Tuesday, October 16, 1984 TCU Daily Record breaker Freshman Scott Ankrom set a Mission impossible Southwest Conference record The TCU Army ROTC's air with his 99-yard touchdown attack exercise over the pass this weekend. See Page weekend was called off due to Sk i ff 6. rain. See Page 4. Shooting tragedy inflicts pain on Benbrook family BENBROOK, Texas (AP)- When be entirely different," Kerry's father Weldon Thomas turned his gray car 'We're just average people, living in a small town in an average said. into the driveway of his brick home, he knew two little girls would rush out home. Then bam . there we are in the middle of this night- "If I shot my best friend, I would to greet him. mare.' run out and get help immediately," One was his 11-year-old daughter, -WELDON THOMAS, victim's father Peggy Thomas said. "And for all those Kerry, and the other, her best friend, days we were going crazy trying to 12-year-old Patricia Dempsey. find Kerry, she (Patricia) never said "I would hug them both, just like anything." over why Patricia remained silent for "Patricia never came," Peggy Tho- they were both my daughters," Tho- four days after shooting Kerry. mas said. After Patricia told of the shooting, mas said. The little girl was questioned again the Thomases said they found them- These days, neither girl greets him. "No one knows what was in Patri- and again about Kerry's disappear- selves reassessing the girls' cia's mind except Patricia and Kerry. friendship. Kerry Thomas died Sept. 8 from a Kerry is not here to tell us, and we are ance, Mrs. Thomas said, "but she only shotgun blast to her face. The gun was left with so many unanswered ques- gave one-word answers. She seemed "She was over here all the time. held by her friend, Patricia Dempsey, tions," Thomas said. almost callous, like she wasn't con- She went swimming with us all sum- who is now in custody and has been cerned." mer. I was close to her," Kerry's convicted of involuntary man- Kerry's father, a real-estate broker, Then, a neighbor found Kerry's mother said. "But then, we started slaughter. and her mother, a secretary at Gener- body in the bushes behind Patricia's hearing all kinds of things about how "We're just average people, living al Dynamics in Fort Worth, expected house. That's when Patricia admitted Patricia would get angry if she didn't in a small town in an average home. their daughter to return home Sun- to her parents that she accidentally get her way; about how she was Then bam . there we are in the day, Sept. 9, after spending the killed her best friend. jealous of Kerry. It all started to look middle of this nightmare," Thomas, weekend with Patricia, who lives two In Patricia's statements to police different." SAMPLING THE GOODIES: Katy Smith, a freshman public relations 40, told the Dallas Times Herald. blocks away. and at her trial, the girl said she never "It's so hard to look back; things major, serves herself at the International Students Association brunch But when Kerry didn't come home, intended to kill Kerry. She told the that didn't seem important before the Saturday. JULIEANNE MILI.ER/TCU Daily Skiff On Friday, a jury decided Patricia did not intentionally kill her seventh- her mother, Peggy, called the De- jury she took the shotgun out to im- shooting now seem important," Ker- grade classmate, but it ruled she reck- mpseys and was told by Patricia that press Kerry by showing her how to ry's father said. "Kerry was a very lessly caused her death. Kerry had left at about 5:30 p.m. the load it, but she said she does not re- pretty girl with a knack of making peo- Foreign students meet previous evening. member pulling the trigger. ple feel good when she was around The Thomases told the Times She testified she hid the body be- them. Herald they do not believe Kerry's The Thomases panicked. They re- cause she was afraid. "Those girls were starting to grow death was an accident. They said they ported their daughter missing. For The Thomases said Saturday they up, and maybe Patricia was afraid of parents at reception considered the jury's verdict of delin- three days, they followed every lead never believed the shooting was losing Kerry's friendship to boys," quent conduct-involuntary man- in hopes of finding Kerry. By Cathy Chapman success of the football team," he said. accidental. Thomas said. Staff writer of the TCU Daily Skiff slaughter a fair one. Gloria Stewart's parents, who re- Through it all, Patricia kept quiet. "After the shooting, if Patricia had "If she (Patricia) can admit what But they said neither the trial nor The International Students Asso- cently moved to Houston from Vene- Her parents, her brother and her run out of the house and told someone she's done or explain why and how it the verdict ended their search for an ciation breakfast may have been the zuela, also visited TCU for Parents' cousin all joined the search, stopping that something horrible had hap- was an accident, ... I could sit down explanation. They remain bewildered last event of Parents' Weekend, but it Weekend. "My parents really like the by the Thomases' home every day. pened, our whole perspective would and console her," he said. certainly wasn't the least important. atmosphere here," Stewart said. For the 60 students and parents "They were impressed by all the nice who gathered Sunday morning in the and friendly people." Student Center lounge, it was an Benedicta Miranda, whose two Policy lists penalties for cheating opportunity to get acquainted. ISA sons attend TCU, has been visiting By Cathy Chapman TCU since the policy, but to the best "Faculty members do not act on with cheating. "There are continual president Stefan Luebbe said the pur- the United States from her home in Staff writer of the TCU Dally Skiff of my knowledge, there have been no cheating incidents unless they have problems with computer printouts pose of the annual event is to give India and made her first trip to TCU The last page of the University appeals," Koehler said. "Most of the some pretty good evidence," Proffer being stolen. When there is so much international students a chance to in- for Parents' Weekend. Calendar/Student Handbook could be time it is handled between the faculty said. work going on outside the classroom teract with American students and "There is no discrimination here," the most important one. That's where member and the student, which I "Last year in my small calculus class in an uncontrolled environment the their parents, and vice versa. she said. She said she has been very the academic conduct policy that was think is most appropriate." we were taking a closed-book, closed- potential (for cheating) is greater," he "We have to enjoy the American pleased by the friendly attitudes of adapted by the University Council in notes test and a girl who was sitting in said. "Generally the nature of the student's parents because we don't everyone she has met at TCU. She The policy states that faculty mem- spring 1983 is published. the middle of the room took out her cheating can be very blatant, and have ours here," said Jarl Ulvin, an also was impressed by Chancellor bers are encouraged to remind stu- dents in their classes of the written notebook and started using it during someone who is blatant may deserve accounting major from Norway. Tucker's speech and the talent show. "Prior to the development of the more than a letter in his file." Schem- policy and procedures regarding the test," said sophomore Dana The parents Ulvin met at the break- Her son Adrian is working on his current policy in the calendar, TCU ber tells his classes that he won't hesi- cheating. "There is going to be a Mayfield. "Most of the class saw her. fast were Dave and Judy Smith, who master's degree in business adminis- did not have a well-defined, articulate tate to recommend that a student be policy and procedure to deal with variance among faculty members as to Later, when a classmate and I con- came for Parents' Weekend from tration at TCU. "Americans do it the fronted the instructor about the inci- expelled from the university for actual or alleged academic miscon- what they will follow," Koehler said. Ohio. "We've adopted each other," best," he said. He explained that an dent, he did not even know the name cheating, especially on a second duct," said William Koehler, vice For example, professors often have Mrs. Smith said. M.B.A. from an American school has of the girl, but he thanked us for com- offense. chancellor of academic affairs. "The different policies on allowing students Smith commented that the entire a high value in India and leads to good ing. She killed our curve because she History professor Dave Kdmunds new policy defines what constitutes to work together on assignments. said he doesn't think that cheating is weekend had been very enjoyable. "It prospects. Adrian's brother Alwyn is a got the only A." academic dishonesty, what penalties was very well-planned and orga- freshman computer science major. The policy also allows the dean of widespread but admits that it can be a can occur and what recourse (appeals Pat Paulus, a biology instructor, al- nized," he said.