Claremont Professor Denies Staging Hate Crime

NBC4 ^

[GulliverSwift]

LOS ANGELES -- A Claremont college professor who claimed she was targeted in a hate crime that provoked campus protests denied police allegations that she staged the vandalism.

"This is like a very big deal if they think I'm a suspect," Kerri F. Dunn, a visiting professor of psychology at Claremont McKenna College, told the Los Angeles Times. "I didn't want any of this from the beginning. This is so overshadowing the bigger problem on campus, which is that the administration has turned its head regularly on hate speech and hate crimes."

But police said two witnesses came forward with allegations that Dunn, whose car was vandalized and spray-painted with racial and sexist epithets, did it herself.

Police said Dunn gave inconsistent statements during two interviews conducted jointly by the Claremont Police Department and the FBI.

Police were to forward their findings to the district attorney's office Thursday, said police Lt. Stan Van Horn. Dunn was not taken into custody.

The witnesses, Van Horn said, were of college age and friends of a student at Claremont McKenna College.

Claremont McKenna College will conduct its own investigation of Dunn, whose contract lasts through June, said college President Pamela Gann. The school's faculty was to convene Thursday to discuss the police department claims, she said.

The alleged hate crime last week was seen as the latest in a rash of recent hate incidents, including a burning of a cross used in an art project and the writing of racial slurs on a calendar.

It galvanized this close-knit college community known for its rigorous academics, with faculty canceling classes students holding a day of rallies that culminated in a large protest at Claremont McKenna College where Dunn spoke.

"This was a well-planned out act of terrorism," she told a crowd of some 2,500 student during the demonstration March 10.

Students and faculty were shocked by the new allegations.

"She basically insulted this whole school and embarrassed us all. She kind of tricked us," said Glen Kim, 21, said Thursday. "I don't know what to think. I can't explain why she did this."

Kim, a senior economics major at Claremont McKenna College, said he took part in several sit-ins and forums to discuss the hate crime last week.

"A lot of people who were at the rallies really supported the professor," Kim said. "When something like this happens, it really hurts the whole atmosphere of the college community."

[GulliverSwift]

It galvanized this close-knit college community known for its rigorous academics, with faculty canceling classes students holding a day of rallies that culminated in a large protest at Claremont McKenna College where Dunn spoke.

Are any of you Southern Cal FReepers planning any gatherings?

These people fantasize and dream of hate crimes. "It really happened here!"

Without them, they have no purpose in life and nothing to rally against. I've seen a number of cases where someone has faked it.

[GulliverSwift]

"Stop the hate!..... or I'll attack you."

[RippleFire]

bump

[lelio]

Looks like the one on the left is riding The Bone Coaster (from the movie "Office Space")

[AnAmericanMother]

Just look at her face!

She's revelling in the attention. Folks who manufacture crimes against themselves always do.

[freedumb2003]

Professor Denies Staging Hate Crime

A Liberal and a Liar together in one person?? This is a combination that has NEVER been seen together! I am astonished!

[Euro-American Scum]

"Stop the hate!..... or I'll attack you."

"We realize there are people in this world that do not love their fellow human beings, and WE HATE PEOPLE LIKE THAT!" -- Tom Lehrer.

[GulliverSwift]

"She basically insulted this whole school and embarrassed us all. She kind of tricked us," said Glen Kim, 21, said Thursday. "I don't know what to think. I can't explain why she did this."

Poor Glen. Now he's never going to get that A in Women's Studies 203.

[Euro-American Scum]

A Liberal and a Liar together in one person?? This is a combination that has NEVER been seen together! I am astonished!

"I'm shocked! Shocked to find that there's gambling going on in here!"

[lelio]

Dunn, whose contract lasts through June

Odd that this event occurs just before she's going to undergo a review of her contract. Nah, can't be related.

[MEG33]

That picture makes me embarrassed for my gender... What a drama queen.

[denydenydeny]

Indexing.

[buffyt]

Sheesh! We lived in Claremont the entire year of 2002. It is pretty much a conservative quite little town, even with those colleges there. Beautiful little city, and "the village" is a great place to shop, eat out, etc. Just a wonderful place to live, close enough to LA and far enough away. This professor is sure trying to stir up trouble. I don't remember ANY racism or trouble of ANY kind there while we lived there and we lived just a few blocks from the campuses.

[jwalburg]

This is like a very big deal This is so overshadowing the bigger problem

Ought to be fired for valley-girl speech if nothing else

[Congressman Billybob]

This professor called it a "well-planned out act of terrorism." Seems like it was. This psychology professor needs a shrink -- right after she gets fired and gets convicted of the crime of making a false report.

Both the police and the university sound come down on this woman like a ton of bricks, as a lesson to others on other campuses who are inclined to stage their own attacks and events to create a non-existent issue. This is the academic equivalent of the occasional volunteer fireman who starts fires to give himself something "heroic" to do.

Congressman Billybob

Click here, then click the blue CFR button, to join the anti-CFR effort (or visit the "Hugh & Series, Critical & Pulled by JimRob" thread). Please do it now.

[Oztrich Boy]

"This was a well-planned out act of terrorism," she told a crowd of some 2,500 student during the demonstration March 10.

dishonest and Conceited

[Congressman Billybob]

As Tom Lehrer said, "There are people in this world who do not love their fellow man, and I HATE people like that." LOL.

John / Billybob

[Euro-American Scum]

Sheesh! We lived in Claremont the entire year of 2002. It is pretty much a conservative quite little town, even with those colleges there.

I grew up in Pomona and have been back in the Claremont area the last fifteen years, and see nothing of the conservatism you mention. The town leans left, although not as much as the radical, whacko, Claremont College leftists. Plenty of New Age curio shops in the Village. Rhino Records and that Earth First shop right across the street to name a few.

Got to agree with you about The Village, though. I'm over there several times a week. More now that the patio is open at Walter's and the weather is cooperating.

[BookmanTheJanitor]

Don't forget a criminal:

from today's Daily Bulletin

Dunn has had a few minor brushes with the law while living and working in Nebraska. Dunn attended the University of Nebraska and taught at Nebraska-Wesleyan University in 2001. There was no record of disciplinary action against her at Nebraska-Wesleyan University, said Sara Olson, spokeswoman with the college.

Dunn was arrested by the Lincoln Police Department on September 29, 2000 on suspicion of shoplifting, possessing stolen property, refusing to comply with a police officer's orders among other charges, records show. All of the charges, which are misdemeanors, were dropped except for the shoplifting charge. She was found guilty and fined $200, according to criminal records.

In September 1999, Dunn was cited on suspicion of driving on a suspended license and failing to appear for a court hearing. She was found guilty of the first charge and paid a $50 fine, records show.

[GulliverSwift]

Ought to be fired for valley-girl speech if nothing else

Well, she certainly won't be fired for looking like a valley girl.