/ ^ V TH E O b s e r v e r 0'"' I he Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary VOLUME 39 : ISSUE 125 MONDAY, APRIL 18,2005 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM Students, professors examine death penalty Washington, D.C. program N D law school instructors look provides face-to-face interaction at issues raised in Lovitt tria l By MADDIE HANNA By M A D D IE H A N N A Associate News Editor Associate News Editor While Robin Lovitt’s death sentence from Robin Lovitt seems like your stereotypical “nice the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit guy." Optimistic, friendly, intelligent, soft-spoken, raises some controversial issues, many Notre talkative - those who have met him usually refer to Dame law professors say the broader topic of him as likeable, noting how quickly he puts people the death penalty is more complex than peo­ at ease. ple often assume. So at ease that the Notre Dame students who Aspects of this case involving DNA evidence, met and spoke with him at Virginia’s Sussex State the possibility of innocent prisoners on death Prison almost forgot he was on death row. row and arguments against the death penalty “We were all really struck - he’s such a nice all need to be addressed in such cases, said guy,” senior Shane Lowenberg said. “If we hadn’t law school professor Richard Garnett. known his situation, we would have never guessed “We shouldn’t think that because now we he was a convicted murderer.” COURTESY OF TOM KELLENBERG AND BRIDGET O'CONNOR/The Observer can do DNA testing that in every case there’s Notre Dame students in Washington, D.C. have been working on the see LOVlTT/page 3 death row case of, Robin Lovitt, left, pictured above with his nieces. sec LAW/page 6 Thousands attend farewell mass for Malloy New ND By EILEEN DUFFY mascot Assistant News Editor Screaming fans were traded for selected hushed worshippers, and the bright lights of the Joyce Center were dimmed as over 3,000 peo­ By PETER LEAHY ple gathered for University News Writer President Father Edward Malloy’s farewell mass Sunday at 9 p.m. Dillon junior Kyle Cham­ “ It means a lot to me to see you berlin was announced all here,” Malloy said after mak­ Saturday as the new Gold ing the sign of the cross and wel­ squad Leprechaun mascot. coming the community. Then, he Chamberlin will perform at the humbly shifted the focus away football and men’s basketball from himself, asking worshippers games, among other events. to remember the conclave of car­ The results of the tryouts wore dinals in Rome in their prayers. posted at 11 a.m. outside of When he took the podium to Gate 3 at the Joyce Center. give his homily, Malloy recog­ Dillon sophomore Kevin nized the historic relevance of Braun w ill serve as the Blue this presidential transition, squad Leprechaun at soccer, which, he pointed out, has only volleyball and women’s basket­ happened twice in the last 53 ball games and various com­ years. munity events. He then compared the Approximately 100 students evening’s celebration to the mass gathered Friday to support the on South Quad following the remaining six candidates for events of Sept. 11. the final tryouts, which took “After [the events of Sept. 11], it place in the underground gym. FRANCESCA SETA/The Observer became clear that [the University! The Pit, in the Joyce Center. University president Father Edward Malloy offered Mass Sunday in the Joyce Center as part of a Supporters held signs, wore T- farewell event honoring him as he concludes his 18-year term. see MASS/page 4 shirts and yelled raucously for their favorite candidates as the grueling tryouts took place. Many students felt it was important to show support at such an event, as the mascot is Volunteers abound in home restoration project an important part of Notre Dame tradition. “ It’s one of the biggest honors South Bend community,” said a student can have,” sopho­ By LISA S C H U LT Z Darrell Paulsen, assistant more Sebastian Lara said. News Writer director of Campus Ministry Over the span of 90 minutes, who is the volunteer coordi­ I4 six men with aspirations of As part of an April tradition, nator for the Rebuilding A’ becoming public symbols of members of the Notre Dame Together Steering Committee. Notre Dame were challenged community joined forces with Rebuilding Together, which to a variety of tasks. Braun, South Bend residents to help used to be known as Chamberlin, John Corker, preserve low-income housing ‘Christmas in April,’ changed Eddie Lerum, Je’Rell Rogers areas for the national project its name in 2000 due to and Eric Wallace entered the called Rebuilding Together. expanding its efforts to aid proceedings with high hopes. “I believe offering 800 able low-income homeowners year The panel of judges was bodied and well intentioned round with housing rehabili­ composed of members from students, faculty and staff tation and revitalization Student Activities, Academic makes a very clear statement remaining the focus. Services, the Alumni Office, the that the University community In one day, which began at JUSTIN RICE/The Observer is very interested in making a Students work in a garden Saturday for Rebuilding Together, which positive contribution to the see PROJECT/page 4 seeks to preserve low income housing in the South Bend area. see M A S C O T / page 4 page 2 The Observer ♦ PAGE 2 Monday, April 18, 2005 I n s id e C o l u m n Question of the Day: W hat type o f c o m m u n it y se r v ic e do you d o ? Squirrel haikus After suffering a long, cold winter, spring has finally made its way to South Bend. What this means is we only have three weeks left to celebrate the return of the sun before having to return home. Some people have Dan Tapetillo already chosen to Mairin Amato Paul Kane Jacquelyn Carney Joseph Becsey Michael French spend their time Sports Writer sophomore sophomore freshman sophomore sophomore hanging out with St. Edward’s Pasquerilla West Knott friends on the quad, Lewis Knott while others have decided to go to the Stepan fields and play volleyball and “Whatever Res “I volunteer at “I donate dining “I dance fo r the “One time I le ft soccer. One suggestion I have to com­ ha ll food to the people. ” memorate this special occasion is Life tells me to the Catholic my clothes in something that I also find to be highly do." Worker House. ” squirrels in the the laundry cathartic — w ritin g haikus. winter." room and they But don’t just write your typical were almost three lined, 5-7-5 syllable, nature themed haikus that we all learned donated to the about in the fifth grade. They must all homeless. ” be centered on one of the most fasci­ nating creatures the Notre Dame wildlife has to offer — squirrels. In this column, I have taken it upon myself to share 10 of my own squirrel haikus (and one last one from a friend) to show the endless possibili­ ties a three-lined poem can have. I n B r ie f But before reading them, there is one thing I must clarify. I use the word David Carrasco, Rudenstine ‘squirrel’ in several of these haikus, professor of the study of Latin and it is not one, but two syllables American history at Harvard according to Webster.com. University, will present the lec­ So if you are one of those individuals ture “Aztlan Recalled to Life: who firmly believes it is only one, all I Chicanos and Aztecs in Art ask is for you to look beyond this small and Resistance” Monday at 4 dilemma and appreciate the beauty of p.m. in the Hesburgh Center the haiku. Auditorium. The event is co­ sponsored by the Working Oh squirrel, you rock Group on the Americas and To love you is so, so sweet MW the Institute for Latino Don’t eat trash squirrels Studies. Squirrel, you’re so fat The conference “The You fall from branches a lot Exorbitant: Emmanuel Don’t die squirrel, don’t! Levinas between Jews and Christians” will take place Scruffy, your fur’s gone from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. A huge spot out of your butt Tuesday in McKenna Hall. Don’t be self-conscious The event is sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters’ Winter stopped mating Program for Religion and But now you chase everything Literature. JUSTIN RICE/The Observer Spring is in fu ll swing Students gathered Saturday in front of Knott Hall for the dorm's annual “Knott on ND Percussion Ensemble the Knoll” event. In addition to a barbeque, dunk tank and raffles, two bands from You bit my hand, why? will give a free concert New York and two bands from Detroit performed. All proceeds were given to the Friend, w hat did I do to you? Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in South Bend Center for the Homeless. You should be locked up Leighton Concert Hall in the DeBartolo Center for the A hawk attacked you Performing Arts. You couldn’t stop the pecking Squirrel, he ate you O ffb e a t The women’s softball team will play a doubleheader You jumped on my back Kasparov hit over head with told the chess champion: “ I Monday.