Campus Briefs: Wednesday, January 21, 1998

HUP religious discrimination case to go to trial in late fall Philadelphia resident Leonard James Smith was fired from his custodian position at HUP in June 1995, less than three months after his picture appeared on the front page of The Daily Pennsylvanian accompanying a story about a speech by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan at the Civic Center. The suit, filed September 22 in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, alleges that his co-workers continually harassed and discriminated against him in the months after the photograph appeared, culminating in his dismissal. Penn has denied the charges. The case -- subsequently moved to U.S. District Court -- may be called to trial after September 15. -- Ben Geldon Gameroom suit trial date delayed The Spruce Street landlords who accuse Penn of conspiring to illegally close their arcade and laundry will have to wait longer to get their day in court, U.S. District Judge Marvin Katz ruled last week. Katz ruled that the lawsuit filed by the Schoepe family, which owns University Pinball and University Laundry at 4006-4008 Spruce Street, cannot proceed until the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules on motions filed by University attorneys in December. The University appealed three motions stemming from an October 22 order by Katz denying Penn's request to rule immediately in its favor. The Schoepes sued Penn and the city in April, accusing them of shutting down their businesses without giving them a hearing. The University filed a countersuit claiming the establishments attracted crime to the edge of campus. The city paid the Schoepes $60,000 in September to settle its part of the suit. -- Ben Geldon