Newspaper Page Text
2 Tim BARB, August 1^77
Two Convicted in Tennessee Motel Murder
Jackson,TN- Thomas
Michael Menth, 21, of
Mound, Minnesota and
Michael Lee Sprague, 24,
of New Haven, Michigan,
were both sentenced to
life imprisonment after
being convicted of the
brutal slaying of two
Bethel College instructors
at the Holiday Inn in
Jackson.
Gifford Andersen and
John Finch Williams, 46,
of Huntingdon Were found
nude in bed, bound with
electrical cord, throats
slashed and stabbed
repeatedly in the chest,
December 20,1975 in a
a CLUB BATH-LODGE
in KEY WEST
MOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
i • CENTRALLY LOCATED IN
TROPICAL OLD KEY WEST
BETWEEN THE BEACHES
AND THE BARS. [
t -TROPICAL SWIMMING POOL &
SUN DECK
•STEAM ROOM*
SHOWER ROOM*
I* LOCKER ROOM*
124 HOUR LOCKER RENTAL
SERVICE*
!• Private rooms with t.v.
'• FREE CONTINENTAL
BREAKFAST
] • SOLARIUM — COLOR TV
LOUNGE, LIBRARY &
MUSIC ROOM.
• R.V. CAMPGROUND WITH ALL
UTILITY HOOK-UPS (FOR
VANS, SMALL TRAVEL
TRAILERS & MOTOR HOMES.
•LODGE OPEN 24 HRS.
BATH TILL MIDNIGHT
CLUB KEY WEST gg
A CLUB BATH • LODGE AND RV CAMPGROUND
621 TRUMAN AVENUE (U.S. 1)
KEY WEST. FLORIDA 33040
Reservations (305) 296-6654. .
* Legal ID Required for CBC Membership
DOWN
UNDER
BOOKSTORE
MAGAZINES LEATHER GOODS NOVELTIES
GAME ROOM MOVIES NOVELS PEEP SHOWS
OPEN 24 hours 7 days a week
Largest Selection in S.E. for the discrimanating male
come browse ...am pie free lighted parking
FREEJBloodymarys every Sunday 4 till 5.
45 8TH STREET - 874-0900 ATLANTA, GEORGIA
room at the Holiday Inn.
A medical examination of
the victims showed
evidence of anal in
tercourse.
Producing evidence
which the defense at
torneys labeled as
“completely cir
cumstantial,” Assistant
District Attorney General
Jerry Woodall said
fingerprints and
documentary evidence
proved Menth and
Sprague were in the room
where Andersen and
Williams were found
slain, and that the trails
that the defendants left
were “like footprints in
thesnow.”
In addition to the
gruesome nature of the
2rime, the trial was
sensationalized and
Jackson scandalized by
;he homosexual aspects
which came out.
Illustrating the “common
•actor” between the
victims, the accused and
me state witness who
accompanied the men
‘nightclubbing,” was the
:ormer manager of a local
supper club who stated
;hat she saw “the overt
and public display of
lomosexuality by the
? ive, bumping together”
;o the time of the music at
lie club the night before.
Ronald I. Meshbesher,
one of Menth’s attorneys,
suggested that the vic
tims may have been tied
voluntarily as part of
their homosexual
behavior. “They wanted
perverted sex. They got
perverted sex.”
Pleading not guilty by
reason of insanity, Menth
was declared sane by Dr.
Frank H. Luten, assistant
superintendent of Central
State (Psychiatric)
Hospital in Nashville.
“He’s not insane, he just
doesn’t give a damn,”
declared Luten.
Sprague’s attorneys
maintained that he was
drunk and incapable of
perpetuating the crime in
his condition and that all
the evidence against him
was circumstantial.
Judge Gene Walker
charged the eight men
and four women on the
jury “to find the truth and
act accordingly.” He then
explained the various
points of law that would
bear directly on the case.
He also stated that just
because the defendents
did not testify on their own
behalf, the jury should not
take that as an indication
of guilt.
Finally, the judge said
the defendents should be
acquitted if a “reasonable
doubt” as to their guilt
existed in the minds of the
jury. He reminded the
jury that any verdict must
be unanimous.
Three hours later, after
•the foreman had
delivered the decision, the
judge asked each
member of the jury
whether they agreed with
the guilty verdict.
All twelve answered
yes.
Lovers Linked to Moss Murders
Riverside, Ca. - David
Hill, 34, and Patrick
Kearney, 38, have been
linked to the largest mass
murder in American
history by a bloody
hacksaw, a carpet and the
hair of a dog, police in
California say.
The Redondo Beach
lovers have been indicted
for two of the gruesome
“trashbag murders” but
Riverside County Sheriff
Ben Clark said the men
might be involved in at
least 28 similar
homocides in the last
seven years. He said the
estimate came from
conversations with the
49 Sixth ST
892-8983
ATLANTA
EVERY NIGHT DINNER SPECIAL $3.95
NIGHTLY DRINK SPECIALS
WEDNESDAYS - HAPPY HOUR ALL NIGHT
WITH SNACKS
O'
A 1
Food &. Brink
)rinh\
* SUNDAY BRUNCH
LATE NIGHT SANDWICHES AND
OMLETS FROM 11:30 PM TILL 4 AM
7 DAYS A WEEK
"A MENU FOR EVER YONE’S POCKET'
men who are talking
freely with authorities.
