The Galveston Daily News from Galveston, Texas • Page 9

Texas report TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 28, 1990 THE GALVESTON DAILY NEWS 9-A 'A lot of nerve' Unaccredited law school reopens with no phone or library AP Bodies found Javier Lopez, 11, gazes down at the manhole cover where the body of 7-year-old Erica Marie Botetlo was removed from a storm sewer Sunday in Sant Antonio. Erica was abducted Aug. 23 from her apartment complex a few yards away. The wreaths and mementos were placed at the site by friends of the family. Police make third arrest in death of girl; suspects in other slaying sought Associated Press EDINBURG, Texas It has no library, lacks accreditation and was pronounced dead last year, but the state's only law school south of San Antonio reopened Monday, using a pay telephone to take calls from prospective students.

Reynaldo G. Garza School of Law's directors revived the private school because they believe area residents should have the opportunity to earn a law degree in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, said Bernard S. Kahn, dean and chairman of the school's board; "Here we are struggling, living hand to mouth," Kahn said. "We don't have a library, but we have a lot of nerve." For the time being, the school plans to rent a room for classes at the Campus Ministry Center, owned by the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, just west of the University of Texas-Pan American campus, said Edward Gerusa, law school president. As before, all classes will be at night, because many of the students hold jobs during the day, Gerusa said.

As registration began Monday afternoon, Kahn and Gerusa took several calls from prospective students at a pay telephone in the church-owned center. Gerusa said the school plans eventually to rent office space somewhere in Edinburg. The Garza Law School opened in Brownsville in 1984, then later moved to Edinburg, but closed at the end of 1S89 for lack of funds. Consultants had advised the school that it probably did not have the financial stability required for accreditation from the American Bar Association. Accreditation is needed in order for graduates of the law school to take the state bar examination required for practicing law.

It tried to achieve financial stability by affiliating with the University of Texas-Pan American and Texas University, but neither university wanted the law school. The Texas Supreme Court allowed a two-year waiver of the accreditation requirement, to allow the already enrolled Garza students to take the bar. That waiver expired last year. Of 87 graduates, about 40 have passed the bar, said Gerusa, a re- tired U.S. Border Patrol agent who graduated from the Garza school last year and took the state bar last month.

He has not received the results yet. Kahn, one of the school's original founders, is litigation coordinator with the Texas Rural Legal Aid Inc. office in Brownsville, and teaches history at UT Pan American. About 30 other students began, but did not finish their studies at the unaccredited school, including Ricardo Salazar, 27, who showed up for registration Monday afternoon. Salazar, however, decided not to enroll Monday because he can't afford the approximately $3,000 it costs per semester.

He said he cannot obtain a Guaranteed Student Loan. Associated Press SAN ANTONIO Police arrested a third man Monday in the slaying of a 7-year-old kidnapped girl one of two young girls whose bodies were found during the weekend. Erica Botello's body was found in a drainage ditch near her San Antonio home. The body of Heidi Seeman, 11, was discovered about 60 miles away along a rural road near Wimberley in Hays County. Police said they don't believe the killings are related.

Both girls were the objects of huge searches. In Heidi's case, the hunt spread through South Texas and ultimately went nationwide. Kenneth Earl Pope, 31, was arrested Monday on a capital murder charge in Erica's death, police spokeswoman Sandy Perez said. He was being held at Bexar County Jail in lieu of $1 million bond. Also charged with capital murder in her killing are Rodrick Springs, 17, and Sherman Bedford III, 31.

Both remained in Bexar County Jail on Monday in lieu of $1 million bond. Lt. Albert Ortiz, commander of the San Antonio Police homicide division, said police were awaiting a medical examiner's report Monday before announcing Erica's cause of death. She was taken by car from her apartment complex Thursday. "We do know for a fact that they rode her around town for a long, long time," Ortiz said.

In a news conference Sunday night, Ortiz said Erica's hands had been tied and her body was partially clothed. A volunteer searcher discovered the body about noon Sunday in a storm sewer a few blocks from her apartment. No arrests had been made Monday in the disappearance and death of Heidi Seeman, who vanished Aug. 4 while walking along a road near her home. Thousands of people had joined organized searches for Heidi.

Her case appeared on the "America's Most Wanted," television program. "We're still trying to look into every lead that we have, but so far nothing has panned out," Ms. Perez said. A rancher in an all-terrain vehicle discovered the body Saturday about 20 feet off Highway 220 near Wimberley. He had noticed a foul odor and buzzards circling overhead.

"It would be almost impossible to determine the cause of death," Ortiz said. Griffin Pedersen DCS and Masel PC Certified Public Accountants is pleased to announce the addition of John Cambiano.CPA in our Galveston office 305 Moody Suite 228 762-7774 GALVESTON FLOORING PAINT RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL SALES INSTALLATION LARGE SELECTION OF VINYL CARPET IN STOCK OFF WARNER WALL PAPER SIAINMASTPR- STARTING AT per square yard MARTIN CARPET CERAMIC TILE WALLPAPER VERTICAL BLINDS CALL TOD AY, INSTALL TOMMORROW! MON-SAT 8 TO 6 VINYL PAINT MINI-BLINDS WOOD FLOORING WOVEN WOODS UNCRATED AIR CONDITIONER 10OYEARS 1890-1990 BIG SAVINGS LIMITED QUANTITIES! It's been a long, hot summer, and there's more hot weather ahead but our air conditioning season is coming to an end. We are drastically reducing prices on our remaining stock for QUICK SALE! Used models, demos, floor models, prior year models ALL MUST GO! WHAT BETTER WAY TO SAVE THAN NOW AT CONN'S (MHaaraMroEMIIufSSESSSuiSS MODEL: KP05G10E, 7.6 EER, 4-way air flow control, 2-speed fan, 115 volt, copper tubing, washable filter. MODEL: KP06G10E, 8.7 EER, 4-way air flow control fan, 115 volt-copper tubing, washable filter. MODEL: KM 18G30E, 230 volt, 9.0 EER, 6-way air flow control, 3-speed fan, stale air exchanger.

FREE ESTIMATES 762-5244 4222 BROADWAY GALV, TX HOUSTON 10900 GULF FREEWAY 947-6010 10A.M.-9P.M. HOUSTON 9757 KATY FRWY. MO WEST HOUSTON 22M W. HOLCOMBE 665-7805 OPEN WEEKDAYS 10-8 SAT. 10A.M.-7P.M.

HOUSTON 97001-45 N. 467-7102 591-0092 OPEN OPEN 10A.M.-9P.M. 10A.M.-9P.M. Bunker Hill Gestner on south side HOUSTON 10430 SOUTHWEST FREEWAY 774-2727 10A.M.-9P.M. HOUSTON HWY.249ATFM1960 955-9581 10A.M.-9P.M.

BAYTOWN 1715 N.ALEXANDER 427-7563 WEEKDAYS: 8 A.M.-8 P.M. SAT. 8 A.M.-6 P.M..