Claremont Hate Crime Called Hoax

LA Times ^ | March 17. 2994 | Joy Buchanan, Kristina Sauerwein and Stuart Silverstein

[BurbankKarl]

A week after a reported campus hate crime drew national attention, sparked protests and shut down the prestigious Claremont Colleges, police on Wednesday called the incident a hoax staged by a professor who slashed tires, shattered windows and spray-painted racist graffiti on her own car.

Claremont McKenna College psychology professor Kerri Dunn, who had told police that her car was vandalized as she spoke at a March 9 forum on racism, was identified by two eyewitnesses as the person who damaged the auto, authorities said Wednesday.

She was not arrested, but Claremont Police Lt. Stan Van Horn said the case would be sent to the Los Angeles County district attorney for review and that the likely charge would be filing a false police report, a misdemeanor. The FBI said she might face more serious felony charges of lying to federal investigators.

Campus leaders last week had condemned the vandalism as a hate crime, shut down the Claremont consortium of colleges for a day of anti-hate rallies and called in FBI investigators. The police contention that Dunn staged the incident triggered a wave of anger against her Wednesday and fears that students would become cynical about racism.

[SAR_dude]

The college should sue her for the lost day, lost time of faculty, staff, even lost time of the students. Can you lose your teaching credentials for something like this?

[absalom01]

From Claremont-McKenna's web site:
http://www.mckenna.edu/news/pressreleases/article.asp?article_id=329


Statement of President Pamela Gann Regarding Police Investigation of Vandalism Incident


Date Issued: 03/17/2004

The Claremont Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation announced this afternoon that they have completed their investigation into the alleged vandalizing of a Claremont McKenna College faculty member’s car on Tuesday, March 9, 2004. According to their report, two witnesses have come forward to positively identify the faculty member as vandalizing her own vehicle. Additionally, interviews with the faculty member revealed inconsistencies in her statements regarding the incident. Based on this information, as well as other information revealed during the investigation, the Claremont Police Department will present its findings to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office for review.

The professor involved has a teaching contract for two years through June 30, 2004. Based on the information from the police investigation, Claremont McKenna College will be conducting a further investigation into the professor’s employment relationship with the College for the remainder of this academic year. No decision has been made at this time.

While this information certainly comes as a shock and surprise to our community, Claremont McKenna College remains committed to its mission as an undergraduate residential college in which academic freedom and free speech are wholeheartedly supported, and in which all individuals feel welcome to study and teach here, and free to express their viewpoints, thoughts, and ideas.

[BurbankKarl]

Claremont McKenna College professor Kerri Dunn at her home in Redlands on Wednesday. “This is like a very big deal if they think I’m a suspect,” she said.

[lainde]

I JUST KNEW it! How utterly contemptible! But maybe it'll be a wake-up call to naive students.

[L.N. Smithee]

For a black guy who left the plantation years ago, this is no surprise.

From June 2001: Hate Crime? No, FAKE Crime! Cops Say Gay Activist Scammed NJ College Into Pro-Homo Frenzy

From September 2001:TX Black Woman Says Men Carved ''KKK'' on Her Chest (IMHO, She's Lying, & You Heard It Here First)

[lainde]

I'm with you...That's why I smelled a rat! BTW hope you had a chance to read Starr Parker's "Uncle Sam's Plantation".

[henbane]

The FBI said she might face more serious felony charges of lying to federal investigators.

Looks like Professor Kerri is a lying weasel who needs a few months in a federal lock-up to remind her that a big dose of PC mendacity is not a good thing for her young and impressionable students.

A fellow Freeper had some good details from the earlier LA Times coverage that featured the hoax in a big article. Points out the deep-seated and relentless duplicty of Kerri Dunn.

Kerri Dunn, the visiting professor whose car was trashed, says she had been outspoken in her classes on the issue of racial intolerance and she thought the vandalism might have been committed by one of her students or one of her student's friends. "I was speaking out and one of the things they wrote on my car was 'Shut up.'" She said she asked her students why they hadn't spoken out against previous racial incidents. "I kind of got on a soapbox and asked what was wrong with them."

The Times doesn't say what slurs were printed on her car (other than the one telling her to shut up). She is quoted as saying that one of them was anti-Semitic (she is a Catholic in the process of converting to Judiasm). Since no one except students in her class would know that she thinks it was one of her students.

#17 posted on 03/11/2004 8:42:35 PM EST by DentsRun

Kerri, the helpful "victim," was right about one key detail--it was definitely someone in her class.

[Nick Danger]

What some people will do for attention.

[Bob J]

She should be charged with a hate crime.

[Ruth A.]

She was caught trying to perpetuate her speaking tour.

[Maynerd]

My first exposure to the hard left was at college in NY. I have never dealt with such an intolerant bigoted group before or since. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that this ilk would foment and promots inter-racial hatred and suspicion. The hardcore leftists are pathetic and sick; they have "issues".

[farfromhome]

Truly sad. I attended Harvey Mudd College (also a member of the Claremont Colleges). My impression of the Claremont McKenna students was that they tended more towards the conservative side and were mostly studying in the areas of business, law and government. Then again, it looks as if this had nothing to do with the students, but with a contracted (i.e. not tenured) professor. Not sure if she had a shot at tenure before this stunt. I really hope she doesn't have a shot after it.

[farfromhome]

Truly sad. I attended Harvey Mudd College (also a member of the Claremont Colleges). My impression of the Claremont McKenna students was that they tended more towards the conservative side and were mostly studying in the areas of business, law and government. Then again, it looks as if this had nothing to do with the students, but with a contracted (i.e. not tenured) professor. Not sure if she had a shot at tenure before this stunt. I really hope she doesn't have a shot after it.

[hellinahandcart]

Whether she's converting to Judaism or not, it's definitely time to take those Christmas decorations down.

[hellinahandcart]

Lee Ross, a social psychologist on the faculty at Stanford University, said that if Dunn is proven to have committed the vandalism, the professor may still have raised people's awareness about racism. "One ironic thing is that doing this may actually have accomplished some of her goals, if her goal was to make people feel that racism was present and that there was danger of white backlash," Ross said.

I'd say the odds of a "white backlash" against the professor are now extremely high.

[Lawgvr1955]

The FBI said she might face more serious felony charges of lying to federal investigators.

I doubt they go after her to the degree they did against Martha Stewart.

[HitmanLV]

Can you lose your teaching credentials for something like this?

Depends. What's a teaching credential these days?

[NYCVirago]

She should be charged with a hate crime.