The sheriff indicated
that the pair were first
suspected in the series of
mysterious killings when
a 17 year old friend of
theirs, John LaMay was
found dismembered last
March 18.
In an interview with
authorities in April,
Kearney and Hill said
they both had had
homosexual relationships
with LaMay over a period
of two years. During that
visit, sheriff’s deputies
discovered a hacksaw
coated with dried blood
that matched LaMay’s
blood type.
The sheriff said that
the “trash bag murders”
were linked by other
similarities. All the
bodies were of nude young
men; some were
dismembered and several
were stuffed in plastic
trash bags. They were
found along highways
stretching from Los
Angeles to the Mexican
border. Most of the vic
tims had been shot and
authorities are still
searching for the murder'
weapon.
Subscribe 1
NATIONAL NOTES
Washington, D.C. - For the second time in two weeks the
House has voted to deny federal funds to homosexuals or gay
rights activists. Without debate the House voted on June 27 to
exclude such activities from free legal services now provided
the poor. On June 15, by voice vote, a similar ban was placed
on housing aids in the Department of Housing and Urban
Development appropriations bill. Rep. Larry McDonald, a
Democrat whose constituiency covers Marietta and part of
Cobb County, offered the amendment which said that “no
funds can be used to provide legal assistance with respect to
any proceeding or litigation arising out of disputes on con
troversies on the issue of homosexuality or so called gay
rights.”
Kansas City - Evangelist Billy Graham refused to endorse
singer Anita Bryant’s campaign against homosexuals
recently, while Southern Baptists voted overwhelmingly to
praise the Miami entertainer. In the closing business session
of the Southern Baptist Convention, the 15,977 messengers
reiterated their longtime stand against homosexuals and
praised Ms. Bryant for her“courageous stand against theevils
inherent in homosexuality.” Mr. Graham said that
homosexuality is no worse than any other sin and that he is
battling all sin.
Philadelphia-The United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.
overwhelmingly rejected efforts to stop the church from
studying homosexuality and the possibility of ordaining gay
ministers.
Following an emotional hour long debate, delegates at the
General Assembly of the church, which claims 2.6 million
members, voted down a June 27 motion to kill a task force
created last year to make a report on the issue in 1978. The
newly elected moderator of the denomination, Rev. John T.
Conner said the recent Miami vote to rescind an ordinance that
outlawed discrimination against gays in housing and em
ployment was “deplorable.” “I support full civil rights in
employment for homosexuals,” he said, but added that a task
force studying the issue of gay ministers “must be allowed to
finish its job within the next two years.”
Pittsburgh - The president of the National Organization for
Women (NOW) said that Anita Bryant’s anti—homosexual
campaign is teaching “intolerance and bigotry” and may lead
to violence. Eleanor Smeal noted that the Miami campaign
produced bumper stickers that said “Kill a Queer for Christ”
and labeled people as “human garbage.”
§“We will expose this hate campaign, this condemnation trip
for the danger that it is,” she said, promising that NOW would
dog Ms. Bryant’s path. “We are told that Anita Bryant is going
national on this and other issues. Who next will be denied their
rights?”
Washington, D.C. - The Federal Communications Com-
misssion is being asked to extend the broadcast fairness
doctrine to let gays appear on television to counter criticisms
of their lifestyle. A San Francisco gay activist group has asked
the FCC to order aGlendale, California television station to air
programming in response to the views of anti —gay
spokesperson Anita Bryant. The 21 page petition asks for a
quick ruling to put all stations “on notice that the issue of civil
rights protection for the gay minority of the population is
controversial and of public importance in the United States
today. Programming presenting the anti—gay rights position
must be balanced by airing the views of those who favor
legislation to protect the legal rights of gays.” The FCC
spokesman said that an issue “as explosive as this” will
probably be decided by the full commission, instead of being
routinely referred to thedivision that handles complaints.
Boston - The Massachusetts Senate voted on June 13 to
provide equal employment opportunities for homosexuals and
to submit the issue to voters next year in a nonbinding
referendum. The vote was passed 18—17 and was sent to the
house. The Governor has promised to sign the bill into law if
passed.
New York-Dr. Renee Richards has told friends that she plans
to quit pro tennis and resume her practice as an eye surgeon in
Newport Beach, California, the New York Post has reported.
The 42 year old transexual recently signed with the
Cleveland—Pittsburgh Nets of World Team Tennis. But she
decided to quit after failing another sex test.
Wichita, KN. - An organization of homosexual Quakers has
won its request to take part in the weeklong conference of
Friends of America. The oversight committee of the Quaker
convention recently decided to include an interest group on
sexual orientation and human rights to be moderated by
Friends from a variety of Quaker backgrounds.
Lincoln, NE. - The Nebraska legislature on June 1 voted to
over-ride Gov. James Exon’s veto of a criminal code revision
package that decriminalized all sexual acts between con
senting adults. The override makes Nebraska one of 19 states
to abolish criminal penalties on gay sex. In arizona however,
the controversial Homosexual Conduct Code was given final
approval by the state house. Under the code’s provisions,
sexual acts between same sex couples would be a crime which
could net a maximum sentance of 30 days in jail and a $200
fine. . . .. \ ,.