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SOUTHEAST NEWS
Defense protests tactics in murder case
Frankfort, KY—Nelda Chumbler was
feeding apples to horses at a McCracken
County farm with her husband and grand
son when a bullet from a high-powered rifle
smashed into her chest and killed her on
Dec. 27,1990.
A hunting accident, some theorized. But
McCracken Commonwealth prosecutor
Tom Osborne had another theory.
He accused Charles Chumbler of con
spiring with Michael Kariakis and Holly
Karialds to kill his wife of barely three years.
Osborne said Michael Kariakis and
Charles Chumbler had been lovers off and
on for years. Through a nearly four-week
trial, Osborne introduced evidence of
Grumbler's other gay affairs going back two
decades, pictures of sexual devices suppos
edly belonging to Chumbler, and hints that
Chumbler might be accosting children.
Then there was Osborne's portrayal of
Michael Kariakis, who had changed his
name to that of a soap opera character he
admired for his lack of scruples, Kariakis'
criminal record and his boasting that he was
a "hit man" for the Greek underworld.
Defense attorneys told the Kentucky
Supreme Court on Dec. 15 that Osborne
went way too far and it was all designed to
inflame tire jury into convicting the three of
plotting the .murder of Nelda Chumbler.
"Needless to say, the jury was left with
a disgusting impression in its mind," said
Julie Namldn, Grumbler's attorney on ap
peal.
The justices were unusually quiet dur
ing the oral argument. Justice Charles
Leibson, during one question of Osborne,
said the introduction of "sordid evidence"
left him influenced as well.
"I'd have found something to convict
these people of anyway," Leibson said.
Osborne, who took the unusual step of
following the case to its appeal, said he
raised controversial issues after the defense
made the points. Osborne said the case
would have been simpler had it been an or
dinary heterosexual love triangle.
"hr this particular case, you have a man
murdering his wife for another person,"
Osborne said.
Nelda and Charles Chumbler actually
lived in Brandon, Fla., where she was a
schoolteacher. They were visiting her rela
tives near Woodville when the shooting oc
curred. Osborne said the plot to kill her be
gan in 1987, when Chumbler and Kariakis
plotted that Charles would marry Nelda for
her money. After the money ran out, the plot
extended to killing her for her life insurance
and retirement benefits.
Holly Kariakis, 30, was implicated when
she bought the .270-caliber rifle Michael
used in the slaying.
Holly Kariakis and Chumbler, 56, were
convicted of complicity to commit murder.
She was given a life sentence.
Kariakis, 31, was convicted of murder.
He and Chumbler were sentenced to life
without possibility of parole for 25 years.
The Dec. 15 oral arguments were in the
Supreme Court's automatic review of
Michael Kariakis' and Chumbler's convic
tions and sentences.
MARK R. CHELLGREN
Coach says lesbianism got her fired
Columbia, KY—Many volleyball and
softball players at Lindsey Wilson College
say that former coach Diana Chalfant's per
sonal life was never an issue for them. They
are expressing outrage at Chalfant's firing,
which she says was because she is a lesbian.
"Number one, she never told any of us
she was a lesbian or ever commented on it.
It was not an issue," said Melissa Schultz,
19, a sophomore volleyball player from
Campbell County. "It didn't matter. It
wasn't an issue. ...If they did fire her be
cause she's a lesbian, that's just not right."
Chalfant was preparing the women's
softball team for its first fast-pitch season
this spring when she was fired Dec. 9 by Ray
Wells, athletic director of the private liberal-
arts college, which is affiliated with the
United Methodist Church.
"When we found out, we were shocked
that this could happen," said Sonya Mouser,
19, a freshman from Nelson County.
According to Chalfant, Wells told her he
didn't like her handling of the volleyball
program, although the team had just fin
ished a winning season. The team, in just
its second year, compiled a 24-13 record af
ter going 9-15 the previous season under a
different coach.
Wells also said there had been "some
lesbian incidents," Chalfant said.
Chalfant, 30, acknowledges being a les
bian but said she was not open about it on
campus and never made advances toward
any of her players.
Wells and college President John B.
Begley declined to talk about Chalfant's fir
ing. They cited a school policy that forbids
publicly discussing personnel matters.
"She was a fine coach," Begley said. "All
personnel decisions are hard to make, and
it was particularly hard with Diana."
Begley said the school must follow the
lead of the church, including its social prin
ciples.
Chalfant said Wells fired her after first
asking her to resign quietly. When she asked
for a detailed explanation, he wouldn't give
one, she said.
"It was, 'Get off campus, get your stuff
out of your office, and we don't want to see
you,"' Chalfant said. "It was awful."
Kentucky has no state law prohibiting
discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Nonetheless, Chalfant said she wants to sue.
ASSOCIATED PRESS