INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 128, No. 105 News No Boys Allowed
C.U. eliminates gender-neutral housing options on West Campus after a three year pilot program indicated low demand. | Page 3
THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2012
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ITHACA, NEW YORK
Defense Attorneys Say Desdunes ’13 Drank Heavily Before‘Kidnapping’ By JEFF STEIN
Opinion
Haskin ’14, Ben Mann ’14 and Edward Williams ’14 — on charges of first-degree hazing and first-degree unlawfully dealing with a George Desdunes ’13 voluntarily consumed child. All three, as well as a fourth whose identia large amount of alcohol before consenting to ty was not released because of his age, pleaded take part in the “mock kidnapping” that preced- not guilty to the charges in May. ed his death last year, according to court papers Their lawyers’ explanation for Desdunes’ filed by the defense lawyers representing three death diverges from the one outlined in a sepaformer Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledges charged in rate, $25 million wrongful death lawsuit filed by connection with Desdunes’ death. Desdunes’ mother in civil court against SAE. It However, a woman who was with Desdunes also outlines a different account of the night that night said that he expressed concern about than the one presented by the Tompkins County District Attorney. “The vast quantity of alcohol ... consumed While Marie Lourdes Andre, by Desdunes prior to the mock kidnapping Desdunes’ mother, alleges in her suit that pledges “compelled [Desdunes] to conwas the cause of any physical injury he sume alcohol until he lost consciousness,” the defense argues that the consustained.” sumption of alcohol during the incidents Raymond Schlather J.D. ’76 leading up to his death was ”wholly voluntary.” the event and appeared relatively sober shortly Andre’s suit alleges that after a hazing event before he was taken by the pledges, a police in which he was tied up and given alcohol by report recently obtained by The Sun indicates. pledge members, Desdunes became so intoxicatAfter Desdunes, a brother in SAE, died the ed that he “required immediate medical treatmorning of Feb. 25, 2011, a Tompkins County grand jury indicted three SAE pledges — Max See DESDUNES page 5 Sun Managing Editor
Sexual Media
Morgan B. ’13 explains how Facebook has helped her get laid. | Page 9
Arts The Boss Is Back
Jason Goldberg ’14 reviews the latest album, Wrecking Ball, from rock legend, Bruce Springsteen. | Page 12
Sports Sharpening Swords
The men and women’s fencing teams prepare for regionals, to be held this weekend. | Page 20
Weather Showers HIGH: 56 LOW: 41
Federal Judge Releases State Redistricting Plans By MATTHEW ROSENSPIRE Sun Staff Writer
Congressional redistricting plans released by federal magistrate judge Roanne Mann on Monday would put Tompkins County in a district stretching to Chautauqua County on the shore of Lake Erie, according to documents released by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The new plans are the result of a lawsuit against the state legislature by a group of voter advocates for not completing the redistricting process in a timely manner. Unless the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly are able to reconcile their conflicting plans, Mann’s new map will be binding, according to the documents. If the Senate and Assembly fail to reach an agreement before the June primaries, Mann’s redistricting plan will place Tompkins County in a newly formed 23rd District. Mann’s plan, however, along with the rest of the redistricting process, has been met with strong disapproval from Congressional candidates such as Dan Lamb. Lamb, worked for Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y. 22) for 14 years, is running to
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replace Hinchey, who is retiring, in November. “Most states have completed this process by now; New York has not,” Lamb said. “This is causing problems because Congressional primaries are on June 26 and we don’t have district maps.” Lamb also said that such a delay is not unusual for New York’s state legislature. “New York has a history of waiting until the very last moment; we’ve seen this in past years, and I’m not surprised,” he said. “I thought the impending earlier primary — they’re normally in September — would encourage the legislature to act quicker, though.” According to Lamb, the drawn-out process causes serious problems for all candidates, especially those who are trying to become more known in the districts they hope to represent. For Lamb, however, the delay is a much less serious issue than Mann’s new map. Unlike the plans from the State Senate and Assembly, which propose merging Tompkins County with Onondaga County, and therefore the Democratic stronghold of Syracuse, Mann’s plan puts Tompkins County in See REDISTRICTING page 4
TIMELINE OF FEB. 24-25, 2011 • EARLIER IN THE NIGHT: Desdunes ’13 reportedly seen with nearly empty bottle of Captain Morgan.
• ABOUT 12 A.M.: Desdunes arrives at Dino’s bar.
• 1 - 2 A.M.: Desdunes returns to residence of female friend. 2 A.M.: Pledges transport Desdunes to North Campus. 5 A.M.: Pledges return Desdunes to SAE house and leave him on a couch because his room was locked. • 7 A.M.: Desdunes found unresponsive in SAE. He is transported to Cayuga Medical Center, where he later died.
Colorful cookies
FIONA MODRAK / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Risa Vlinski and Laura Morgan sell Girl Scout cookies on Ho Plaza on Wednesday afternoon. Members of the Girl Scouts have been selling their cookies to Cornell students throughout the week.
New Student Assembly Reps.Elected By SYLVIA RUSNAK Sun Staff Writer
With a record voter turnout of 5,425 students, the Student Assembly announced its newly elected officials online Wednesday night. John Mueller ’13 won the contested position of executive vice president of the S.A. by a margin of 20 votes. “I think we all knew going in that it was going to be a tight race,” Mueller who is currently an undesignated at-large representative said. “There were a lot
of contested races, not because though he said the challenge was people were necessarily unhappy withdrawn. with what the S.A. had done this year, but more “I think we all knew in that it because they realized that the S.A. was going to be a tight race.” has really become John Mueller ’13 a true voice of the students and an effective group on campus. People “Everything was withdrawn — really wanted to be a part of it.” there was essentially no chalAdam Raveret ’12, director of lenge,” Raveret said. “All the elections for the S.A. confirmed results that are posted online now Wednesday night that there was a are all official.” challenge to one of the contested positions after the polls closed, See S.A. page 6