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NEWS
THE DAILY TEXAN Volume 110, Number 85 25 cents
CONTACT US Main Telephone: (512) 471-4591 Editor: Jillian Sheridan (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor: Stephen Keller (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News Office: (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com Web Office: (512) 471-8616 online@dailytexanonline.com Sports Office: (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com Life & Arts Office: (512) 232-2209 lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com Photo Office: (512) 471-8618 photo@dailytexanonline.com Retail Advertising: (512) 471-1865 joanw@mail.utexas.edu Classified Advertising: (512) 471-5244 classifieds@dailytexanonline.com The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@dailytexanonline.com.
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CRADDICK: Earlier complaint
High
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Low
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“It’s not because we shook hands ... after we made love.�
Up in smoke
says speaker violated statute From page 1 Craddick was the source of the money, but that this did not happen. Texas Election Code states that individuals or political committees are prohibited from secretly distributing funds from other donors. The law states that any intermediary must divulge the name of the original fund source to the recipient so that they may report it in their campaign contributions. “Clearly Craddick and the Democrats themselves had a motive to hide that the Republican speaker was supporting these Democrats,� McDonald said. “He knew he was going to face a hard election in 2009 and so he wanted Democratic support ... [The Democrats] didn’t want to give their opponents more ammunition by accepting Craddick’s money — therefore, they devised this scheme to hide the original source of the money.� Texans for Public Justice first filed a complaint against Craddick in March 2008 stating that he was violating the speaker’s statute, which dictates that contributions cannot be made to a speaker candidate, or any other person directly or indirectly related, to aid or defeat the election of a speaker candidate. The Travis County District Attorney’s office received the complaint but did not prosecute Craddick because the law was too loophole-ridden. “We looked at the situation again and we looked at the [committee] that Craddick gave money to,� McDonald said. “We
think that the [committee] violated the law that said you can’t give a contribution in someone else’s name.� Craddick received criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike in 2007 and 2008 regarding his alleged use of campaign contributions to maintain control in the House. Several motions to remove Craddick from office and elect a new speaker were made, but Craddick remained in office until his defeat in the 2009 election by Republican Rep. Joe Straus.
‘‘
Certainly there was nothing sinister about it.� — Roy Minton Tom Craddick’s lawyer
McDonald said Craddick’s daughter Christi Craddick, who handles Craddick’s campaign committee, gave specific instructions to the committee to distribute funds to the four democratic representatives. Craddick’s lawyer Roy Minton said Christi merely suggested the four candidates. “Certainly there was nothing sinister about it,� Minton said. “[Christi Craddick] gave it to [the committee] and had them consider giving it to these four people. I am certain they were aware it was coming from Craddick ... She handled [his office] in the sense she
took what it was and made tentative suggestions to her daddy and ran it by him, [but] I am not saying he was oblivious to what was going on.� He said the contributions were open to the public, and that it garnished lots of media attention. Minton said the contributions were entirely legal and that allegations of inappropriate action are unfounded and have been augmented by journalists. “He appointed [the Democrats] as chairmen, and they worked together on what they were doing and he was happy to support them,� Minton said. Tim Sorrells, deputy general counsel for the Texas Ethics Commission, said by law the commission is not allowed to speak on any complaints of the past or present nor are they allowed to acknowledge if a complaint has been filed. He said all that is able to be told are the open orders published on the commission’s Web site. Sorrells said that within five business days the commission will announce whether they will accept or not accept the complaint. A letter will go out to the respondent and the organization issuing the complaint and depending on the nature of the allegations, the respondent either has 10 or 25 business days to respond. “If a complaint is filed that alleges a violation, the commission can issue a civil penalty, but not criminal.� Sorrells said. “The commission will gather evidence and information [including information] from the respondent...If there is no evidence, then [the commission] can dismiss the complaint.�
AIDS: Hopes for consciousness
SAFE: Focus on
resonate through UT campus From page 1
TODAY’S WEATHER
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
serving as a reminder to students and faculty of the importance of fighting AIDS in the 21st century. “I think it’s really powerful— just walking by it and looking at all the panels. It’s still an issue today, and it really brings a perspective on a lot of the issues we
face as a society,� Pandian said. “I hope it brings an awareness to AIDS Walk Austin. Beyond that, you never know who is going to be completely inspired by something like this and realize that this is something they want to take part in. Maybe we will inspire someone to take ownership of this epidemic and do something great.� breckenridge
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20 Mountains. 5 Resorts. 1 Price.
