weekend
MSU police Assistant Chief Mike Rice. ADAM TOOLIN/THE STATE NEWS
Michigan State University’s independent voice | statenews.com | East Lansing, Mich. | Friday, January 11, 2013
MSU Assistant Police Chief says goodbye after 43 years of service CAMPUS+CITY, PAGE 3
ALCOHOL
REACTIONS MIXED TO E.L. 50/50 ORDINANCE By Michael Koury kourymic@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
During a December 2012 meeting, the East Lansing City Council voted 3-2 to keep a rule requiring restaurants subject to the 50/50 ordinance to report their sales every 90 days intact. But some East Lansing businesses are unsatisfied with the decision and some city officials doubt its effectiveness to control overconsumption of alcohol. The rule requires no more than half a restaurant’s sales to come from alcohol. Crunchy’s general manager Mike Krueger said the rule is a pain and there is no reason to have it. “(It’s) not fairly enforced across the board,” he said. East Lansing officials banned the sale of alcohol in restaurants until 1968. The rule was put into place in the late 1980s, when the city was struggling with restaurants having alcohol-related problems. Between 1984 and 1989, the policy allowing restaurants to sell alcohol was changed three times. Any restaurant in existence before the 50/50 rule was established does not have to abide by the rule, as it has been “grandfathered” in. Restaurants with this status include Rick’s American Cafe, 224 Abbot Rd., The Peanut Barrel Restaurant, 521 E. Grand River Ave., and The Riv, 231 M.A.C. Ave. Eric Allchin, general manager of Dublin Square Irish Pub, 327 Abbot Rd., said it’s hard being a 50/50 restaurant. He has had to lower his alcohol prices and raise his food prices to comply with rules. He said the rule keeps fullon bars from coming to East See ALCOHOL on page 2 X
THE STATE NEWS ■■
Tom Izzo has witnessed nearly 600 games since taking the helm of the MSU basketball program. But the last time he left Carver-Hawkeye Arena in February 2011, he was certain the 20-point loss to Iowa was the worst performance of
Sophomore guard Branden Dawson ADAM TOOLIN/ THE STATE NEWS
A dozen years of a mother’s pain, hope and determination brings a law to help others State Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, and former state Rep. Mark Meadows, D-East Lansing, pose with Brandon D’Annunzio’s law Thursday, at the Capitol. Jones and Meadows worked to pass the bill, which extends the statute of limitations for crimes such as manslaughter, kidnapping or attempted murder.
By Samantha Radecki and Darcie Moran radeckis@msu.edu, morandar@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
It’s been a long journey for Brandon D’Annunzio’s loved ones. It’s been more than 12 years since his high school friend Andrew VanSchooneveld was graced by Brandon’s light-hearted, contagious attitude. Too many years since his grandmother Betty Smith was greeted by his hugs and kisses. And for his mother, Shawn D’Annunzio, it’s been far too long since she saw her only son’s electric smile and heard his infectious laugh. For more than a decade, she has continued through life knowing her son’s killer moved on scotch-free after leaving her son dead, her family distraught and her heart broken. Indeed it has been a long trek for Shawn D’Annunzio. Fueled by her son’s memory, Shawn D’Annunzio spent nearly two years working to pass a law bearing her son’s name. On Dec. 14, 2012, Gov. Rick Snyder signed Brandon D’Annunzio’s Law. She said her son helped her through the process, and she knows he would be proud. “He would have done the exact same thing for me — I know it in my heart,” Shawn D’Annunzio said. “He’s been with me along the way. I’ve felt his presence every time I’ve testified and every time I’ve heard something — he’s been right there.” The story It was meant to be a happy occasion. Brandon was in East Lansing on a Spartan football weekend in October 2000 attending a friend’s bachelor party when things turned south. This was the weekend the 24-year-old’s life was cut short. When sitting on the side of M.A.C. Avenue after a night at the bars, Brandon was approached by another intoxicated individual. A scuffle ensued. The individual hit him, knocked him backward and Brandon’s skull cracked on the curb.
JULIA NAGY/THE STATE NEWS
More online … To see a timeline of Brandon’s story, from incident to bill, visit statenews.com/multimedia.
