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• SINCE 1854 • AMALGAMATED 1999 WITH CLARINGTON THIS WEEK • Pressrun 21,900 34 Pages Wednesday,, Febri^ry v ' -Optional 4 week delivery $5/$l newsstand What a difference a day makes Sports, page 9 it's auto show time! Wheels Pull out Newcastle family wins battle Killer moved to 'prison BY JENNIFER STONE Staff Writer CLARINGTON - While a Newcastle family has won a lengthy battle to have their daughter's killer moved to an institution institution with a "prison setting", Ottawa is poised to undertake a review of the placement of murderers murderers within the judicial system. The parents of Jennifer Cop- ithorn are relieved to hear her killer will be moved to Wark- worth Institution, which they believe believe is more of a "prison setting" than Fenbrook Institute, where he'd previously been housed. After months of wrangling, the Copithorn family learned Monday morning Mr. Appleton was to have been moved yesterday yesterday from the relatively new Fenbrook Fenbrook Institute near Gravenhurst, to Warkworth Institution, near Campbellford. The move comes about two weeks after the Cop- ilhorns learned Mr. Appleton's file was being reviewed by the warden at Fenbrook, after a number number of questions by the family and others on Mr. Appleton's placement at the Gravenhurst- area site. ' A Correctional Service of Canada spokesman could not confirm the move, citing rules prohibiting the release of such information. information. Though both are medium-security medium-security prisons, Glen Copithorn, Jennifer's father, says Warkworth is "more the prison setting" than is Fenbrook, which he says "totally "totally takes away the prison feeling. feeling. It's like a neighbourhood townhouse development. "He is in a prison where he should be I guess at this time," says Mr. Copithorn, noting Warkworth was about the highest security prison they could have hoped for their daughter's killer to be sent. "I'm happy about the move. It's not probably what we would have wanted, but at this point now, we're satisfied." The Copithorns, formerly of Courtice and Blackslock, began their battle to have Mr. Appleton moved in the spring of 2000. That's when they learned the man in prison for Jennifer's brutal brutal August 1998 stabbing death had been moved to Fenbrook. At his sentencing hearing in November 1999, court heard Mr. Appleton, then 28, of Oshawa, began stalking the 24-year-old bank teller after she ended their turbulent relationship, harassing ROBERT APPLETON her with phone calls and unwanted unwanted visits. The morning of Aug. 4,1998, Mr. Appleton hid in a building stairwell concealing a 20.5 cm kitchen knife in a newspaper, and ambushed the petite bank teller as she arrived to work at the National National Bank at 68 King. St. E. in Bowmanville. She was stabbed 19 times, her screams for help drawing the attention attention of horrified office employees employees and colleagues. They were helpless to stop the attack. Mr. Appleton fled and was arrested arrested by police four blocks away after being followed by bystanders. bystanders. Initially charged with first-degree first-degree murder, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to life with no chance for parole for 22 years. His transfer to Fenbrook took place just four months into his 22-years-to-lile sentence, after a classification process at Mill- haven Institution near Kingston deemed him a lit candidate for the medium-secure facility in Gravenhurst. Correctional Service spokesman Theresa Westfall says placement of inmates is based on the classification process which "rates them based on risk to public public safety, escape risk, and their institutional adjustment." Maxi- mum-security jails are generally for "inmates who need much more structure and could pose a risk to each other." Medium-security Medium-security prisons tend to be suited to those who "do everything that's expected of them within the prison environment," she explains. explains. All have the same outer security features, she adds. But, Fenbrook and Warkworth, while Sec COPITHORNS page 4 ACCREDITED TEST & REPAIR FACILITY *An (ilHclnl murk of the I'rmlncv of Ontario ii.svil under licence. WHITBY - OSHAWA BOMBA, 1110 DUNDAS. ST. E., WHITBY LOCAL (90S) TOR. LINK (905) 666-1772 686-1745 www.homln1.com ®n Statesman WHERE TO FIND IT Editorial Page 6 Sports 9 Classified 11 GIVE US A CALL General 623-3303 Distribution .. .579-4407 Death Notices 1-905- 683-3005 Sincerely Yours 1-800-662-8423 Web site durhamnews.net judi.bobbitt ©durhamnews.net FAX 623-6161 ANDREW 1WANOWSKI/ Statesman photo He's snow fine BOWMANVILLE - Students at Ontario huge snowfall late last week. Putting tltefin- Street Public School built several snowmen isliing touches on their creation are Emily with the help of the vice-principal after a Leonard, left, and Erika McVitty. Majority of parents will set student dress