a Pose a question...first, a little The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, September 27, 1995 5 AsTwas saying Now the case under discussion youmay not have read much about in local newspapers. We get Kan- jorski, we get Mike Tyson, we get Jim Phillips resisting the arena as usual, but we get very little from out of state. Guess anything there is just not newsworthy. Anyway, this man was freed recently from a Pennsylvania prison after serving 24 years of a life sentence for murder. He then — within only three months — captured and repeatedly raped and assaulted a woman for over five hours. (He finally told her he was letting her live only because she was a social worker!) Now the jury found him guilty on nine counts, but I submit to you that this trial poses the mys- tery of the century...this guy served as his own lawyer during his trial. Didn't hear me? He was allowed to act as his own defense lawyer! Am I nuts? Or naive? Or both? I had thought that long struggle through law school was to certify one to hang up a shingle and practice law. Duly empowered by the American Bar Association and all that good stuff. Did this convicted rapist and Jack Hilshet Our subject today is law and a lawyers. Can you stand it? hd I suppose you think the O.J. debacle is going to set some sort of record for trials. Well, it’s not. In 1984 one started in Belleville, Ili- nois, and went on until April of 1987, a record for jury trials of 556 court days. There were, inci- dentally, 138 witnesses! ‘But this will not concern O.J. We are going to outline a case and humor. Fred Allen said, “I learned law so well, the day I graduated I sued the college, won the case and got my tuition back.” Ambrose Bierce said that a lawyer was “one skilled in the circumvention of the law.” And Calvin Trillin said, “If law school is so hard to get through... how come there are so many lawyers?” And Charles Lamb: “Lawyers, I @ suppose, were children once.” from left: Albany, CA police chief Larry “The Lawman” Murdo, Evans, The American legal system is stranger than we think murderer graduate? If so, from what school? What in the name of Oliver Wendell Holmes is going on in this country anymore? Bless his poor victim, a 42- year-old woman who had the in- testinal fortitude - bravery is probably a better term for her - to speak out after the guilty verdict. She said, “Here is a sociopath. How in hell did he get out? What were they thinking of?” She adds, “It's ludicrous to think I was tortured by a man for five hours and to have him ask me ridiculous questions. I think it's crazy we spent all this time and money. My fantasy was that we would throw rocks at him on Main Street and burn him the day after it happened.” At least, for this nut, it appears to be the end of his spree. The District Attorney was quoted as saying, “We're going to see to it that he's kept in jail for the rest of his life, and we'll make sure that we won't let Pennsylvania make the same mistake twice.” Are there any legal beagles among my readership? Would just one of you guys explain all this to me in words of no more than several syllables? : ’ POST PHOTO/GRACE R. DOVE Dallas High School senior class president Dean Evans and Tim Reich met “Elvis and the Lawman” at a school assembly September 25. Attending a pre-assembly press conference were, teacher Ms. Robyn Jones, Albany police detective sergeant William “Elvis” Palmini, Reich, Wyoming Valley Drug and Alcohol coordinator Cathy Sabulski and principal Frank Galicki. Elvis (continued from page 1) bly, which mixed lively skits, rock songs containing traffic safety messages and traffic safety ques- ~ tions from Palmieri and Murdo, students @carned music tapes or CD's, T- shirts, water bottles, frisbees, sun visors or teddy bears for correct answers. : eri said. “I was a speaker at the program and showed some slides, one of which was of me as an Elvis impersonator singing ‘Don’t Be Cruel’ with my old rock band. We rewrote the words to make it a traffic safety song, then gradually developed the Chief Operator Program.” Police in the Bay Area of Cali- fornia where Palmieri lives have seen a rising number of alcohol- related caraccidentsamong teens. They hope combining the mes- sage of not drinking and driving with rock music will help reduce the numbers, he added. “Combining music with safety and police also helps break down the barriers between police and the public, especially young The 28-member Albany police department designed the award- winning Chief Operator Teen Driver Program, which they per- . form nationwide. While Palmieri a Portrays Elvis, other officers al- ®termate appearing as The Law- man. “It evolved from a seat belt education campaign which we started several years ago,” Palmi- people,” Palmieri said. “We have received more than 1,000 letters thanking us for doing the pro- gram from teens who have seen it.” The officers also carry trading cards and pogs containing differ- ent officers’ photos and biogra- phies and different safety tips. When he isn't portraying a safety-minded Elvis, Palmieri works about 50 hours a week investigating juvenile cases - abuse, sexual assault and other crimes. He does Elvis during his spare time. Galicki said he would investi- gate setting up a SADD program in the senior high school “as soon as we get organized.” OBITUARIES ; : ) HOME BELL FURNISHINGS Factory Authorized . BN Sal er south a sneer die STORE HOURS: MON. & THURS. 9:30 A.M.-8:30 p.m. N . TUES., WED. FRI. & SAT. 