Eastern Illinois University The Keep February 2003 2-28-2003 Daily Eastern News: February 28, 2003 Eastern Illinois University Follow this and additional works at: http://thekeep.eiu.edu/den_2003_feb Recommended Citation Eastern Illinois University, "Daily Eastern News: February 28, 2003" (2003). February. 19. http://thekeep.eiu.edu/den_2003_feb/19 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the 2003 at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in February by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. "Thll the troth February 28, 2003 + f RI DA V and don't be afraid. • VOL UME 87 . NUMBE R 108 Cats claim THE DA ILYEASTE RNNEWS . COM THE DAILY third straight Panthers take advantage with 17-0 run to beat Tigers 88-75. EASTERN NEWS Page 12A Final hearing adds 60 years to sentence + State's Attorney: 'Nothing but respect and latium, Paxil admiration for thisjury By Shauna Gustafson possible reasons SENIOR WR ITER for actions May 5, 2003 was set as the exe­ cution date of Anthony B. Mertz By early Mullady Thursday in connection with the and Shauna Gustafson murder of Shannon McNamara. STAFF EDITORS Coles County Circuit Court Judge Dale A. Cinl formally sen­ A drug commonly used by the tenced Mertz to death Thursday U.S. military to ward off malar­ and also sen­ ia could add to psychosis and More inside tenced Mertz to depression in those who use it, 60 years in an expert witness testified in Ken Baker, director of campus recreation, picks up a piece of trash Thursday afternoon during his daily walk + Campus through the Student Recreation Center. Baker believes that interaction with people in the rec center is a prison for home the murder trial of Anthony B. reacts to invasion, in necessity. sentencing Mertz. connection With The use of an anti-malarial Page SA the murder. drug called Larium, the drug of The case is choice for the military to pro­ the first death penalty conviction tect soldiers against malaria, Mr. Baker's playground since former Gov. George Ryan could cause psychotic behavior commuted all death sentences in and aggression, anxiety, depres­ + Charleston native Ken Baker keeps the state to life sentences in early sion and hallucinations, testified Student Rec Center running smoothly January. Mertz's case is automati­ clinical and forensic psycholo­ cally appealed to the Illinois gist Mark Cunningham to a j ury Ada~ the L1 f E Supreme Court, making it likely the earlier this week. By John Hohenadel execution date will be moved back. The drug also can lead to STAFF WRITER Kfl ~ker , director of If his murder conviction was headaches, sleep disorders and overturned, he would still have to sensory and motor problems, There is more to Ken Baker, director of campus ~ampus recreation serve the 60-year home invasion long after it has been adminis­ recreation, than the student recreation center. tered, Cunningham testified. An occasional series focused on the lives of members sentence. But he is a big part of the reason why the Studnet of the Eastern and Charleston communities As Mertz, who was wearing The context of the argument Rec Center overflows with students. prison orange and shackles for the is important, as several other "What we try to do here is listen, • said Baker as he get to deal with fun, energetic students. • first time throughout the case, was cases may soon question the read a suggestion out of the rec center suggestion "It's great to see that students come out and play escorted from the courtroom use of Larium and its side box Wednesday afternoon. without any problems. I need to get out of the office Cindy McNamara, Shannon's effects. Baker is a Charleston native and an Eastern grad­ so the students can see me working for them,· Baker mother, stood up and shouted to Cunningham said he thought uate. After earning his masters degree in education said. him, "Shannon is sending you it might have contributed to at Eastern, Baker became a local optician for 17 While walking through the rec center during his straight to hell. • Mertz's actions and overall years when he realized he wanted to be around kids. daily check-up, Baker said all the weights in the rec Mertz wlll be transferred from mental health issues. It was around that time when Baker began to offi­ wtll soon be replaced with rubber weights. the Coles County j ail to Statesvtlle "I believe it's a potential con­ ciate high school football games. He explained the weights students currently use Prison in Joliet. tributor,• he said in court. "I am "There is a lot of