codes 'Interesting discussions' predicted by board official BY JENNIFER STONE Staff Writer A local public school official is predicting some "interesting discussions" as parents get more say in what their children wear to school. Education minister Janet, Ecker announced earlier this week that a majority of parents at any school in the province will be able to set appropriate student dress codes, under school board policies which must be in place by June. "Many parents have told us they believe a dress' code or school uniform is a good way to encourage respect, responsibility and safety in our schools," Ms. Ecker said Monday in Markham. According to Trudy Lum, superintendent superintendent of educational services services with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, public schools currently set the rules with regard to student attire. "Currently the'issue of dressing dressing appropriately is addressed through a school's code of behaviour behaviour ... (which includes) statements statements which indicate the types of clothing not appropriate at school," notes Ms. Lum, adding Sec SCHOOLS page 4 Road rage battle leads to charges against Courtice man COURTICE- A roadside fistfight ended abruptly when one of the combatants pulled a rifle from the trunk of his car, Durham Regional Police said. The victim and several friends fled. A Courtice man was later charged. Police said a minor incident sparked an altercation between a 24-year-old motorist and a 37- year-old passenger in another car at Sirncoe and Bloor streets shortly before 8 pan. During the fight, in which the younger man lost a tooth, the second man returned returned to his vehicle and removed removed a rifle. The victim and a i couple of friends reheated to' their ciu - and drove away, police said. Police received a description- of die suspect vehicle and a short time later, after a general', broadcast, officers stopped a ve-i; hide in Courtice. / A male passenger was arrest-:- ed, a rifle and ammunition: seized. ; His wife, who was driving; the vehicle, was arrested but later released with no charges. A girl was seated iii the back seat at the time of the incident, police police said. Michael Stewart, 37, of Kennedy Drive, Courtice, is charged with assault causing bodily harm, possession of a dangerous weapon and other offences. offences. Clarington couple lead local fight to have Canada join new kidney research WALTER PASSARELIA/ Statesman photo June and Harold Slones ofLeskard are circulating a petition to present to Durham MP Ales Shepherd, calling on Canada to get involved in the research of bio-artijicial kidneys. BY JACQUIE MclNNES Staff Writer LESKARD-When Harold and June Stones envisioned their retirement, it included vacations to their time-share properties and idyllic days spent reflecting on 50 years of hard work. Then, just three days before before Mr. Stones left his job at an Ajax engineering company three years ago, he became ill. Shortly after came the realization realization he would spend his retirement retirement travelling not to the exotic places he had hoped, but to the Whitby General Hospital kidney dialysis unit. From his Leskard home, near Orono, he makes three trips a week to the unit and spends several hours each visit receiving receiving treatment while his wife waits for him before they 1 make the long trip home. It's an expensive process, notes Mrs. Stones, which costs taxpayers taxpayers about $1,000 each week for each dialysis patient. patient. At the Whitby centre alone, there are 90 patients. Prompted by the arduous routine that has become daily life for the couple, they have added their voices to others who are calling on the federal government to invest in the research of bio-artificial kidneys, kidneys, an artificial organ which could break the bonds dialysis places on those with failed kidneys. Mr. and Mrs. Stones are circulating a petition to present to Durham MP Alex Shepherd in hopes of getting Canadian involvement in the research, which began at the University of Michigan. Human trials on the artificial kidney are about to begin and, if all goes well, the technology technology could someday eliminate the long wait for scarce human organ donations. "I'd like to see it developed," developed," says Mr. Stones. "I'd like to see ongoing research into it as soon as possible. There are an awful lot of people people who travel a lot of miles (for treatment). You can claim your expenses but you can't claim your time." Mr. Shepherd says he would "have no problem supporting" supporting" the research. "I would be happy to present present it in the House of Commons," Commons," he says, noting the recent recent throne speech spoke to exactly this type of investment investment in health care technology. technology. "I think it's very much a part of our initiative," he says. The couple has come to terms with the realization the See PETITION page 4