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wellness aims to aid students From page 1 which they drive a golf cart through a course wearing “beer goggles,� designed to replicate the vision of an intoxicated driver. The Austin Police Department SWAT Team, the Austin Police Department and the UT Police Department K-9 units will provide crime prevention tips and a Taser demonstration Wednesday. Students will have the opportunity to speak with UTPD Chief Robert Dahlstrom in Jester West from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday is health and wellness day, and a sexual health panel discussion will be held at the Tejas House from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.
THE DAILY TEXAN
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Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jillian Sheridan Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stephen Keller Associate Managing Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David R. Henry, Ana McKenzie Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeremy Burchard, Dan Treadway, David Muto, Lauren Winchester News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sean Beherec Associate News Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pierre Bertrand, Austen Sofhauser, Blair Watler Senior Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viviana Aldous, Bobby Longoria, Rachel Platis, Lena Price Enterprise Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Kreighbaum Enterprise Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hudson Lockett Copy Desk Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Green Associate Copy Desk Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cristina Herrera, Nausheen Jivani, Matt Jones Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thu Vo Assistant Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shatha Hussein Senior Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taylor Fausak, Lynda Gonzales, Olivia Hinton Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May-Ying Lam Associate Photo Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bryant Haertlein, Peter Franklin, Caleb Miller Senior Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Karina Jacques, Mary Kang,Tamir Kalifa, Peyton McGee, Sara Young Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leigh Patterson Associate Life&Arts Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brad Barry, Francisco Marin Jr. Senior Features Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Audrey Gale Campbell, Lisa HoLung, Ben Wermund Senior Entertainment Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Doty, Mary Lingwall, Robert Rich Senior DT Weekend Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Genuske Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Austin Talbert Senior Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Will Anderson, Wes DeVoe, Blake Hurtik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Hurwitz, Laken Litman, Michael Sherfield, Chris Tavarez Comics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carolyn Calabrese Web Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annika Erdman Associate Web Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Erik Reyna Multimedia Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Juan Elizondo Associate Multimedia Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kara McKenzie, Rachel Schroeder Senior Videographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dane Hurt Editorial Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Finnell
Michael Baldon Daily Texan Staff
CLINIC: Lawyers, journalists
to thank for exonerations From page 1 study, which began this fall. The journalism and law students meet in the John B. Connally Center for Justice every Monday evening. “This is not Morgan Freeman and the ‘Shawshank Redemption,’� Dawson said. “The [inmates] are not exactly sympathetic characters. They may have committed petty crimes [such as theft], but this is not a country that convicts people before they commit a crime [such as murder or rape].� The clinic receives nearly 100 investigation requests from across the state per month, said Tiffany Dowling, the clinic’s staff attorney. Dowling screens the requests and decides which ones warrant further investigation. Cases are investigated until either the inmate’s innocence is established or it is determined enough proof of innocence does not exist. Each student is looking at three to five cases. Broadcast journalism senior Kaitlin Lawrence went to Huntsville, Texas, to interview an inmate who claimed innocence for the first time last Thursday. “I guess I’m used to interviewing people, but there were bars separating me from the person I was interviewing, and that’s obviously not normal,� Lawrence said. “I was basically trying to piece together, ‘Did you or did you not commit this crime?’ I expected it to be intimidating, but it really wasn’t. I was more or less judging [him] instead of trying to just get to the heart of the story. The important thing to consider is, ‘Do we really believe these people are innocent?’� Dawson’s father, Bob, founded the Texas Center for Actual Innocence, a nonprofit corporation that operates the Actual Innocence Clinic, in 2003 with two colleagues, clinical law professor Bill Allison and adjunct law professor David Sheppard. Bob Dawson died in 2005. “He’s the reason I’m doing this,� Dawson said. “[The clinic]
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Issue Staff
