'U' Teacher Starts 20-Day Jail Term

'U' Teacher Starts 20-Day Jail Term

An assistant professor of sociology entered the Washtenaw County Jail yesterday to serve a 20-day sentence imposed in February, 1966, on a charge of trespass which arose from an Oct. 15, 1965, sit-in demonstration in the Selective Service board offices.

Thomas F. Mayer, 30, of 717 McKinley, was one of 28 persons convicted for refusing to leave the draft board office where they were protesting American involvement in the war in Vietnam.

The 28 had exhausted their appeals through the Michigan courts and last month appealed to the U. S. Supreme Court which granted a stay of proceedings against them Nov. 30, pending action there.

Attorneys for Mayer and the other defendant notified Prosecuting Attorney William F. Delhey yesterday that Mayer would withdraw from the higher court proceedings and that he wished to begin serving his sentence so that it could be completed during the University’s Christmas vacation.

Mayer filed a stipulation that the Supreme Court proceedings be dismissed as to him and that the stay of proceedings in the Washtenaw Circuit Court be removed. He then surrendered himself to Delhey and was taken to the jail.

Mayer received the longest sentence of the 28 from Circuit Judge James R. Breakey Jr. He was the only faculty member arrested in the case. Several teaching fellows and research employes were sentenced to 18 days, and the larger number of University students and others were ordered to serve 15 days.

Judge Breakey said while sentencing them that teachers “should display more responsibility than these perhaps misguided students.”