Rugby Player Assault Trial Resumes
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
News Mosaic Sports I Winterfest '98 in warm Furbies take over Hens beat Drexel 70-62 to December weather holiday season wish lists win six straight games See page A3 See page Bl See page B12 • • Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Newark, DE Permit No. 26 Free 250 Student Center • University of Delaware • Newark, DE 19716 Tuesday Volume 125, Number 24 , December 8, 1998 Rugby player assault trial resumes Deptula supposedly engaged in sex ual State prosecutor Donald Roberts continued Christiansen also testified he told Newark intercourse with her. with the state's case and asked Christiansen to Police Sgt. Gerald R. Simpson "we let her go" Former Deptula, a former university rugby club describe the circumstances of the night and had when the victim told them she could no longer member, is c harged with the October 1997 him draw the position all three were in on an engage in the sexual acts. rape of a Kappa Alpha Theta sorority sister. easel. In his direct examination, Roberts attacked roommate Christiansen. who has since graduated from Christiansen testified that the alleged victim this statement, inferring that the two men were the university. plea bargained in February to performed oral sex on him for approximately forcing her to stay. one count of unlawful sexual contact. two to eight minutes while Deptula was lying Christiansen clarified his statement and said ~estifies in trial He testified that he walked into the room in down on the lower half of her body. the two didn't want to keep her there and their Park Place home to •·gei away from the The witness said he could not see what obeyed her wish to leave. BY JOHN YOCCA Admmistmlil't' Nel\S £d11or party'' and noticed Deptula and the a lleged Deptula was doing nor could he remember He added that the alleged victim never victim ·'making out.'' how the woman's pants were removed. pleaded with the men to stop during the sexua! WILMINGTON - Bryan J. Deptula's After asking the alleged victim if he could According to Chnstiansen·s testimony, he intercourse. Christiansen said he and the sexual assault trial continued M onday when hi s kiss her. Christiansen said she started kissing said he remembered two people walking into defendant might have spoken on occasion former roomn1 ate, who has already pleaded him while taking turns "hooking up·· with the room. one of which was Michael Murphy, about having sex at the same time with one guilty to unlawful ~exual contact in the case. Deptula. 26. whose room the inctdent occurred in. girl. testified about the night in question. Deptula, 23. who has since graduated, is Once Murphy exited the room. Christiansen Roberts wrappeu up his questioning by Thomas A. Christiansen, 24, who roomed charged with two counts of third-degree sexual testified that the alleged victim told both rugby asking Christiansen if the al leged victim with the defendant, testifi ed that the alleged intercourse and one count of second-degree club members, '·] can't do this anymore. I feel victim performed o ral ~ex on him while conspiracy. like a slut," and left the room. see DEPTULA page A4 Capano asks to represent himself in murder trial BY MICHAEL D. BULLARD O'Donnell and Charles M . "I don' t nec..:ssarily agree." guilty in NatumaVSIO.te .VtwJ Edaor Oberly III from their client's Capano said although he is Wll.MINGTON - Instead case. not an experienced cnminal of arguing to save Thomas J. Oteri told Judge William auorncy. he feels capable of Capano's life, the prominent Swain Lee that Capano and his proceeding pro se. meaning lawyer-turned-defendant and lawyers had serious Mrateg1c representing himself. his attorneys spent Monday differences about how the case 'T m competent. I think. yes. arguing wtth each other and the should be tried. He said they but I certainly don't want to." judge about whether Capano were unable to resolve these he said . '·But J feel I have no BY LIZ JOHNSON can represent himself for the differences which revolved alternative. Cuy Neh'!i Editor remainder of his capital murder around the course of conduct ''I believe someone in the A former uni ver ity researcher trial. Capano and his defense team position I'm in should use pleaded n o t guilty to federal c hild Capano - accused of the wanted to follow. every possible weapon pornography charges at a hearing la<t June 1996 killing of Anne "I ask that the defendant be available to them. [Oteri's] Thursday. Marie Fahey, Gov. Thomas R. able to conduct his own defense approach is 'less i more.' He Chri s tian R . Mittermayr was Carper's 30-year-old with Mr. Oberly