Miller Cleared of Check-Fraud Charges

IOBSERVER Thursday, March 30, 1995* Vol. XXVI No. 112 T 1 IE INDEPENDENT NEW SPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAM E AND SAINT MARY'S Miller cleared of check-fraud charges McAlister presented the re peared on an airline ticket that April, 1994, Notre Dame secu O dom , M cA lister agree to drop vamped charges to a grand was paid for with a hot check. rity found stolen television jury, which took action to halt The receiver said he was un equipment from an off-campus indictm ent o f form er receiver the case, declaring a no-bill be aware that the check was ille residence, supposedly that of cause there was not enough gal. the Notre Dame receiver. Offi By MIKE NORBUT said. “I was disappointed when probable cause. The case was “I was at school when every cials soon dropped him as a Sports Editor my name and the university’s summarily dismissed. thing took place,” Miller contin suspect. was spread all over the news, “I think in between the case’s ued. “All they had against me “Michael is like any person of Former Notre Dame wide re so now I’m glad that every- first dismissal and when it was was that plane ticket, which notoriety,” Odom continued. ceiver Michael Miller was th in g ’s reissued, they looked at the was bought by someone else.” "He can’t live like a normal cleared Tuesday of all charges cleared up. ” facts and realized they didn’t Arrested with Miller were person. He has to look out for related to a November 9, 1994 Charges have a case against Michael,” Ron Chaney and Jordon people trying to take advantage arrest for involvement in an were dropped Odom said. “The presentation Williams, classmates of the of him.” organized criminal activity. when Miller’s of the second case was pretty Irish football star at Willow Miller’s concentrations now Miller, who was dismissed attorney, weak.” Ridge High School in Sugar- lie in trying to get back into from the University of Notre Wendell Miller was originally arrested land, Texas. Charges against Notre Dame, where he needs Dame at the time of the arrest, O dom , and along with two former high these men have not been only 30 credit hours to receive was indicted for taking part in a F o rt Bend m Miller school classmates after al dropped, and they are sched his degree. fraudulent check-writing County legedly purchasing over uled to appear in court April "Basically, I was suspended scheme. District $50,000 worth of merchandise 10. from school for nothing, ” Miller “I just want everyone to know Attorney Jim McAlister agreed and airline tickets with stolen It is not the first time that said. “I’ve tried contacting the that I didn’t have any involve to have the original indictment checks. His involvement was Miller has been an initial sus squashed because of its vague ment in it whatsoever, like suspected when his name ap pect in a police investigation. In see MILLER/ page 4 what I said at the time,” Miller wording. Estrada: role models needed newspaper, the image you often magazine, you see en Print m ogul see of Hispanics or other trepreneurs. [You see that] it is minorities is a very negative not a contradiction to be suc says m inorities one,” said Estrada. However cessful and Hispanic,” he said. he did say that, “It was more Estrada encouraged the mi pronounced 10 years ago than nority students in attendance to ill-represented it is now.” become a part of the media. By MATTHEW LOUGHRAN “The media should focus on “The only way to change the News Writer not just the bad, but the good media is to control the media, ” as well,” Estrada said. he said. “People in the media The media have not been able However, he qualified that ought to be cognizant of the ef to provide positive role models statement by saying that, “I fect that they are having. You for the Latino and minority don’t mean to say that we are see all sorts of sensationalist communities, said Alfredo pretending that there are no reports of violence and that Estrada, editor and publisher of problems in the Hispanic com again reflects the negative im Hispanic magazine. munity.” ages.” Speaking yesterday in the Estrada’s desire to portray a Estrada is a graduate of Har llesburgh Library Auditorium, more accurate image of vard University, and received Estrada said the media have a Hispanics was a major force in his law degree from University responsibility to destroy nega his decision to start Hispanic . of Texas. He practiced law in tive stereotypes of minorities. “W hen you w atch CNN, you New York City and Washington The Observer/Brandon Candura “When you turn on your tele see somebody