pressure that comes along with hurt the weight-room floor. State's Attorney Steve Ferguson very concerned. • being a professional referee, • said Baker. "It's a life "This is the students' $20,000 floor and I think that said the sentence had been a tough The anti-depressant Paxil also of airports, hotels and stadium traffic all for three they would appreciate lfI did all I could to keep it in one to ask for, and he was could have played an effect on hours on the field. It's a tough life but after the game decent shape,· Baker said. impressed with the service the Mertz's behavior, Cunningham is over it's a great sense of accomplishment. • He said problems are few and far between at the j ury gave and said they should be said. The 53 year old was an NFL referee for seven rec center because of the staff's work. commended. years in the Big 10 and three years in the NFL, but "The people that work the front desk are there to "It's a very sobering decision," SEE LARIUM + Page 9A still had the urge to be around kids. protect you, • he said. "They make sure that the right he said. "That has to be an awe­ Baker came back to Eastern in 1994 for family people are being allowed to use the facility that you some responsibility. (They were a) to a close. reasons and worked in the physical education are paying for. • very attentive jury - I could not "This has been a tremendous department; and in 2000 became the director of cam­ Wednesday afternoon Baker checked the sugges­ have been more pleased. I have team effort," he said. "Th see the pus recreation. tion box and found out a spring in a piece of workout nothing but respect and admiration way the Charleston Pollee He does most work at a desk in his office, but equipment was broken. for this jury. • Department and the state pollee when he gets a chance to walk around he makes the Baker then went to a computer and filled out a Ferguson credited his team of worked together on this - it was most of it. department product order to replace the part. Once prosecutors, but also the entire like a swarm of bees. • "The best part of this job is the students,· Baker State's Attorneys office and law said. "Some people have to deal with cranky adults. I SEE BAKER'S +Page 9A enforcement for bringing the case SEE FINAL +Page 9A Representatives hope to crack down on crystal meth By Jeremy Pelzer it Ulegal to raise a child near a lab site without a protective mask. task force officers in Coles County Rose and Eddy also have drafted CITY REPORTER meth lab. "You can't clean them up simply have attended pollee training a btll that would make the trans­ One blll, House Blll 1175, would by throwing (materials) down the school in Mattoon to learn the prop­ portation of meth ingredients a As methamphetamine produc­ require convicted meth manufac­ drain,· Rose said. "(Meth) is caus­ er procedures for meth lab busts. non-probationable offense. tion and use rises in Coles County turers to pay for the expensive tic, it's chemical. 1b breathe it can Scott said while he supports the "If you transport materials with and around the state, two area leg­ cleanup of their labs. kill you in some cases." proposal, those convicted of meth the intention of manufacturing islators are pushing for tougher Rose said that because of the The special cleanup process manufacturing will "more likely methamphetamines - you will go laws to crack down on those who toxic and dangerous chemicals costs local governments an aver­ than not" be unable to pay for the to prison," Eddy said in a press make the Ulegal drug. used in preparing meth, meth labs age of $5,000 per lab, Rose said. cleanup. release. State representatives Chapin are deemed hazardous waste sites "When you're talking about five "It's going to be awful hard to get A third proposed blll would Rose, R -Mahomet, and Roger and require a different cleanup grand a pop, that's a lot of money those people to pay for the make it lllegal for children to live Eddy, R-Hutsonvllle, have pro­ process. for local taxpayers,· Rose said. cleanup," he said. in close proximity to meth labs. posed three bills that would Spraying water on the chemi­ "(Lab operators) ought to foot the If the blll becomes law, Scott Rose said statewide, children require meth lab owners to pay cals, for example, can cause an blll for the cleanup of their mess.• said those unable to pay for the were found in 36 percent of meth cleanup costs, increase penalties explosion, Rose said, while ammo­ Law enforcement education fur­ cleanup of their lab might be hand­ lab busts.