University of South Carolina Libraries
X The South Carolina Library Campus amecocK = Volume LXX, No. 19 University of South Carolina, Columbia, S C Oct. 10, I0"79 USC student f By Larry LeVlna Gamecock Staff Writer and Wka Rsports Mark Houston, a 19 year old USC student, was formally arraigned Monday on charges of two counts of murder and five counts of assault and battery with intent to kill, according to Steve Brown, of the Columbia solicitor's office. Houston is charged with shooting five people inside Bates West social hall and two more on the pedestrian ramp, Killing two, during a Homecoming disco party held by Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity early Saturday morning. HOUSTON WAS brought before a General Sessions Court at the Richland County Court House where he was informed of the charges against him. Presiding over the arraignment 'We never had any problems with him. He's a conscientous boy, a quiet, good-natured boy who kept up with his studies.' Frank Houston was Judge Walter Cox. Houston was identified out of a lineup by several witnesses who attended the party where the shooting took place, Brown said. Columbia Police recovered a .32-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver, which is currently being tested by the College Street was the proposed site for freternf / Some Greeks still By Jef FMtoy univ OemeoookSteffWrlwr Whicl No solution has been reached as to on-campus build housing for 17 USC fraternities and sororities was currently without housing, according to James B. univc Campbell, vice president of student affairs. throu Fourteen fraternities and three sororities, in- forth eluding all the black fraternities and sororities do not have housing, he said. "There is both a short range YOLj and a long range problem/' The short range problem soror deals with a permanent solution to on-campus probl housing, according to Campbell. housi undei "OUR GOAL now is to find meeting places for all of adeqi them. They have grown so much in the past few years "Big] that they have outgrown the accommodations made build for them in the Russell House," he added. reall; Last spring, USC proposed a plan to convert houses adde< on College Street being used as office space into Ma housinff for fraternities and snrnritiM HnwAVAr th*? nnirl residents in the neighborhood petitioned the work Columbia Zoning Commission to prevent the greeks on a 1 irom occupying uie nouses, and tfte commission ruled own in favor of the residents. sider In an earlier attempt to obtain greek housing, the one, t Homecoming tragedy ormally charge ballistics division of The State Law Enforcement Division, Brown said. Houston currently is being held without bail, Brown said. During this week Houston will be undergoing psychiatric and compentcy tests at the South Carolina State Hospital, he added. Houston will be brought before a Grand Jury Monday, MnimmKn. C A I :ll I-_ r 11-. iiuvcniuci j, av.v,uiU1115 iu Diuwn. n jury win ue iurinaiiy picked at that time. Brown said he will be the prosecuting attorney in Houston's case. The Richland County Public Defender's Office will be representing Houston, Brown added. Donald Rivers, Houston's roommate at USC, described him as having a tough personality but a nice cuv. Rivers said Houston had some characteristics that was thought to be due to immaturity. "There was this thing about being macho, he wanted to appear tough," he added. RIVERS SAID a few hours before the incident he and Houston had talked in their room. He had been drinking, but that was not unusual for him on weekends, Rivers said. "A lot of times he was fun to be around," Rivers said. "But sometimes he would misinterpret other people's actions and he would be really mad about it for a long time. He did not compromise or give in at all." "He fantasized a lot about violence." Rivers said. "He would talk about what he would do in a situation, talking about shooting people or cutting people/' Rivers, a member of the fraternity, said Houston did not try to join the fraternity nor had he mentioned any dislike for any of the members. Houston was upset when he was not given a refund of $2 he paid to.attend an off-campus party two weeks earlier, *1: i J rvjveia saiu. Prosecutor Richard Harpootlian said the party was closed down by police because of overcrowded conditions. "" Bgg|l decided v , - h! v i| K|lpJ|- seat, rec Districi Mike Bry seat tw? n ^ sSSlE %^;;5^95 In Disti Wnrlr ^ c a ty housing last spring. 