Police: Columbia Won't Turn Over (Noose) Video

AP via SFGate ^ | 10/11/7 | TOM HAYS, Associated Press Writer

[traditional1]

They can’t get any mileage out of this “hate crime” if it was a black student OR it was a professor!

[weegee]

As a public school, can you submit a freedom of information request?

[SmithL]

I won’t bet against you.

[DanielRedfoot]

2 Words... “Tawana Brawley”
And when they actually prove out that she hung the noose there herself, the argument will change to “ it was a political statement” to bring attention racist white people, so it doesn’t matter who put it there, racism is the larger issue that must be addressed.

Liberal Press will gladly accept this and drop the matter ~ ...move on

[A Texan]

I tend to agree. Just because the police want something doesn’t mean they don’t have to go through the proper legal channels to get it.

Not to mention, who knows what would happen in the crazy sue-happy country if they did turn it over without a warrant.

[Barney Gumble]

Dollars to doughnuts, the tape probably shows the “offended” perfesser tying the hang rope himself.

Adding to the possibility that she is the one doing it is the line:

Constantine, 44, told police there was "ill will" between her and another professor who had replaced her while she was on an extended leave, a police official said.

My intuition: She was on extended leave. The brought in a temporary replacement, but the temp was much better that she was. So she was getting pushed out the door. She invented the nooze as to be "untouchable" by the admin staff. They wouldn't be able to fire the women who had a nooze put on her door. Obviously she forgot about security tapes, and the school doesn't want to embarrass themselves further.

[ozzymandus]

Does anybody think this wasn’t a put-up job done by the “victim”?

[Phantom Lord]

I am not an attorney and don't play one on the internet, and unfortunately I slept on my couch last night.

But aren't warrants needed when attempting to find or obtain a piece of evidence from a defendant/suspect, etc... not from the complaining/prosecuting party?

[Dante3]

Why else refuse to turn it over?

[lakeman]

I said the same as soon as I heard this.

[this is my name not yours]

Tawana Brawley did it!

[Barney Gumble]

"With the Jena 6 being in the news and not being taken seriously enough by the white populace I was only attempting to raise awareness." --Guilty Prof.

You're good.

[restornu]

You can be sure if it was a repubilican that put it there, they could not get it to the police quick enough!

[tfecw]

"Huh? Columbia is not be investigated and they have absolutely no legitimate reason for not promptly turning over evidence that could help solve a "crime" in which they are the complainant and not the perpetrator."

You know, some people expect some sort of protection from an organization they belong to. Beyond all that, I'm sure there is some sort of legal issue here that Columbia is trying to protect itself from. If seizure of this tape isn't warrant worthy, and Columbia serves it up anyways, I'm sure some lawyer can talk their way into some money.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I sense some confusion causing a difference of opinion.

It is legal for Columbia University to require the police to get a search warrant before turning over CU property.

But since CU is not the criminal, but is the aggreived party, it makes no sense for them to force the police to GET a search warrant. CU had a legal right to hand over the tapes, and didn’t need a search warrant to protect themselves.

If I was shot, and the police asked for the bullet so they could investigate, why would I ask them to get a search warrant first? Sure, I could, but it makes no sense.

[jettester]

In reading about this situation at Columbia, a part of me wants to say: "Hey, its' all about free speech" even though the person(s) who put the noose on the door did not have the b*lls to stand around and declare that. The part of me that says that understands the power of the noose as a racist symbol - but that same power (reaction) is what I felt when Columbia said it was "free speech" when they brought the Moosehead from Iran here and gave him a platform. Hanging a noose on a door is not against the law but I don't condone it. Likewise, inviting ding-a-ling here wasn't against the law but shouldn't have been condoned either.

For me, this would be the the most analogous visceral reaction I could come up with to describe to a Lib why Columbia screwed up with the invite and it was wrong to me.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

They must know it's another Tawana Brawley moment and are covering their asses.

[Mr. Mojo]

A Tawana Brawley with an advanced degree is my guess.

[Mr. Mojo]

Beat me to it. Hopefully the cops force Columbia to give up the goods. ...and that the tape is in fact the real deal.

[Mila]

“Not to mention, who knows what would happen in the crazy sue-happy country if they did turn it over without a warrant.”

Right! When I read that they were not turning over the tape, I felt that they were doing it to force the police to get a warrant. At least as far as releasing the tape is concerned, this might protect them from any legal action brought by the party or parties involved. As far as other lawsuits, who knows.