shooting some D C. before returning to Texas Alfredo Estrada spoke yesterday in the Hesburgh Library Auditorium. vision set, or pick up your body else, but in H isp a n ic and starting the magazine. He focused on the images of minorities in the media. Student testifies in Duran trial clear intention to kill President anyone about the incident, re W ilson recounts Clinton. Though Wilson has gardless. “I didn’t see any of it returned to Saint Mary’s, the happen. ” she noted. “I didn’t W hite H ouse trial continues this week in think I would have any impor Washington D C. tant information. ” s h o o t i n g Around 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 29, But after the FBI in South Wilson and Esti Mutidjo, also a Bend saw the Nov. 7 issue of By DIANA LANZILLOTTA Saint Mary’s student, walked The Observer, which featured a News Writer on Pennsylvania Avenue to take story about Wilson’s encounter photos of the White House. with Duran, they contacted the While on October break last They took a picture, though a Secret Service. Before sem ester in W ashington D C., man wearing a tan trench coat Christmas break, the Secret Saint Mary’s senior Tanya stood in the frame of their shot. Service contacted Wilson by Wilson met gunman Francisco Looking for someone to take phone and came to South Bend Martin Duran minutes before their picture in front of the to interview her. he allegedly fired 30 shots at White House, Wilson asked the “I thought that would be the the White House. Just after man to take their picture. end of it,” remembers Wilson. Spring Break, Wilson returned According to Wilson, the man However, the first week Wil to the nation’s capital to testify agreed. son returned to Saint Mary’s in the district court’s trial “He snapped our picture and after the Christmas holiday, FBI regarding the Oct. 29 incident. asked us questions like where agents visited her on campus to Duran, 26, of Colorado we were from and what sites formally deliver a subpoena is Springs, is charged with we had seen.” she said. “He sued for the Duran trial. Ac attempted murder of the returned the camera to me and cording to Wilson’s account to President, use of a deadly told us to have a good day. We the Secret Service, she was the weapon to assault four Secret told him to have a good day last person to speak to Duran Service agents, four other too.” before he opened fire. weapons violations, and de Wilson and Mutidjo then de Wilson was flown to Wash struction of Federal property. parted for the southwest side of ington D C. on Mar. 21. She ! Duran has pleaded insanity as the White House where mo spent her first night there being his public defender argues that ments later, they heard the propped for court by district severe mental illness caused shots allegedly fired from attorneys. There she met other Duran not to understand the Duran’s semi-automatic witnesses including the woman consequences of his actions. weapon. Later that night they who sold Duran the clip for his On Mar. 22, Wilson, one of saw Duran’s picture on televi gun, the woman who sold him The Observer/Brandon Candura over 70 witnesses, served as a sion and recognized the man the trench coat he wore than Papal Power character witness for the pros who had taken their picture day, and another woman who ecution which seeks to prove moments before the commotion Duran had asked out on a date Last night in Saint Edward’s Hall Father Richard McBrien spoke on Duran’s sanity, hatred of the earlier that day. “the strengths and weaknesses of the current papcy.” central government, and his Wilson says she didn’t talk to see TRIAL/ page 4 page 2 The Observer • INSIDE Thursday, March 30, 1995 Inside Column WORLD AT A GLANCE Generation Diplomacy Best Hope for Release of Americans WASHINGTON Barloon of New Hampton, Despite calls by Crossing the border Iowa, — were haggard but , IRAQ The two Americans being held by Iraq say they went Republican presidential astray while going to visit friends at Camp Khor. A in good health on X reality aspirants for more saber- wrong turn led them to the border crossing. United Wednesday. They insisted to rattling, outside analysts Nations guards waved them through, mistaking them CNN that they were in U.N.- tor their own personnel. They drove as far as the U.N. marked territory when they say quiet diplomacy is the headquarters and were redirected to the border. When best hope for winning the SAUDI were arrested while on ARABII they returned, they were stopped by Iraqi police and check release of two Americans arrested.

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