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STEPPING UP
WHERE THE GOLD AT? See page 5.
Quarterbacks and wide receivers show skills at spring practice, pages 7 and 8.
THE DAILY REVEILLE WWW.LSUREVEILLE.COM
Volume 114, Issue 110
Student’s death ruled suicide
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
LAW SCHOOL
Students present case in state court By Mandy Francois Contributing Writer
past two or three years,” Rau said. “He was a very good student, very interested in physics and friendly person.” Joel Tohline, physics professor and
Months of hard work by four third-year law students paid off Tuesday when they presented their case, State v. Castillo, to the Louisiana Supreme Court. Vincent Castillo was denied his right to counsel by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The students of the LSU Law Clinic, assisted by professor Paul Baier, presented the reasons Castillo should be appointed counsel for his misdemeanor traffic violations, including a suspended license and speeding. Nicholas Graphia, Miesha Beverly, Loren Shanklin and Jonathan Brown have researched the case since winter break. “We missed our Christmas break because we were so busy working,” said Shanklin. “I think we easily put in over 150 hours of work all together.” Michael Rocks, a representative from the Jefferson Parish Indigent Defender Board, spoke first. He gave reasons the 5th Circuit Court’s decision denying Castillo counsel should be reversed. Graphia was appointed the oral advocate for the hearing. The clerk put 20 minutes on the clock for him and Baier to speak.
DEATH, see page 15
CASE, see page 15
J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille
Flowers dedicated to former graduate student Sarvnipun Chawla sit outside the Life Sciences Building on Tuesday. The unsigned note reading, “Rest in peace. My heart is with you,” was left near where Chawla jumped to his death Monday.
BR Crisis Intervention Center provides options By Sarah Eddington Staff Writer
One day after a graduate student fell from the top of the Life Sciences building, his death was declared a suicide. The East Baton Rouge Parish coroner ruled Sarvnipun Chawla’s death a suicide Tuesday afternoon, said Sgt. Blake Tabor, LSU Police Department spokesperson. He said the police department couldn’t substantiate the claim with physical evidence. Facility Services wouldn’t comment regarding why the door to the roof was unlocked, and the dean of the College of Basic Sciences
wasn’t available for questions by print time. The Daily Reveille found sixth-floor entrances to the roof locked Tuesday afternoon. Chancellor Michael Martin addressed the incident Monday in a University e-mail. “I would like to extend my condolences to Sarvnipun’s family, friends and co-workers, as well as to the entire LSU community,” Martin wrote in the e-mail. The Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center held a support meeting on campus Tuesday night at the International Cultural Center. Jenny Stewart, assistant director of student advocacy and accountability, said the meeting was open to all affected faculty, students and staff to provide coping mechanisms. A. Ravi P. Rau, physics professor, taught one of Chawla’s physics classes and said he knew Chawla for years. “We’ve had quite a few interactions in the
SUICIDE STATS: • Reported U.S. suicides per year: 30,000.* • Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S.* • Those with suicidal thoughts should call the B.R. Crisis Intervention Center hotline at 225-924-5781. *from the National Center for Health Statistics
SG ELECTIONS
Hudson, Borel oppose class gift, support tuition hike Editor’s note: This story is the second in a four-part series on the Student Government campaigns. The candidates will be presented alphabetically by last name. By Catherine Threlkeld Staff Writer
Student Government election day is less than a week away, and campaigns haven’t slowed. Presidential candidate J Hudson and vice presidential candidate Dani Borel are kicking their “StudentsFIRST” campaign into high gear with just four school days left before voting. Debates and intense campaigns have
forced students to compare the candidates’ views side by side. Hudson said he agrees with a tuition increase as long as it protects the academic core. “When I walk with my diploma, I’m going to want that thing to mean something,” Hudson said. “The only way to do that is to keep funding up.” Many of the candidates support the 2010 Class Gift Project, which will add a $30 mandatory fee to graduating seniors’ fee bills to have an engraved brick on the sidewalk around the Parade Ground. Hudson said he and Borel do not support the project because it adds an unnecessary fee that doesn’t protect the academic
core. “When we’re talking about massive budget cuts and not having enough classes or professors to attend for us to get our degree in four years, then this is not necessarily a fee that J and I support,” Borel said. Hudson is SG director of external affairs on this year’s administration, and SG President Stuart Watkins said he’s valued the working relationship he’s had with Hudson. “He really worked tirelessly on legislation that took place downtown that related to higher education and LSU,” Watkins said. “Basically, J was our guy that researched all the different bills that took place downtown CAMPAIGN, see page 15
J.J. ALCANTARA / The Daily Reveille
Student Government presidential candidate J Hudson lays “StudentsFIRST” buttons on a table Monday during a campaign ticket meeting in Coates Hall.