8Wp O KoM'' 0AMtco<:K "Cbo" 11 1 Caulfie lack housing ssj confront! irsity proposed a plan about three years ago in .. p i sororities and fraternities could obtain funds to their own houses, Campbell said. "This money ^ to have come from a HEW loan which the 2? ? auity had obtained/' he said. The plan fell gh because the greeks could not raise the money f , e down payment, he added. seateope %NDA COKER, president of Alpha Delta Pi ity said She ?.understands the university's ems. "It would be very nice if we could have our voies ncr HIta anrnritiAe nt nthor hiit f <*nn rstand the problem they are having with finding uate space for sorority housing," she said. H? ? fit now we have two floors of the South Towers ? iL ? ing that we call our own. It's pretty nice, but we canataaw V should have a house to call our own," she... j obtaining ry Carter, an officer of the Chi Omega sorority "We have a floor in South Towers, and it's JJJJ ing out real well, but I think we are missing out lot of important opportunities by not having our co" v~ house," she said. "We have never even con- ? ed building a house or even entering a bid on , >ut I believe it would be a very good idea." ^ 1 f . :d in shootings Houston apparently believed the fraternity sponsored the party but actually was held by a single member, he added. RIVERS SAID Houston bought a 32-caliber pistol about a month ago and kept it under his mattress. Houston did not tell him why he acquired the weapon, Rivers said. Police said the pistol was stolen from a Columbia house last year but they did not know how Houston obtained it. Houston's father described his 19-year-old son as 44a very easygoing boy. We never had any problems with him. He's a conscientious boy, a quiet, good-natured boy who kept up 'Hf* \A/nuM talk ahrmt what hf* would do in a situation, talking about shooting people or cutting people' Donald Rivers with his studies," he said. Houston fttltprpd ITSP. a vpnr pnrlu anrl haH o "U" average. The Solicitor's Office has requested that anyone with any information about the incident call 779-2100, Columbia City Police Investigations. late elections held; 'evert seats filled By James Hale Gamocock Staff Writer an 20 people voted on 10 of the 17 Student Senate seats in londay, filling 11 seats and requiring six run-off elections. t 6 (Bates House, Bates West, the Roost) seat three was uth the most votes cast in the election. Courts Holland won this (iving 128 votes of the 179 votes cast. Holland ran against Mike ery, Rodney Rentiers and write-in candidate Robin Clark. t 4 (The Towers) seats two and three, will be decided today tioff between Ward Hammond and Matt Ward for seat two and ant and Rick Wise for seat three. Larry Lannino's attempt for vas stopped in the first round of the elections. h i 3 ij>ouin Buuaing, boum lower) seat tnree, will oe lined Lh a runoff between Becky Beard, Glory B. Gault and Nancy . Pamela Shaw was eliminated from the position Monday. rict 10 (Humanities, Social Sciences, Librarianship and Social at two, Dave Caulfield was elected. Caulfield defeated James McAlister, Van Watts and William Yarborough for the seat. Id said he had no plans at this time for what he will do in the but said he thinks coordination between committees and , and learning to work together will be a major problem ng this year's Senate. lit won District 11 (Business Administration) seat five. Seat s district will require a runoff between George Brookshire and ditmutuob j.* a.?I ml r lupauiMi. oivuMiuiv wn r iujwuiui ueieauxi 1 nomas Calhoun "Reb" Thomas for the seat. 112 (Education and Four Year Criminal Justice) has three n because of the lack of candidates to fill these seats. Juanita he only vote cast for seat one as did Larry Bannister for seat : Miller won an uncontested victory for seat three by obtaining L1LES won District 13 (Science and Math) seat one, over andidate Scott Dinnell. The district's seat two will be decided a runoff election between Bill Funderburk, and write-in ?Ronald Mature. lalz won District 14 (Engineering) seat two, uncontested by > civ vntfio |9U% TV?V9? t 15 (Journalism/General Studies) filled three seats. George 1 seat three over Wilson Smalls, and Jill Mitcheltree won seat Trisha Hale. Scott Malouche won the districts fifth seat unI. 117 (Health Sciences) seat three, will require a runoff between nrrift nnrl uirifp.in nmiriiHofo Tim Dnllino PocHoc ">?? v" " ?w w-w VM??\*IVIW?V Villi tWHIR?9? MUJ VfUIU^O WOO id in Monday's voting.