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TheColmnbia Cluonide VOLUME 24 NUMBER 8 COLUMBIA COLLEGE, CmCAGO, ILLINOIS DECEMBER 3, 1990 Dowalibys' lawyer called 'incompetent' Greylord offenses, [and] that in­ Grcylord were tax problems," csted in writing a book about the and other sources has gone to the By Lance Cummings fonnation was withheld from the Mcczyk said. "That situation had Dowalibys rather than in the Dowalibys." Edilor.in..cIa~J Dowalibys." absolutely no affcct on my perfor­ Dowaliby's best interests. Cynthia Dowaliby decided to Pro tess, also an associate mance in hand1ing their case. My Protess responded by telling go public after almost two years David.Dowaliby, found guilty professor at Northwestern problem was over. I had already the ChronJ'CJe that, as far as he of silence about the case by con­ in May of strangling his adopted University's Medill School of been through the attorney dis­ was concerned, "Meczyk exened senting to tell her story through daughter Jaclyn, can lay much of Journalism, said that Meczyk ciplinary procedure and I had unus ual and unfortunate in- PrOlCSS and another writer. The the blame for his conviction on been okayed to continue practic­ Tribune eventually published the defense attorney Ralph Meczyk, ing. resulting sLOry in a two-pan fea­ unethical prosecutorial tactics "I just didn't know how "Besides. I think the record "I will make no money ture, in 1un e. and overwhelmingly negative stands for itself," Meczyk said. Sinoe he became knowledge­ pre-trial publicity, according to tbe system works. I hardly "The entire appeal is based on from this. I only want to able about the case, Protess has Chicago journalist David Protess. groundwork thal Larry (partner been an unabashed champion of The charges came as Protess, ever read a newspaper or Larry Hyman) and I laid during belp the Dowalibys get David Dowaliby's innocence. David's wife Cynthia Dowaliby, the trial. If the defense had been " I believe that David and Peggy O'Connor, president watched television news." incompetent, that would be the on with their lives." Dowaliby is innocent," Protess of the David Dowaliby Freedom basis of the appeal, not the said. "And I think that there is no Committee, spoIce to a gathering ~yntbia Dowaliby meritorious issues that the appeal -David Protess higher calling in the profession of of Columbia journalism students is actually based upon. And we journalism than to try to correct and faculty members in a packed mismanaged a key defense wit­ brought those issues up during the lluence over the Dowalibys" an injustice or to right a wrong." Wabash Building classroom ness, and challenged Meczyk's trial. If we had no~ the defense while he defended them. Speaking about th e trial , Tuesday about events surround­ handling of cenain photographic would have waived its right to "} have already committed to Protess, Dowaliby and O'Connor ing the highly publicized evidence during the trial. appeal them, and that would have donate any proceeds from any­ all said that they fell the decision _ Dowaliby murder case. Meczyk told the Chronic/e, been incompetent. But we did our thing I publish in connection with not to have the Dowalibys take "I think tha~ for the record, however, thatProtess "is treading job." the Dowaliby case to the the wimess stand in their own Ralph Meczyk provided the on very dangerous ground" by Meczyk went on 10 say that he Dowalibys," Protess said. "I will defense, a decision they said waS Dowalibys with an incompetent making such allegations. felt Protess was, "exerting an un­ make no money from this. I only made at Meczyk. 's urging, was a defense," Protess said. "At the "The Dowalibys knew the full usual. Svengali-like influence want to help the Dowalibys geton mistake, Dowaliby said that she time, he was on federal probation extent of my tax problem. AU the over the Dowalibys," and implied with their lives. Every penny I've for committing Operation problems that stemmed from that Protess may be more inler- earned from the Chicago Tribune See DOWALIBY, page 2 New novel by ex-student tells tale of racism By Tara Dubsky StnffWrittr When -Jacqueline Dixon en­ rolled at Columbia in 1982, she wasn't aiming to bea writer. And .. she had no idea her first book would be published by the time she was 26 years old. But that's what happened in October, when "East End/Wesl