January 29, 1998
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^■P Too«r: Partly HerrlioeDurj. VA 22807 cloudy, high 50°F> low 33°F. 5 0 !99§' FR»AY: Partly cloudy, high 46°F, low27°F. SATURDAY: Sunny, high 48°F, low Tattoo too much? 29°F. See Focus pages 18-19 THURSDAY JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY Witnesses testify in Simmons murder trial Simmons threatened O'Connell, O'Connell's roommates, testified How could you do this to me?" ing with issues that shouldn't be for the prosecution Tuesday O'Connell's and Olson's fami- dealt with now." Graves then Olson, witnesses say; Defense about an incident he allegedly lies were visibly moved by that denied defense motions for dis- witnessed between Simmons, statement. Some put their heads missal or a mistrial. accuses prosecution of misconduct Olson and O'Connell. Simmons down; others wept Some emotional testimony allegedly came to O'Connell's Defense attorney John came Tuesday when Robert Where's Ann?" Stark said of Norm High Street apartment July Holloran later objected to that Jorgensen, one of O'Connell's byBradJcridns&KaihtrynLeiAer Simmons' alleged calls in his 3, 1996 ^.^^^„___s t a t e m e n t close friends, described how he senior and staff writers opening statement Monday. demanding to it. and accused discovered the bodies of Olson But Simmons' attorneys said see Olson. "I The pkOfie CallS Were the prosecu- and O'Connell. The prosecution in the Brent the prosecution has little physical saw them . tion of mis- Jorgensen, who graduated Simmons capital murder trial evidence that Simmons commit- arguing," he incessant to Ann cond uct. from JMU in 1993, said he went began stating its case this week ted the double homicide. "This said. Later, the ~.. „ Holloran to O'Connell's apartment Oct. 13, with what was sometimes graph- case should not be tried on emo- roommate tes- Olson s apartment — said the 1996 to visit him. He was in ic and emotional testimony. tion," defense attorney David tified he heard , . ■ . prosecution Harrisonburg visiting friends Simmons, a former JMU stu- Walsh told the 12 jurors and four Simmons say, One O ClOCK in tfW told him while on leave from Fort dent, is charged with the Oct. 12, alternates. "Keith better . , , . before the Pendleton. 1996 fatal shootings of former Simmons, a July 1996 JMU watch his morning, two o clock in trial that After knocking several times, JMU students Ann Olson, 25, and graduate, pleaded not guilty to back." WyrackOK -t• * ._ ._ Wyrack Jorgensen testified that he Keith O'Connell, 23. the charges of capital murder, didn't say the morning, six would testify entered the apartment and Rockingham County first-degree murder and using a who Simmons , ■ , . , . that approached O'Connell's bed- Commonwealth's Attorney weapon in the commission of a allegedly o clock in the morning O'Connell room, thinking he was asleep. Douglas Stark first presented the felony. His attorneys maintain directed that ff told him After entering the bedroom, jurors with witnesses who testi- Simmons left Orlando, Fla., at comment to. — Where's Ann? about that Jorgensen said he saw Olson fied about Simmons and Olson's 8:30 a.m. Oct. 11, 1996 and Wyrack tes- statement. curled up on a couch. He then troubled relationship after the arrived at his sister's home in tified to anoth- Douglas Stark instead, saw O'Connell lying parallel to two stopped dating. Frederick, Md., at 2:30 a.m. Oct. er incident a Rockingham County Commonwealth's attorney YVyrack tes- the bed on the floor. "When I "The phone calls were inces- 12, 1996, which is around the few weeks tified that he saw Keith, I suddenly realized sant to Ann Olson's apartment — time the prosecution thinks later between heard it himself. what happened," he said. "I one o'clock in the morning, two Olson and O'Connell were mur- Simmons and O'Connell. During Circuit Court Judge Porter froze for a moment." o'clock in the morning, six dered. that incident, Simmons allegedly Graves said, "fl am] disappoint- o'clock in the morning — Dennis Wyrack, one of said, "I'll kill you, mother fucker. ed this has come up. We're deal- see WITNESSES page 2 Student s artwork removed from Zirkle Artist calls it censorship; adviser says gallery took down photos because artist was 'deceptive' artist I feel violated. I could not by Jim 'Vegas' Terp stand to have my show slimmed style editor down and watered down." For the Zirkle House executive The photo of the naked wom- staff, including graduate advisor an's crotch is gone. So is the Wednesday Sorokin, undergrad- photo of a guy's rear-end titled uate director Jen Carroll and "Hairy Eyeball." In fact not a sin- assistant director Nicole Welch, gle piece of senior Tim Gordon's censorship is not