◆ SpookStack

~ ———— : . . . “The circumstances present at the time indicate that 74 men surrounded by several hundred hostile rioters were forced to retreat back up the hill toward Taylor Hall under a constant barrage of racks and other fiving objects. accompanied by a constant flow of chants such as, ‘Kill, kill, kill’ “Pholographic evidence has established heyond any doubt that as nalional guardsmen approached the top of the hill adjacent to Taylar Hall a large segment of the crowd surged up the hill led bs small groups of agita- tors, .approaching to within a short distance of the rear ranks of the guard.” Although some of the student demonstrators claimed only a few rocks were thrown, the Grand Jury reported that construction workers in the area lestified that 200 bricks were taken. OTHER WITNESSES testified students carried bags of rocks to the rally while others had gas masks and equip- ment in obvious anticipation that something was going to happen. _ Rocks were also stockpiled in the area, some wilncsses testified. “There is additional evidence that advance planning ’ had occurred in connection with the rally held that fatal noon,” the jury report said, “Agrecing with the principle of law that words are ,not enough {to justify use of lethal force the verbal abuse directed at the guardsmen by men and women students was such thal the jurors would not have he- lieved it except that it was confirmed by much lestime- ny and audio tapes. : The jurors obviously were shocked by the “verbal abuse” referred to, saying: “tt) represented a Ievel of obscenity and vulgarity which we nave never before wilnessed ... It is hard to accept the fact that the languate of thed utter has be- come the common vernacular of many persons posing as students in search of higher education. “TITHE FACT THAT the Guard [ired in setf-defense is _ not an endorsement of the manner in which those in command of the Guard reacted. Fe . ae | ere. “To the contrary ... the order to disperse crowd on the Commons put the guard in an unten. and dangerous position with weapons inappropriate dealing with campus disorders, ’ “Unfortunately, however, under current practices other weapons have been made available to the gu by the Department of the Army.” The jurors said 23 concerned faculty members” » issued a statement attacking President Nixon, his \ nam policies, rac.sm, Governor Rhodes and the se! administration. although coupled with a piea for un standing of campus issucs, committed “an irrespons act clearly not in the Dest interests of Kent State.” re gs 4 SN ee The report stated that document, distribute domrmitories early Sunday evening before the shoot Monday, was prepared in the office of the dean for ulty council, known asthe ombudsman. The report slapped at @ smail minority of fac members. who “devote their entire class periods to ing their students to openly oppose our institutior government, even to the potnt where one student, dared detend the American flag, was ridiculed bs professor before his classmates.” THE GRAND JURY declared as “riots” in a J Sense ihe disorders of Friday night in downtown | - when the trouble began. the Saturday rally that le the burning “of the ROTC building, the Sunday stu sitdown in the streets and the Manday rally, It said students ignored proper orders to disperse. The cvidence is that the National Guard was ord into Kent following Kent Mayor Leroy Satrom’s sc call ta Governor Rhodes’ office for help becuase mayor felt focal authoritics could not handle the s lion and no more poticeinen were available. -—_