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VOL 61
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NO. V _ LOYOU\ MfiRYMOUNT UNtVe&TY №WW 12,
ГЮ
Paul Westhead Removed From Gathers Lawsuit
"No Evidence of Personal
Liability," Said Attorney
By Beverly M. Butler
Editor-in-Chief
In a decision which is expected
to expedite a settlement in the
Hank Gathers trial, former Loyola
Marymount basketball coach Paul
Westhead has been ‘'dismissed as
a defendant in one of the suits
brought against him,” according to
the Los Angeles Times.
The attorneys representing
Gathers' 8-year old son, Aaron
Crump, Martin Krimsky and Adrian
Moody announced Tuesday, Feb¬
ruary 4, that “they had found no
evidence of personal liability against
Westhead,” which may help to es¬
tablish a settlement sometime in
the next two weeks.
Westhead was named as a de¬
fendant by the Gathers estate in the
wrongful death suit, which, in addi¬
tion to a multimillion-dollar suit filed
by the Gathers family, is currently
scheduled for trial February 24 in
Los Angeles Superior Court in Tor¬
rance. Westhead’s dismissal by the
estate will not have any bearing on
the Gathers family suit.
The estate’s suit against
Westhead “focused on his alleged
involvement in the reduction of
Gathers* medication, lnderol.”The
drug helped to “slow Gathers’ rapid
heartbeat.” Krimsky said last week
that “in the deposition testimony of
Dr. Vernon Hattori, Gathers’ cardi¬
ologist, Westhead was absolved of
any involvement.”
Krimsky told the Times , “Dr.
Hattori stated under oath that he
made the decision to lower the
medication and that it was his deci¬
sion, and not a result of pressure
because of Westhead.”
Hattori settled out of court, with
both the Gathers family and estate,
for $1 million.
Westhead’s personal attorney,
Richie Phijlips, has always main¬
tained that Westhead would not
settle— or allow the school to settle
on his behalf — but instead desired
to seek “vindication through a court
judgement, through trial or by a
dismissal by the plaintiffs.” This re¬
fusal to settle has slowed down the
settlement of both cases.
The attorney for the Gathers fam¬
ily, Bruce Fagel, has claimed that in
mid-January he and LMU’s attor¬
ney, Wayne Boehle, reached a
settlement, “only to have demands
by Phillips cause the school to re¬
nege.” According to the Times
however, Boehle denies this and
the issue will be decided before a
judge. The decision is still pending.
continued on page three
Photo courtesy of Public Relations
Paul Westhead, former LMJJ Men's Basketball Head Coach.
Malone Mailboxes Center of Rising Controversy
Student Senate, V.P. of Finance Office
Differ on What the Facts Really Are
By Lisa Freudenburg
Staff Writer
»ersistent student and mailroom
complaints thatthe new Malone
mailboxes are inoperable have
caused both the Student Senate
and office of the Vice President of
Finance to evaluate the problem
and determine if replacement is
necessary.
“Two-thirds of the mailboxes
downstairs are unusable, wether
because their combinations do not
work or they froze up over the
holidays. We have received
constant student complaints from
day one,” said Duane Woodburn,
Mail Services Manager.
Two years ago, the mailbox
addition was initiated by John
Oester, Vice President of Finance,
at a time when campus residency
was at a peak and students were
forced to share mailboxes. To
ensure a private box for each
resident, Oester selected both the
location and type of mailbox to be
installed, choosing the manufacturer
offering the lowest bid.
However, Woodburn, with thirty
years experience in postal service,
was not consulted prior to this
decision. He said, “They bought the
cheapest equipment possible with
the doors and combinations costing
$13,50 for each box.."
“In the design I wanted, the locks
alone cost more than that. The
spring loaded locks with
combination tumblers would have
tasted from now until 2050 with no
problem because they were very
well built," said Woodburn.
Brought to their attention three
weeks ago, the Student Senate is
currently acting as a liaison between
the student body, Woodburn, and
the Office of the Vice President of
Finance.
“Bob Bride’s office has been in¬
credibly receptive, assuring us that
if there is a problem with the Malone
mailboxes, they will either be re¬
placed or some measure will be
taken,” said Harry Scarbrough,
Student Senator.
However, in an interview, Bob
Bride stated that he was unaware
that the Student Senate has any
involvement or interest in the
mailbox problem. “I am not aware
that there are a lot of problems
other than the fact that there are
some boxes that do not open due
to the difficulty in manipulating the
lock,” said Bride.
Claimingthat ninety-nine percent
continued on page three
Fr. Thomas O'Malley's Inauguration
Festivities in Final Planning Stages
Academic Procession to
Take Place on March 3
By Ray Watts
News Editor
P epresentativesfrom more than
-“■^1 00 colleges and universities
across the nation will march in the
academic procession when the Rev
Thomas P. O’Malley, S.J., is inau¬
gurated as the 13th President of
Fr. Thomas P. O'Malley
Loyola Marymount University in
Gersten Pavilion.
The colorful procession, with
the participants robed in traditional
academic gowns and hoods, will
begin at 10:30 a.m. The ceremo¬
nies will be attended by faculty,
students, administrators, govern¬
ment and religious leaders, friends
and guests of the universities and
former colleagues of O’Malley’s at
Fairfield University, John Carroll
University and Boston College.
Fr. Richard Robin, S.J., As¬
sistant to the President, com¬
mented, “Things aregoing very well,
but the response from students has
been rather disappointing.”
He added, “It could be that
they don’t know what to do. They
can check off if they want to attend,
and put the card in the campus
mail.”
The inaugural speaker will be
Sr. Maureen A. Fay, O.P., President
of University of Detroit Mercy, one
of the 28 Jesuit colleges and uni¬
versities in the U.S.
Roland Seidler, Jr., Chairman
of the Loyola Marymount Board of
Trustees and founder and chairman
of Seidler Amdec Securities Inc.,
will present O’Malley with the sym¬
bols of his office, the charter of the
University and the seal of office.
A major address by the newly
installed President will follow the
symbolic transfer of authority over
the 78-year-old University, the
largest Catholic institution in
Southern California.
Others participating in the cer¬
emony will include Cardinal Roger
Mahony and the Honorable Ben¬
jamin Aranda III, President of the
Loyola Marymount University
Alumni Association.
In addition to the academic
ceremony, there will be an entire
weekend of programs slated. An
Inaugural Ball for LMU students will
be held on Saturday, February 29,
at 9:00 p.m. An Inaugural Liturgy
will be held at 5:00 p.m. in Sacred
Heart Chapel.
Robin said, “The student dance
should be very good. There will be
a disk jockey in one area, and
continued on page four
