University of Virginia Library

WTJU Will Not Press Charges
On Carlisle, White, Williams

By PAT GRANEY

WTJU radio will not press
charges against fourth-year
students Sandy Williams and
Edwin Carlisle and third-year
law student Christian White
according to a statement issued
by WTJU Program Director,
Mike Leech yesterday.

However, the station
"expects" a public apology and
would press charges "if such
actions are repeated against
WTJU or any other student
organization."

The statement was
presented in response to
actions by Mr. Williams last
Thursday night when he was
found searching through WTJU
files containing program logs
without authorization.

Mr. White and Mr. Carlisle,
both appellants of student
funding for some 43 student
organizations including the FM
station, accompanied Mr.
Williams when he was
examining the files.

Mr. Williams subsequently
denied that he was searching
for information to be used in
Mr. White's and Mr. Carlisle's
challenge of WTJU's funding
before the Student Activities
Committee (SAC).

"WTJU expects a public
apology from all three persons
for their unethical actions,"
Mr. Leech said. "We also deserve a
promise from each individual
that no such improper actions
will be repeated in their efforts
to defund us or any other
student organization. We do
not object to their attempts to
have the Student Activities Fee
restricted or eliminated. We
disagree with their contentions,
but not their right to act out
their convictions."

Moderate Attitude

"We prefer that the matter
not be blown up beyond its
actual proportions," he said.
"After careful consideration it is
our feeling that the actions
taken do not presently appear
to be sufficiently serious in
scope to warrant any further
embarrassment to the persons.
That their activities have been
publicly exposed seems to be
enough punishment at this
moment."

Mr. White explained that
the three had just "been
wandering and looking" when,
"it came up among the three of
us that we might go up to
WTJU. It was a rather an up in
air thing."

Statement Refused

Both Mr. White and Mr.
Carlisle have denied any
involvement in the incident,
and have denied that they were
trying to gather information to
be used in their appeals.

"We do not however,
accept the published
statements of Mr. White and
Mr. Carlisle that they are not
involved in the incident," Mr.
Leech asserted, "or that it is
totally unrelated to their
efforts against funding of
student organizations. Our
conviction is not based on
'paranoia', but upon evidence
we have gathered as part of our
preparation for possible
Judiciary action."

Files Opened

First-year student Joe
Miano, a WTJU engineer who
requested that Mr. Williams
and Mr. White not examine the
file said, when he returned from
the engineering room where he
had been showing Mr. Carlisle
WTJU's new stereo equipment
he found Mr. Williams
showing the file to Mr. White.

Mr. Williams had admitted
that he opened WTJU's
program files to "show Chris
how the files are kept," and
maintained that he had a right
to the files as a member of the
station. "I am a member, so I
saw no problem. According to
the constitution, a person is a
member for life." Mr. Williams
said, however, that he had not
seen a copy of the constitution
before he opened the files.