves to raise money for United Way of Isabella County on Thursday, including University First Lady Elizabeth Ross. Dance United is an event planned and organized by select students from the Recreation, Parks and Leisure program at Central Michigan University. The event was designed with the vision to raise money toward the $80,000 fundraising goal of CMU employees. Each couple raised money to

perform and received several donations from organizations such as the Inter-fraternity Counsel, Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Chippewa Marching Band. Dance United was another step toward raising money for the United Way programs in Isabella County. The drive had previously raised $65,000. “This event is all about coming together to celebrate all that makes up this community,” Director of United Way Isabella County Tom Olver said. “The mission and vision of United Way is to engage A DANCE | 2


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