Director of Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jalah Goette Retail Advertising Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brad Corbett Account Executive/Broadcast Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carter Goss Campus/National Sales Consultant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joan Bowerman Assistant to Advertising Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C.J. Salgado Student Advertising Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathryn Abbas Student Advertising Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Ford Acct. Execs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Aldana, Anupama Kulkarni, Ashley Walker, Natasha Moonka Taylor Blair, Tommy Daniels, Jordan Gentry, Meagan Gribbin, Jen Miller Classified Clerks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teresa Lai Special Editions, Editorial Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elena Watts Web Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danny Grover Special Editions, Student Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kira Taniguchi Graphic Designer Interns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amanda Thomas Senior Graphic Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Felimon Hernandez
The Daily Texan (USPS 146-440), a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78705. The Daily Texan is published daily except Saturday, Sunday, federal holidays and exam periods, plus the last Saturday in July. Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX 78710. News contributions will be accepted by telephone (471-4591) or at the editorial office (Texas Student Media Building 2.122). For local and national display advertising, call 471-1865. For classified display and national classified display advertising, call 471-1865. For classified word advertising, call 471-5244. Entire contents copyright 2009 Texas Student Media.
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Texan Ad Deadlines
10/6/09
Monday .............Wednesday, 12 p.m. Thursday.................Monday, 12 p.m. Tuesday.................Thursday, 12 p.m. Friday......................Tuesday, 12 p.m. Word Ads 10 a.m. Wednesday................Friday, 12 p.m. Classified (Last Business Day Prior to Publication)
is something that kept him alive probably two years longer than he should have. He wanted me to be involved with the clinic.� There have been four exonerations in Austin, two of which were done by Allison and another done by Sheppard. There are only two other innocence organizations in the country that actively work with journalists, Allison said. “Of all the almost 500 exonerations obtained in the U.S. so far, there are only two groups involved in it: lawyers and journalists,� Allison said. “Journalists often have an innate curiosity that doesn’t exist in law students or is somehow beaten out of them.� Many involved, including Dawson and Minutaglio, said they hope the study becomes a class in the future. “In a time of some confusion and turmoil in the news media industry, I think there’s no more important time to get back to the sort of fundamentals of journalism and think about what it’s supposed to do for us in a democratic society,� said Tracy Dahlby, director of the School of Journalism. “One of those things is to play the role of the watchdog. There’s no better example than journalists studying cases where wrongful conviction might be a possibility.� Dahlby said the class is in its beginning stages and that it may be too early to predict the future of the course. “Eventually, it may take a different form,� he said. Other journalism department staffers were “overwhelmingly supportive� of the project, said senior journalism lecturer Dave Garlock, who is not involved with either the clinic or the project. “The project gives students a chance to do real journalism and maybe explore the ability to do things that help look out for people who can’t look out for themselves,� Garlock said. “I can’t think of a better way to use the students.�
Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Audrey White, Cara Berendt, Hannah Jones, Alex Geiser, Lara Berendt Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Anne-Marie Huff, Edmarc Hendrick, Erik Reyna, Michael Baldon Life & Arts Writers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Abby Johnston, Gerald Rich, Kate Ergenbright, Katherine Kloc Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kishi Daulat, Jordan Godwin, Austin Reis Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelsey Crow, Molly Nesbitt, Megan Gottlieb, Amanda Hicks Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Connor Shea, Nam Nguyen, Sam Martinez, Alex Diamond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rudy Ferguson, Jeremy Johnson, Ryohei Yatsu, Michael Bowman Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tarrah Miller Web Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alice Ju Wire Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dylan Clement Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joshua Avelar, Rebecca Counts Videographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kara McKenzie
Advertising
J. Robert Pierce, Melanie Robinson and Rob Robinson escape the mid-afternoon heat beneath a bridge in south-central Austin. The three were discussing everything from the difficulties of homeless life to a film that J. Robert is planning to make.
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UNIVERSITY HEALTH SERVICES