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. ow N ro Fess e Today's Living, Tomorrow's Heirloom ; = FRR rg ¢ Stanle Amesic ilieritage \ x LUCY Collection ~_y 172-11 hy 4 FLOORS OF 90 DAYS SAME AS CASH DISTINCTIVE FURNITURE MARGARET SHARP Margaret A. Hughes Sharp, Sweet Valley, formerly of Wilkes- Barre died Sept. 19, 1995, at her home. Born in Wilkes-Barre, she was the daughter of the late James and Ella Smith Rushton. She resided in Sweet Valley for the last three years. She was amember of St. Mary's Immaculate Conception Church, Wilkes-Barre. She was preceded in death by her first husband, James Hughes; brothers, Thomas, Frank, James and Edward Rushton; James Dunbar; sister, Catherine Kolesa; Elizabeth Ruggieri; Mary Straub. Surviving are her husband, Ralph Sr., sons, James Hughes, Wurtsboro, NY; Robert Hughes, Wilkes-Barre; Ralph Jr., with whom she resided; daughters, Rosemary Korpita, Bristol, CT; Mrs. Ella Litzenberger, Wilkes- Barre; Mrs. Phyllis Feddock, Wilkes-Barre; 22 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; brother, Robert Rushton, Terryville, CT; sisters, Mrs. Martha Harden, Wilkes-Barre; Mrs. Ann Matlock, Wilkes-Barre; nieces and neph- ews. Enbtombment, St. Mary's Cemetery, Hanover Township. GERTRUDE POKORNY Gertrude P. Pokorny, 82, of Hi- Meadows Apartments, Dallas, died Sept. 22, 1995. Born in Wilkes-Barre, she was the daughter of the late Thomas and Mamie Jones Phillips. She was a former office man- ager for the Wyoming Valley Hos- pital, Wilkes-Barre and retired as a secretary from Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania. She was a former resident of the Heights section of Wilkes- Barre and resided in the Back Mountain area for over 40 years. She was a former member of the Junior Cambrian Club. She was both a member of the Trucksville United Methodist Church, Trucksville, Kingston and its Women. Surviving are her husband of 53 years, Frank M.; brother, Morgan D. Phillips, Delaware, OH. Interment, Hanover Green Cemetery, Hanover Township. Memorial donations may be made to the TrucksvillecUnited Methodist Church Memorial or Endowment Fund, 40 Knob Hill Road, Trucksville, 18708. VIOLA DeHAVEN Viola M. DeHaven, 57, of Coun- try Club Apartments, Dallas, died Sept. 12, 1995, at home. Born in Cloe, she was the daughter of Francis Weaver and the late Esther Lewis Weaver. She resided in Ithaca, NY, and Williamsport before moving to Dallas three years ago. She was a member of the Fel- lowship Evangelical Free Church, Dallas. She and her husband, Fred, celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary on May 24. Surviving in addition to her father and husband, are daugh- ters, Mrs. Sean Howell, Wil- liamsport; Joyce, Dallas; broth- ers, Richard Weaver, Anita; Samuel Weaver, Curwensville; sisters, Mrs. Larry Spencer, Brookville; Mrs. Dennis Dinger, Punxsutawney; six grandchildren. Interment, Oaklawn Cemetery, Cloe. ARTHUR JAMES SR. Arthur “Miserable” James Sr., 79, of Valley View Park, Dallas, died Sept. 18, 1995 at his home. Born in Plymouth, he was the son of the late Fred and Margaret Brown James. Before retiring 15 years ago, he worked for the Dryden Oil Co., Hanover Township. Surviving are sons, Arthur, Langhorne; William, New Hope; daughter, Judith Ann Vincent, Bensalem; nine grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to Shriners Hospital, c/o Irem Temple, 52 N. Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre. MARIE SPENCER . = Marie M. Spencer, 100, of Country Club Road, Dallas; died. Sept. 25, 1995, at the Lakeside Nursing Home, Idetown. Born in Kingston, she was the daughter of the late Washington and Persis Hilbert Spencer and had lived in Dallas for the past 50 years. Sabre She was a member of the Dor- ranceton United Methodist Church and also attended the Idetown United Methodist Church. a Surviving are one niece, sev- eral grandnieces and grandneph- ews. bs ‘Funeral will be held at 11. a.m. Thursday from the Richard H. Disque Funeral Home, 672 Me- morial Highway, Dallas with the Rev. Michael K. Willis, pastor of the Dorranceton United Method- ist Church officiating. : Interment will be in Wardan Cemetery, Dallas. Pb Friends may call from 10 a.m. until time of services Thursday. SAT Scores can be improved. Dallas High School Juniors Only If 1 don't improve your SAT - | Scores by 60 pts. or more money back guarantee *verified by counselor Call Dr. Bob Washick. 788-2182 ee Hours: Tuesday - 9:00 - 5:00 Wednesday - 9:00 - 4:00 Thursday - 9:00 - 8:00 Friday - . 2:00 - 8:00 Saturday - 2:00 - 2:00 Dobby Reakes \ Beauty Salon % 50 Mill Street, Dallas, PA (Formerly Lisa Shiviey) Reasonable Prices | (Cuts, Colors, Perms, Roller Sets, Blowdrys, Nails) : \ 675-5707 Men, Women Boys, Girls Styling The Back Mountain's hometown paper ...from people who live here "There isn't anything we don't like about the Back Mountain." Like many others, Jack Hilsher's a relative newcomer to the Back Mountain. But it hasn't taken him long to find his way around, including the best spots to drop a baited line in the water. "We like the deer, the birds and especially the people," he says. Jack and Cathy came to Dallas two years ago, "on a whim," after 42 years in Kingston. Those years included raising two children, Jim, now in commercial real estate, and Marion, who tends a husband, home and grandchild Cacie in Downingtown. Then there's Robbie, the Cairn terrier who has shared the Hilsher home for a decade, and is an occasional subject for a column. Robbie came along about the same time as retirement, after 12 years as director of marketing services at Intermetro Industries, following over 30 years as a product manager at American Chain and Cable. As if that wasn't enough to do, Jack is an amateur photographer and collector of Leica cameras, a stamp collector, model ship builder and jazz aficionado. Jack is another local person who helps put out the Back Mountain's hometown paper, The Dallas Post. a The Back Mountain's The Dallas Post
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers