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Show The Newspaper Thursday, June 24, 1982 Page A3 1 r lii Letters Policy The Newspaper welcomes letters let-ters to the editor on any subject. However, we ask that those letters let-ters adhere to the following guidelines: They should be submitted to the Newspaper office at 419 Main Street, or received in the mail (P.O. Box 738), no later than noon Tuesday. They must be signed. They must not contain libelous material. We reserve the right to edit letters let-ters if they are too long for the space available, or if they contain statements which we consider unnecessarily offensive or obscene. staff and volunteers of KPCW, I would like to express our appreciation for those who attended last Saturday's wake for Doug Ryan at the Main St. Express Company and contributions over $300 to establish a fund in Doug's name at the radio station. While Doug had many friends in Park City, KPCW and myself will especially feel the loss of Doug, who was one of the station's most enthusiastic en-thusiastic supporters. We at the station will do our best to keep his memory alive. Sincerely, Blair E. Fuelner, President & General ManagerKPCW Apology Contributed in Doug's name Editor: On behalf of the Board of Trustees. Editor: I want to publicly apologize and accept ac-cept full responsibility for the error in June 17's Deseret News regarding Violet Terry's age. Kristen Rogers Gratitude from Doug's sister To the Editor and people of Park City : I wish to express my gratitude for the support given me during my stay in Park City at the untimely death of my brother, Doug Ryan. The cooperation of Chief Frank Bell and Detective Lloyd Evans of the Park City Police Department was outstanding. outstan-ding. A special thanks to Karen "Digger" Degen of the Express Company, a close friend, for her continuous efforts in the memorial service. Doug's wishes of cremation were complied with and although he spent his most happy days in Park City, he is now resting with his wife, Bonnie, in Glendale, Wisconsin. With most sincere thanks, Marge Ryan Jones Ola, Arkansas 3 Fingers of fire photo by David Hampshire A Newspaper photographer used his lightning-fast reflexes to take this picture, looking north over the top of the Memorial Building, as a thunderstorm rolled through the Park City area Monday evening. No more delays in Singer trial, judge tells attorneys by David Fleisher A prelude to what may be one of the most controversial trials in recent times in Utah took place in Federal Court in Salt Lake last week during a two-day hearing to consider motions in the $111 million civil rights lawsuit involving the shooting death of fundamentalist Mormon John Singer. John Singer, a polygamist who claimed to have had revelations from God, was shot and killed Jan. 18, 1979 by a law enforcement officer during an arrest attempt near his 2'2-acre farm in Marion. Singer had been convicted of misdemeanor and felony charges stemming from his refusal to send his children to public school for religious reasons. The lawsuit, filed by Singer's widow, Vickie, is scheduled to go to trial Sept. 13 and presiding Judge David Winder made it clear to attorneys during last week's hearing that he did not want the case continued again; it had been continued twice during the past year. The plaintiff's (Singers') motion for a change of venue was denied as was a motion to allow interrogation of potential jurors by lawyers rather than by the presiding judge. "I sincerely believe," Winder said, "that Mrs. Singer can get a fair trial in Utah." And, in a possible reference to flamboyant Wyoming attorney Gerry Spence, who is representing Mrs. Singer, the judge added, "I want the jurors to be more influenced by the evidence than by an attorney's interrogation." Winder took most of the motions under advisement although he did grant summary judgments removing the names of former Utah Attorney General Robert Hansen and state highway patrol superintendent Robert Reid from the suit. Defense lawyers presented a motion during the first day of the hearing which would, if granted, prohibit Singer's religious beliefs from being used as evidence before the jury. Alluding to a West Virginia Supreme Court decision, attorney Glenn Hanni said parents cannot take their children out of public school for religious reasons and deprive the children of the advantages of public school. "The religious beliefs of the parents have to give way to the interests of the state;' Hanni told Judge Winder. And citing another case involving Amish parents in Pensylvania who withdrew their children from public school, Hanni said John Singer's religious beliefs are not entitled to First Amendment protection because they were not shared by the community, communi-ty, but rather they were non-traditional and eccentric. "This motion scares me the most," said Robert Schuster, one of the attorneys representing Vickie Singer. He said it threatened the heart of the plaintiff's case: "There was a conspiracy on the part of the defendants and this conspiracy had religious roots." Another of Singer's attorneys, Kath-ryn Kath-ryn Collard added, "John Singer's religious beliefs go to his intent and motive. The defendants knew John Singer held these religious beliefs and that was the reason he was persecuted." perse-cuted." Judge Winder replied, "No matter how sincere John Singer's religious beliefs were, he has to follow the law of the land just as anyone else does." Defense lawyers also sought summary sum-mary judgments to except Governor Scott Matheson, Summit County Attorney Attor-ney Robert Adkins and his deputy, Terry Christiansen, the South Summit School Board and Superintendent Val D. Edrington. Summary judgments were also presented on behalf of Summit County Sheriff Ron Robinson and deputies Larry Henley and Robert Bates, both of whom were present when John Singer was shot. But Schuster argued that Matheson was involved in the conspiracy: he knew of and approved the final arrest plan that ended in Singer's death, he added. Defense lawyer Robert Wallace countered by saying the governor had only minimal knowledge of the arrest plan which he learned from Utah Public Safety Commissioner Larry Lunnen. "If the governor knew of the plan and approved the plan, how can I give him a summary judgment?" asked Winder. "The plaintiffs have no facts to prove the governor's involvement, just conjecture," Wallace responded. Superintendent Val Edrington was described by Schuster as "a mean, evil man" who conspired with others to "wipe out" John Singer. A year before Singer's death Edrington said publicly that he wanted to press the issue against the Singer family, Schuster told Judge Winder. The superintendent, superinten-dent, Schuster added, went on a campaign to prejudice John Singer and also to place pressure on several people, including a judge, "to subdue the Singers." Edrington's lawyer said his client was simply doing his job and that he was concerned about his responsibility in seeing to it that the Singer children were properly educated according to Utah law. Schuster, in an effort to persuade the judge to deny summary judgments for Robert Adkins and Terry Christiansen, said both men "acted outside their roles as (county) prosecutors." He added both men sought publicity from the case for self aggrandizement. Keith Nelson, representing Adkins and Christiansen, replied "They had a job to do and they did it in a very professional manner." Summit County Sheriff Ron Robinson Robin-son was described as a "small town sheriff who got caught up in an impossible situation," by Robinson's lawyer during his motion for summary judgment. Sheriff Robinson, the attorney attor-ney added, "tried to perform his job under extremely difficult circumstances" circum-stances" and demonstrated patience and concern. He said Robinson went to the Singer farm at least ten times to serve bench warrants, leaving his gun in his car. Schuster told Winder that Robinson was negligent in not being present when John Singer was killed, that he should have been there to supervise the arrest attempt. The sheriff was also involved in a "cover-up," Schuster said, because the shooting scene was not preserved, bullets were missing and there were no photographs or measurements taken following Singer's Sing-er's death. Finally, the defense moved to have the plaintiff's "second shot theory" removed from the case, saying it was only inflammatory. Schuster had claimed that John Singer was shot twice, referring to an affidavit filed by a ballistics expert. Winder is expected to rule on the motions within a month. - SCfeJUUI) 614 Main Street Nl AMnA Park City, Utah 649-9066 I' - US' """"" ar. ' 'iaily Dr i? QUICKSILVER CONDOMINIUMS This beautiful condominium is an exceptional value in Deer Valley 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, large 2 car garage Owner will carry contract Call Greg Schiff Office 649-9066 home 649-4274 Get in Shape for Summer INTRODUCTORY BODY WRAP $14.84 LOSE 6" to 30" of body fat in one hour Also Specialists in Non-Surgical Face Lift and Electrolysis " he -End of the Ri n bow 2052 Prospector Prospector Square Park City, Utah (801) 649-3971 Hours: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. Closed Monday & Friday By Appointment Only! For Park City Residents Only Expiresjune 24, 1982 |