as his wants to proceed with a scalpel 27, arrested on O ct. s ix days after a schedul ing secretary - left advisor," Oteri said. - I believe I should proceed graduate assistant located pornographic coun before deciding whether Capano then approached the with a chainsaw." pictures of children on his computer in to dismiss his defense team. podium to discuss the situation He said he does not want to Brown Lab. Capano, 49, must decide today with Lee. Standing with hi be serving time in three years He remains in fede ra l c ustody, if he will represent himself. arms crossed, he told the judge for a crime he claims he diu not waiting for the case to be assigned to a Joseph S. Oteri, Capano's he did not want to relieve his commit, wi hing he had used a federal judge. lead defense attorney, rocked defense coun el, but he had different defense strategy I f convicted. the charges could lead the courtroom on the day the irreconcilable differences with during the trial. to Mittermayr serving a minimum of at defense should have begun them. "Why hold back on anything least five years in prison, according to their case by announcing his "There are areas that counsel when the stakes are so high T' federal code. request to withdraw himself. believes have been adequately Mittermayr, who was a post-doctora l Eugene J. Maurer Jr.. John F. covered already," Capano said. see CAPANO page A4 chemometrics researcher, from Austria, was fired from his position at the university after he was arrested. In an affidavit, Mittermayr admitted to having used the unive r s ity 's computer to download the Ripe Tomatoes pornographic pictures. Altho ugh he· · wasn't sure how many he had downloaded, he estimated the number to be around several hundred. He also admitted in the affidavit that owner arrested he had wanted pic tures of girls goi ng through puberty. He said he had tried to stop looki ng at the pictures but THE REVIEW/John Chobalko couldn't, comparing his situation to an Sophomore John Bain is out to break the record for the world's largest BY APRll., CAPOCIDNO AND RYAN addiction. rubber band ball. His creation is up to 1,400 pounds now, and he plans CORMIER Mitte rmayr's work visa expired to add a couple hundred pounds before he takes it in to be weighed News Editors when he was fired from his job, so if officially later this year. The owner of Ripe Tomatoes was arrested he is convicted, he will be depon ed Saturday after an altercatio n with a Newark after serving his sentence. Police officer who was attempting to clear people loitering in the pizza shop's parking lot. Frederick Jordon Jr., 51 , of Glenmore, Pa., was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct after refusing to be handcuffed. Police said the arresting officer, Gerald Shot glass controversy continues Windish, was trying to remove the people from the parking lot because the owner of the propeny, David F. Farmer, said he did not want irresponsib l e bookstore wants Jason Newmark said whi le the them there. RWJmembers drinking, but many to sell these irony of the situation has not been Farmer said he called the police last week to community members things.," he said. lost on him, it is not the students clear out "the rowdy bunch" who continually feel that purpose is " It is time to who should inspire these split on glasses loiter on his property and "throw trash all over." contradicted by the take some real changes. Officer Mark Farrall said Jordon did not want shot glasses o n action." " I shouldn' t have to bring this influence on the loiterers to have to leave the parking lot. display in the Armour said he up." Newmark said . " The "He was arrested for disorderly conduct," bookstore. plans on bringing university should just know Farrall said. students "Shot glasses the topic up at the better. Police said Jordon was hostile a nd was translate into binge RWJ coordinating " If a student wants to drink BY MELISSA HANKINS yelli ng in Windish's face when the officer drinking," said RWJ council meeting they are going to drink. They Studt!nt Affairs Editor grabbed hold of Jordon to move him away. C o mmunit y next week. but don' t need to go to the bookstore _ The University Bookstore's According to police, Jordon then grabbed the THE Committee Chair T he added that he to buy shot glasses first. But it is sitle of shot glasses emblazoned officer's arm and began to struggle with him. The owner of Ripe Tomatoes was Rev . Cliff Armour, wishes m ore contradictory to have them in the with the university's emblem has Windish then placed Jordon on the ground and arrested after trying to prevent who was angered after students would see bookstore, period." he said.