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SOUTHERN VOICE • DECEMBER 29/1994 Serving Your Community Take A Test Drive In A New Class Of Car. 1995 AVALON 6 Passenger Comfort and Convenience Probably Atlanta’s Best Toyota Dealership VIMett ®TOYOTA OF STONE MOUNTAIN 736-0030 5065 Highway 78, STN. MTN. 285 To Exit 78-30B (Hwy 78 East) Life Insurance Disability Insurance Supplemental Health Insurance Whether you are in preferred health, have a serious illness, or fall somewhere in-between, we offer solutions to your insurance-related problems! Preferred health qualifies you for the lowest rates and highest benefits. We offer insurance to those who have commonly found it impossible to obtain. Whether you have... Cancer, Diabetes, HIV, MS, Drug Abuse, Alcoholism, Overweight, or other problems. Give us a call to see if you qualify M. Bryan Freeman pl BENEFITS ^AMERICA 3109 Maple Drive, Suite 404 Atlanta, GA 30305 404/233-5411 • 800/777-8878 Jan 9th - March 13th 10 weeks ALTERNATIVES An Outpatient Group for Gays and Lesbians TIME: Mondays 6:30-8:00pm COST: $50.00 Per Session Most Insurance Filed LOCATION: Atlanta Addictive Disease & Psychiatric Medicine Assoc., Inc. 2150 Peachfird Road, Suite S Atlanta, GA 30338 Should you be interested in attending, please contact our office at (404)936-0888. Group Leaders: R. Michael Prudent, M.D. and Linda S. Wilson, Ph.D. 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