even an issue. art remains in Zirkle House's Is this a case of censorship? Artworks Gallery. Gallery direc- Where does the truth rest? As is tors removed several pho- often the case with these issues, tographs on Tuesday, Jan. 20. the best place to begin is the Gordon pulled the rest of his beginning. exhibit Monday afternoon as a Each semester approximately form of protest 50 students apply to have their For Gordon this is a clear-cut artwork exhibited in one of the case of censorship. The gallery, two undergraduate galleries at DYLAN *QUCHEBl£/staffphotographer for one reason or another Zirkle House. (Zirkle House con- Snow stroll removed all of my work which tains three galleries, two of which contained what might be defined are student-run: the Artworks Two students take a strol in the VWage Tuesday afternoon. The coating of snow soon became a as 'graphic' imagery," Gordon and Other Galleries. The third •f snow ID wrote in a note posted in Zirkle room, the New Image( Gallery, House, ! House. "I was not notified of the 3>■■■ •■>■■> ■!'..* I'm "rerrioval 6t tnese works. As an P*e2 2 Jhitfsdjff. JM^29, 1998 THE BREEZE Witnesses continued from page 1 Jurors kept their eyes on the porch when he arrived home September that the unidentified IAMFS MA PI SON UNIVERSITY saw on the evening of the mur- witness as he spoke. Several of from work at about 2:30 a.m., man was Simmons but could ders. "To the press abne, chequered as Olson and O'Connell's family Oct. 12, 1996. O'Connell and the now. Diane Hand, the owner of a it is with abuses, the world is members and other courtroom man were talking at the front Rogers then said he couldn't jewelry store located next to indebted for all the triumphs spectators audibly wept. door, he said. Later, he testified be 100 percent sure the man he Spanky's, testified that she saw a which have been gained by Jorgensen was overcome by emo- that he saw the man run into the saw on the porch was Simmons man near the Water Street park- reason and humanity over error tion and had to take a few yard as O'Connell ran down the and the same is true in his cur- ing deck at 1 a.m. on Oct. 12, and oppression." moments to compose himself. length of the porch. rent testimony. Rogers said, "I'm 1996, which was an hour and David Oxley, the forensic —James Madison When asked if that person was sure enough to be sitting here in one-half before the murders were pathologist who performed the in the courtroom, Rogers pointed front of you today though." committed. She identified that Editor KrtstenHeks autopsies, also testified Tuesday, at Simmons, who sat between his Walsh also asked Rogers about man as Simmons. Managing aiitor Laura L Wade confirming that both victims sus- two attorneys taking notes for prior statements he made to Also on Wednesday, a Technology manager Brian rtg&n tained two gunshot wounds each most of the proceedings. police, asking if he recalled them. firearms expert testified that the Adsmmager Erin M. CaHaghan to the head. "Either wound The neighbor also testified that "I don't recall," he said repeated- bullets recovered from the crime NewsedHor Courtney A. Crowtey would've been lethal," he said. minutes after walking into his scene were from a 9mm Smith NewsedOor Rob Spain Oxley said O'Connell was shot apartment, he heard "two loud Defense attorneys repeatedly and Wesson, which is the type of at a distance of about six inches. Asst. news editor And Metder bangs." Rogers' girlfriend later asked witnesses if their memories gun Simmons owns. Defense Olson was shot from a distance testified that she heard the noises, Opiniontditor Keley Blasskieame of the events were better now or attorneys said Smith and Wesson further than that, but he didn't which sounded like a car backfir- when the events first occurred. is a large company and that Subeditor Jim -Vega*' Terp say how far. He also said there ing. Most said their memories were many people own this type of Focus aiitor Chrts Klmek were no defensive wounds on "I didn't think anything of it," clearer when the events first gun. Asst. styiejocus editor Julian Walker the bodies. Sabine Ashval said, adding that occurred. Simmons' former girlfriend, Sportsedior Steven M. Trout Other testimony focused on they dismissed the incident as The jury appeared to be listen- Claudia Marion, the mother of Asst. sports editor Seth Burton building a timeline for the crimes. "college horseplay." ing intently during testimony. Simmons' child, taped telephone Copyalitir Lisa Fox O'Connell's neighbor, Bobby Walsh then asked Rogers Several took notes; others kept conversations between her and Ifvtorddor Jennifer Baker Rogers, testified Tuesday that he about earlier statements he'd their eyes on the witnesses.