The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 21, 2005, Page 2, Image 2

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I EXTENDED FORECAST ♦ TODAY ♦TUESDAY ♦WEDNESDAY ♦THURSDAY ♦FRIDAY ON THE WEB www.dailygamecock.com Look for these stories in Tuesday’s online edition: Vi VIEWPOINTS Craig Swaisgood and Brad THE MIX USC offers many courses, but High 69 High 63 High 72 High 76 High 76 Leake share their opinions. some are a little different than the rest. LOW 48 LOW 54 Low 48 Low 46 Low 51 * Discover some of the more “unique” Carolina courses. ___ STATE Monorail company scales back S.C. plans CHARLESTON — Futrex Inc. and the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority are asking the federal government for another chance to develop a monorail system. A $35 million prototype Futrex had proposed building between Charleston International Airport and the North Charleston Convention Center never was started. Instead of employing the anticipated 1,000 people at the former Navy Base, Futrex employs two. Three sites proposed for veteran cemetery SPARTANBURG — Federal officials have narrowed their choice to three sites for a new veterans cemetery in South Carolina. The state’s newest national cemetery will be built on sites in Union or Newberry counties or on Fort Jackson in Richland County, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The agency is currently performing an environmental impact study on all three sites. NATION Court-martial begins for Navy SEAL today SAN DIEGO — The court-martial of a Navy SEAL lieutenant accused of abusing a prisoner in Iraq is a case full of secrets—even the defendant’s name is classified. The SEAL is accused of punching an Iraqi detainee in the arm and allowing his men to abuse the prisoner, who later died during CIA interrogation at Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib prison. He faces a trial set to begin Monday on charges of assault, dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming of an officer. Lawmakers rush vote to keep Schiavo alive WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a bill that could prolong Terri Schiavo’s life while a federal court considers her case. House Republicans, stymied by Democrats, scrambled to bring enough lawmakers back to the Capitol for an emergency vote early Monday. GOP leaders planned a House vote just past midnight, hours after tHe Senate approved the bill by voice vote. President Bush rushed back from Texas for a chance to sign the measure. WORLD 13 wounded in attack on American convoy BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq and Jordan engaged in a tit-for-tat withdrawal of ambassadors Sunday in a growing dispute over Shiite Muslim claims that Jordan is failing to block terrorists from entering Iraq, while U.S. forces killed 24 insurgents in a clash south of Baghdad. An American convoy was traveling through the Salman Pak area, 20 miles southeast of Baghdad, when it was attacked, U.S. officials said. Six soldiers and seven militants were wounded. Quakes, landslides shake Japanese isles FUKUOKA, Japan — A powerful earthquake jolted southern Japanese islands on Sunday, killing an elderly woman, injuring 400 people and triggering landslides. In a region still jittery from the devastating Indian Ocean quake and tsunami, authorities evacuated half the residents of a tiny island near the epicenter and warned of a tsunami but later canceled the alert. BRIEFS FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ‘Ring T hits box office, reigns over competition LOS ANGELES — Naomi Watts ran rings around the competition as her horror sequel “The Ring 2” took in $36 million to debut as the top weekend movie. The movie’s take was more than double the $15 million that the original surprise horror hit grossed at its 2002 opening. “Robots,” the previous weekend’s No. 1 movie, slipped to second place with $21.8 million, lifting its 10-day total to $66.9 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. Disney’s family hit “The Pacifier” held up well in third place with $12.5 million, pushing its three-week total to $72.3 million. But with those two child friendly flicks remaining strong THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) tries to protect her son Aidan (David Dorfman) from the vengeful Samara in Dreamworks’ new film, “The Ring Two." draws, Disney’s new family movie “Ice Princess” had a tough time finding a toehold. “Ice Princess,” starring Michelle Trachtenberg as a science geek who abandons the physics classroom to pursue a new dream as a figure skater, premiered at No. 4 with $7 million. Trailers for “Ice Princess” ran before “The Pacifier,” so audiences who caught that movie may be encouraged to see “Ice Princess” during spring break or over the Easter holiday, said Chuck Viane, Disney head of distribution. “It’s a double-edged sword. It helps you and it hurts you a little,” Viane said. For thrill seekers, “The Ring 2,” offers Watts returning to her role as a journalist and single mom trying to save herself and her son from the curse of a killer videotape, whose viewers die horrible deaths within a week. The original, based on a Japanese hit, became a word-of mouth surprise success, holding strong as it steadily climbed to a $129 million total domestic gross. The sequel is expected to mirror the pattern of other horror hits, which open big, but take steep drops. “Sequels just don’t play the same way. You have to expect a good drop,” said Jim Tharp, head of distribution for ]Jf i < li “Faculty think students « 1 are more dishonest than they actually are.” «Mm miSTOfts * * Monday, March 21, 2005 student on a study } OF OF STUDENTS’ACADEMIC ETHICS FAIR GAME I RESULTS f -- J-1 i-1 NICK ESARES/THE GAMECOCK Dreher High School seniors Drew Leatherman and Benett Smith check out opponents’ _ exhibits at the 49th Annual USC Central South Carolina Region II Science & Engineering Fair. I, DreamWorks, which released both “Ring” flicks. “Obviously, we would hope to get that $100 million club, but we don’t do any of those projections this early in the game.” Woody Allen's “Melinda and Melinda” which stars Radha Mitchell in dual roles in a comic and tragic retelling of the same story opened strongly with $74,048 on three screens at one New York City theater. The film, which co-stars Will Ferrell, Chloe Sevigny and Amanda Peet, gradually expands into nationwide release through April 8. X-rated magazines enter Jackson trial SANTA MARIA, Calif. — Michael Jackson’s child molestation trial has started to look like an X-rated show, complete with lurid magazine covers of topless women projected on a large screen in the courtroom. The prosecution intended from_ the outset to haul Jackson’s reading materials before jurors, implying that he used the magazines to arouse young boys. But Jackson is on trial for allegedly molesting a teenage boy, not for his taste in magazines. “They want the jury to get the sense of Michael Jackson as a pervert who doesn’t live by the rules and is obsessed with sex,” said Laurie Levenson, a former prosecutor and professor at Loyola University Law School. “But this could backfire.” Jackson’s lawyer, Thomas Mesereau Jr., might cast it as a desperate ploy to distract from sometimes-contradictory testimony by the accuser, Levenson said. And jurors might question why a battalion of deputies had to scour Jackson’s enormous library for books that his accuser might never have seen. The exhibits that have been splashed on the screen in recent days include commercially available magazines such as “Barely Legal” and “Penthouse.” The boy and his brother said they saw this type of magazine when they were in Jackson’s bedroom. In one case, they said, they found the publications on their own while poking through Jackson’s belongings. Now, the prosecution is having a hard time showing that Jackson and the boy handled the magazine together an important premise of the case. (Jn rriday, the defense noted that only one magazine submitted in court has a single fingerprint each from Jackson and his accuser. And that magazine was shown to the boy on the witness stand during grand jury hearings and was not tested for prints until after the grand jury returned an indictment. Prosecutors insist the boy did not put his fingerprint on it at the grand jury. But fans of the television show “CSI” and there are some on the jury might wonder why the tests ---I were not done earlier. Meanwhile, the pile of smut grows larger. One by one, sheriff’s deputies who raided Jackson’s estate in November 2003 have paraded into court, each identifying some item they found a magazine, a videotape, a DVD, an art book and describing them as being found on Jackson’s bedroom floor, at the edge of his Jacuzzi tub, or in his office where some magazines were hidden in cabinets or stored in boxes. Some legal experts question whether the focus on Jackson’s magazines can bolster the narrative the prosecution had been telling that the boy, a young cancer survivor, sought the company of the pop star he idolized, only to have that trust shattered by a pedophile. it sounds UKe a distraction, but as a trial strategy you can’t keep the jury distracted forever,” said Los Angeles attorney Steve Cron, who has tried molestation cases. “It may be that stronger points of (District Attorney Tom) Sneddon’s case are yet to come, but it’s always hard to overcome a weak accuser.” During grueling cross examination by Mesereau, the now 15-year-old boy and his brother said they found a briefcase full of sexually oriented magazines while poking around Jackson’s bedroom. They also said the singer masturbated the boy at least twice, maybe four or five times, before the family left Neverland. COMING UP@USC TODAY Marc A. Holton Senior Saxophone Recital: 6 p.m. School of Music 206. Euphonium/Tuba Recital: 7:30 p.m. School of Music 206. TUESDAY Graduate Vocal Ensemble: 6 p.m. School of Music 206. USC Symphony Orchestra: 7:30 p.m. Koger Center WEDNESDAY Craig N. Buying Clarinet Recital: 4:30 p.m. School of Music 206 Former defense secretary William S. Cohen will discuss America's Role in a Global Society: > 8 p.m. Koger Center THURSDAY The Charles W. Knowlton Lecture will feature Professor G. Edward White of the University of Virginia : 3 p.m. Law Center FRIDAY Alan Michael Rudell Graduate Piano Recital: 7:30 p.m. School of Music 206 USC BRIEFS < Alumni group calls backers to capital The Carolina Alumni Association invites all USC alumni, faculty and staff members and friends to “Carolina Day at the State House 2005” Wednesday at the Capital City Club and the S.C. State House. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., advocate training will take place at 10 a.m. and State House visits will begin at 10:30 a.m. USC President Andrew Sorensen will speak at lunch at noon. The event is free. Register at http://www.caroIinaalumni.or g/advocacy/. Professor emeritus to give WWn talk The African-American Studies Program will feature John Hope Franklin in the Eighth Annual Robert Smalls Lecture. The lecture topic is “Days of Infamy: Personal Reflections on World War II,” and will take place 7 p.m. Thursday in the Belk Auditorium of the Moore School of Business. Franklin is the James B. Duke Professor Emeritus of History, and for seven years was a legal history professor at the Duke University School of Law. ^ POLICE REPORT Each number on the map stands for a crime corresponding with numbered descriptions in the list below. DAY CRIMES (6 a.m.-6 p.m.) □ Violent O Nonviolent NIGHT CRIMES (6 p.m.-6 a.m.) ■ Violent 0 Nonviolent CRIMES AT UNKNOWN HOURS □ Violent @ Nonviolent MARCH 17 O Jones Physical Science Center, Room 706,712 Main St. Flood Damage, Information Reporting officer T. Brewster responded to the incident location in reference to flood damage. The mechanical room above room 706 was leaking where asbestos is present. Environmental services responded and shut off the water supply. #Bates House, Room 4096, 1423 Whaley St. Disorderly Conduct/ Minor in Possession of Beer Reporting Officers R.B. Baker and K. Adams responded to a call of a party with loud noise in room 4096. When the officers arrived on the scene, the dorm room door opened and the officers observed several subjects in possession of beer. The officers asked the subjects for identification. The first subject, Joseph Slye, then started using profanity toward the officers. He smelled strongly-of alcohol and appeared unsteady. Slye was arrested for disorderly conduct and minor in possession of beer. A second subject, James Inyangetor, had beer in a book bag. He admitted that the beer was his and that he was a minor. ^ Coliseum Parking Lot 1, 900 Blossom St. Indecent Exposure Reporting Officer C. Knoche responded to a call of indecent exposure. Upon arrival the officer made contact with the subject, Steven Golden, who was driving out of the parking lot. A traffic stop was initiated, and Golden pulled into the Coliseum parking lot 2. ©Bomb Threat Coliseum, 1000 Blossom St. Reporting Officers J.M. Simmons and L.J. Welch were dispatched in reference to a possible bomb threat. ©Gambreil Hall, 817 Henderson St. Assistance Rendered Reporting Officer J.M. Simmons responded to Gambreil Hall and made contact with the victim, who had a cut on the left side of his face and appeared extremely disoriented. First Responders and Richland County EMS responded to the scene. The victim said that he lost J the following items: a USC ID, a ® VISA debit card, a Bank of America VISA credit card and a Verizon cell phone. The victim said he could not remember what happened to the items due to his extreme intoxication the night before. ■ | I ^ What is the name of Victoria and David | * w Beckham's new baby? Paid for by Student Activity feerfeJ>