Eleven days later, he died in Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital from brain trauma while his killer walked free. It was the same day he planned to tell his mother he was going to propose to his girlfriend. The case had gone cold until a story published in The State News on the 10-year anniversary of the event motivated a witness to come forward — eventually leading police to the suspected culprit. But there was one catch: the witness came forward after the ten-year statute of limitation for manslaughter had run out, leaving East Lansing police and Shawn D’Annunzio at a deadend. They were unable to prosecute Brandon’s killer. Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III said it was a feeling of “desolate hopelessness” when they were unable to move forward with charges. Dunnings said he knew he had to tell Shawn D’Annunzio in person.
any team during his tenure. This time around, he got to leave with a smile. After trailing for much of the night, the No. 22 Spartans (13-3 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) used a second half surge and some clutch free throw shooting to earn the 62-59 victory against Iowa (11-5, 0-3). Sophomore guard Branden Dawson led the way with 17 points and four rebounds as one of four Spartans finishing in double figures in scoring in the winning effort. But it was junior guard Keith Appling who hit a pair of clutch free throws to seal the deal for the Spartans on the road. “We didn’t play very good, let’s be honest about it,” Izzo said. “We made some foolish plays and we did some things that weren’t like us but boy, in that last 10 minutes, I thought Appling, Dawson and (freshman guard) Gary Harris really rose up. (Junior center) Adreian Payne did some real good things and then made some mistakes, but we guarded better, we executed a little better and give Keith credit. We put the ball in his hands and he made some things happen.” With Iowa’s leading scorer Roy
“I just saw her just deflate,” Dunnings said. “It was painful. One of the things as a prosecutor we do is try to help crime victims try to bridge from the empty helplessness of loss to some sense of normalcy. And that just wasn’t possible.” Thus began Shawn D’Annunzio’s expedition to find closure and ensure this wouldn’t happen to another family. She began petitioning for Brandon D’Annunzio’s Law. When testifying before the House Judiciary Committee last October, Shawn D’Annunzio told legislators the most chilling part was knowing who her son’s killer was, where he lived and everything about him — but being incapable of taking any action. The law changes the statute of limitations for crimes such as manslaughter, kidnapping and attempted murder. In the new law, the statute of limitations begins once a culprit is identified, rather than when the crime
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHAWN D’ANNUNZIO
Brandon D’Annunzio holds his younger cousin Natalie during his college years. Shawn D’Annunzio, Brandon’s mother, has described him as being a hero to his younger cousins.
occurs. “It’s a lot of closure for my family — that’s the main reason that I did it,” Shawn D’Annunzio said. “This can’t happen to these people who lose their children.”
The legislation When Brandon died, his killer got away because of a “loop-hole” See BRANDON on page 2 X
ANIMALS
Dawson leads No. 22 MSU to 62-59 victory davisdi4@msu.edu
CAMPUS+CITY, PAGE 3
BRANDON’S BILL
MEN’S BASKETBALL
By Dillon Davis
MSU freshman who reportedly stabbed students might have acted in self-defense
Devyn Marble out of the lineup with an ankle injury , the Hawkeyes were forced to turn to guard Eric May in the starting lineup. May made a quick 3-pointer out of the gates as part of a 7-0 run to open the game with the lead. After a timeout by Izzo, the Spartans roared back with a 9-2 run of their own, largely a product of the energy off the bench coming from Payne. This allowed the Spartans to keep the game close in a heated road atmosphere at Carver–Hawkeye Arena. However, it didn’t last long, as the Hawkeyes controlled the momentum and led by as many as 12 points in the half. Before halftime, the Spartans narrowed the gap with a 12-2 run, highlighted by a defensive rebound by Dawson that turned into a Dawson layup at the other end of the floor. The Spartans went into halftime trailing 28-24. The Hawkeyes continued to use their depth to control the See IOWA on page 2 X
Zeke the Wonder Dog III to appear on AFV
By Alex McClung mcclung3@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
MSU’s beloved dog, who has entertained Spartan fans during many MSU football halftime shows, will display his talents on a national stage this weekend. Z e ke t he Wonder Dog III will be featured on SunFoley day night ’s new episode of “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” or AFV, at 7 p.m. on ABC. The weekly show features home-shot footage of kids, adults and animals during their most spontaneous and hilarious moments, according to the ABC website. “This is huge,” said Jim Foley, Zeke’s co-owner and a Holland, Mich., resident. “It’s the same as being on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ when I was a kid. We’re just really happy about it.” Although Zeke has been featured on ESPN and the Big Ten Network, Foley said he is thrilled for Zeke’s appearance on AFV.
ADAM TOOLIN/THE STATE NEWS
Zeke the Wonder Dog III, runs with a frisbee Nov. 11, 2012, at West Ottawa High School in Holland, Mich. Zeke will appear on Sunday night’s “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”
“It’s really cool for the students,” Foley said. “The students should be proud of this.” That sensation of pride Foley hopes students feel is exactly what kinesiology senior Michael Eby said he’ll experience when he sees one of his favorite Spartan stars on TV. “It’s kind of silly how (Spartans) love Zeke so much because he is a dog,” Eby said. “But we do love him, and that will definitely be a moment of Spartan pride
for me.” The footage will feature Zeke at the Spartan Nation tailgate for the MSU football game against the University of Nebraska. Foley said he wants to keep the content of the video a surprise for viewers. “Let’s just say what you’re going to see would make (MSU linebacker) Max Bullough proud,” he said. See ZEKE on page 2 X