dailygamecock.com UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
VOL. 111, NO. 52 ● SINCE 1908
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013
Banquet to benefit law student Police chief Thursday event to raise money for victim of September wreck Kristyn Sanito
KSANITO@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
Students of USC’s School of Law will host a f undraising banquet Thursday for Alan Martinez, a law student put in critical condition by a head-on collision last September. On his way to a Saturday morning skydiving practice, Alan Martinez, 31, wa s st r uc k he ad- on by a n allegedly drunk driver traveling the wrong way down Interstate 77 near Blythewood. He suffered a traumatic brain injur y, as well as several broken bones in his back and leg, and he was in a coma for about three months, his younger brother and second-year law student Mike Martinez said. Since then, Mike Martinez and several ot her law st udents have established t he A ll in for A lan committee to raise funds for his recovery expenses. “We decided this was something that impacted the entire law school family, and we knew we wanted to do something,” said Matt Abee, a third-year law student and the
to take leave indefinitely
All in for Alan Benefit Banquet 7:30 p.m. Thursday at 701 Whaley St. Tickets ($25 in advance and $30 at the door) are available online at AllinforAlan.com or in the law school lobby 12:40 – 1:40 p.m.
committee’s marketing chairman. “It’s really great to have a group of people that have a goal, especially when that goal is coming to the aid of someone in need. It’s really kind of awe-inspiring how it can pick up momentum.” The committee has managed to raise funds by garnering support from local restaurants like Tin Roof and Jake’s Bar and Grill, which donated a percentage of their sales to the effort last week. “It ’s hone st ly i nspi r i ng t hat students have selflessly committed to
U p d a t e s o n Martinez’s recovery are posted on the Facebook page “Keep My Brother Alan In Your Prayers.”
this charity,” Mike Martinez said. “ It wou ld’ve b een muc h more difficult without support.” A ll proceeds from Thursday’s b e ne f it , a s we l l a s a n y ot he r d o n at i o n s , g o d i r e c t l y t o a n irrevocable trust , set up by the All in for Alan committee, that helps pay for Alan Martinez’s medical and recovery expenses, Mike Martinez said. Every element of the banquet — including the event space, catering a nd auct ion items — has been BENEFIT ● 3
Nathan Leach / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Students take trash, make art Students at the Columbia Museum of Art were given the most basic of materials to create artwork with Tuesday evening. The event, called “Recreate,” saw trash strewn about tables be converted into new works, like a can person or a
mountain landscape. The workshop was hosted by the museum’s college group, CMA College Collective. —Compiled by Thad Moore, News Editor
Officials don’t elaborate on Scott’s departure Thad Moore
TMOORE@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott stepped down from his post for an “indefinite” leave of absence Tuesday, city officials said. While Scott is out, Assistant Chief Ruben Santiago will act as police chief, according to Cit y Manager Teresa Wilson. Spea k i ng to repor ters Tuesday, Wilson said she wasn’t sure how long Scott’s leave will last, but she expects he’ll resume his role. “I have every reason to believe that Chief Scott will return to his normal responsibilities a s p o l i c e c h i e f ,” SCOTT Wilson said. Scott’s request for leave time did not cite a specific reason for h is depa r t u re, on ly saying it was a personal matter, Wilson said. City employees aren’t required to give a more detailed explanation to SANTIAGO get time off. But W ilson sa id Scott was still in good standing with the city, and he is not being investigated. “Things come up in anyone’s life,” Wilson said. “There are issues and personal responsibilities and things that people have to deal with.” Ca l ls to Scot t’s cel lphone went directly to voice mail Tuesday, and multiple messages were not returned by press time. Police spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons and Mayor Steve Benjamin’s office directed questions to Wilson. Scott filed his request, which was granted Monday; before t hen, cit y officials hadn’t had discussions about the possibility of his leaving, Wilson said. There’s no formal limit to how long a city employee can remain on leave; it’s evaluated on a case-by-case basis, she said. To return, Scott needs only to notify the city he’s coming back. While he’s out of the office, Scott will still be paid. Wilson said she had notified City Council members and Benjamin, who was out of town Tuesday, and they were SCOTT ● 2
USC group attends international mock court Delegation becomes 1st from US to travel to 12-country conference Hannah Jeffrey
NEWS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
Former Student Body Treasurer Coy Gibson recently went on a field trip that took him pretty far from home. Gibson, USC graduate students Stefania Petcu and Zulf ikar Berk and Columbia Jewish Day School teacher Valerie Hoyt traveled to Poland last week to take part in the Model International Criminal Court, a program that simulates the International Criminal Court. Representing 12 countries from three continents, participating students are immersed in issues related to the case in question. Simultaneously, students are exposed to courtroom skills that could come in handy when presenting a case, such as writing, reasoning and presenting. Of the 50 students accepted into the program, USC had four representatives. Both Petcu and
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Berk served as judges, and Hoyt and Gibson were a part of the press team. The team not only represented USC but also the state of South Carolina and the U.S. This year marked the fi rst time since the program was established in 2006 that Americans were sent to participate in the annual event. The fictional case at hand was of humanitarian crime, Hoyt said. Teams made up of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges and the press were given the chance to react to the case, set to have taken place in a fictitious country formerly a part of the Soviet Union. In three of the four parts of the case, the judges were questioned on whether the crimes were indeed committed against humanity. The remaining portion of the case dealt with whether the action was to be considered a war crime. Berk recalled a few memorable lines from the week that he thought summed up the conference’s essence. One of his favorites: “‘All equal different,’” he wrote in an email, “underlines the way that people
from all over the world should share the same human values.” As a judge, Hoyt worked with other participants to determine the case’s outcome. “We had to decide if the accused was responsible or not for t he commission of crimes against humanity,” Hoyt said in an email response. “The decision of the panel was based on testimonies g iven by t he Of f ice of t he Prosecut ion and Defense, as well as the facts of the case.” The topic of leadership came up often, Gibson said, as did how education is often taken for granted in the U.S., which can often affect global decision-making. “Through this workshop, I experienced that reaching the quick decision on international issues is not easy since every system may approach the issue differently,” Berk said. Gibson also noted the prevalence of U.S. pop culture around the world, as those in attendance sang “Sweet Home Alabama” on a bus, and many knew trivia about America, while few Americans COURT ● 3
The Hookah Spot
Empty threats
USC defeats CSU
The new business in Five Points aims to serve as a relaxing alternative to the downtown bar scene. See page 5
Columnist Matt Coleman argues North Korea’s threats are pleas for attention, just as they have been in the past. See page 4
South Carolina won its fifth straight game with a 9-5 victory over the Buccaneers Tuesday night.
See page 7