End Kids" was published by Winston-Derek Publishers. Inc, The story focuses on the inner struggle of a young black girl who tries to find acceptance and over­ come racial hatred and violence while attending a predominately white Catholic school with a handful of other black students. "It was written to hopefully promote pos itive racial rela­ ti ons," Dixon said. "I think it touches on a very impo rtant issue." Dixon, who is now a video repair technicinn. enrolled at Greenpeace official urges journalists to become activists Columbia in 1982. fresh out of high sc hool and undecided about By Cynthia Dopke lions program. of values and principles that I a major. She said she signed up Cllronick Correspondent 10urnalists and scientists have "Losing objectivity would be bring everywhere I go. At least for a writing workshop because it typically followed the Western a dangerous thing for the press LO I'm honest enough to admit it" was a prerequisite, but developed Environmental journalists practicc of separating ideas and do," Lyon said, asking Pines what Most e nvironmental news an interest in writing that con­ must abandon objectivity and be­ e motions, which ultimate ly would happen if political jour­ stories, Pines said, contain statis­ tinued after she dropped out of come environmental advocates to reduces people to objects, Pines nalist sided with the Republican tics and figures that provide only sc hool in 1984. warn the public of the dangers of said. ''The teaching of separation party. "I still think il 'S an ideal superficial information. She cited Dixon said she lost interest in degrading the environment, ac­ is pan of the problem. We must that should be striven for on the the Chicago Sun-Times' inves­ sc hooi"bccausc she was uncertain cording to a Greenpeace official. engage and survive or disengage job." tigation of the Robbins garbage about her direction, but years later "I do not think objectivity is a and watch disaster fall down on Lyon also asked Pines if she incinerator as an example of when her writing began to now viable goal," Greenpeaoe Mid­ our heads." expects every joumalist to share good, but rare, e nvironmental forcefully. she attributed a great west Executive Director Sharon Environmental journalists her views, He accused her of joumalism. deal of it to Don Bodey, a former Pines told an audience of swdents have served a power structure demanding thal " not only should Environmental stories made Columbia staff member who and staff at Columbia. "We have comprised of white male scien­ we be writing more slories, but headlines around Earth Day last taught the w0rkshop and, Dixon to engage in what is a planetary tists, Pines charged. we should share your spedfic April, but the infatuation was said, showed incredible faith in aisis." But Jeff Lyon, co-director of commiunent." shon-lived, Pines added. her. Pines spoke at a November Columbia's Science Writing pro­ " I think it is morally wrong "My phone was off the hock When Dixon's attendance in seminar or ganized b y the gram and Chicago Tribune and unjustifiable that there arc two weeks before Earth Day," Bodey'sclass waned, she said, he college's Sludents for a Beuer Magazine writer, said objectivity corporatio ns making obscene Pines said, "and two days after, I gave her an ultimatum - that she World group and the Science, is a necessary ingredient of good profits Out of poisoning people," had to beg the press lO continue Technology, and Communica- journalism. Pines replied. "{ come with a set covering the issues," See NOVEL, page 2 The Columbia Chronicle 2 1990 against Cynthia. A spokesman for the law firm of Jenner & Block, Dowaliby which is handling the Dowaliby from page I appeal pro bono, agreed with Protess' come nLi o n that without Mann's teslimony, Cook County aml David had tx) Lh wantcd to Criminal Court Judge Richard E. lol.l k. l',,;.lr..: h juror in Illl~ l~yCS <UHJ Neville mi ght well have directed lil'(hirc t11 l~i r inll\lI..'CllIX . bUI that their inrxpcri(' [l('c wi th 11K' legal a verdi ct in favor of David, as sys te m kd thl'lll \0 fllilow well as Cynthia. r-.kcl.y k 's ad .... ic(:. Cynthia Dowaliby was ac· "WI.' kld several n lll\'C r s ;,J ­ quitted of charges against her in lions wi th our :tHorne), aho u[ connection with her daughter's wlwllwr or nOI we should wstify ," murder when Neville cited in suf­ Dow~liiby tuld me.