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

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

[SmithL]

NEW YORK, (AP) -- Columbia University has refused to turn over security videotape that could help identify who hung a noose on a black professor's office door, police said Thursday.

Investigators began asking on Wednesday for tapes from cameras in the building, but have been rebuffed by administrators, said Paul Browne, the New York Police Department's top spokesman.

He said police will have to get a court order to force the school to provide video they believe could crack the case.

"It's unfortunate because it adds a time-consuming step to the investigation," Browne said.

A Columbia spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment.

Authorities were testing the 4-foot-long twine noose for DNA evidence, but had no suspects as of Thursday morning.

On Wednesday, the professor who was the target of the attack, Madonna Constantine, told hundreds of faculty and students at a rally on the Ivy League campus that the incident was a "blatant act of racism" that "reeks of cowardice and fear."

"I'm upset that our community has been exposed to such an unbelievably vile incident," she said.

Police believe the noose was placed on the doorknob of Constantine's office at Teachers College — Columbia's graduate school of education — Tuesday morning, when a colleague spotted it and notified authorities.

Police declined to discuss possible motives or suspects.

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.

[karnage]

I think you are correct. H-O-A-X.

[A Texan]

You may be right, but I look at it like this, it is there property and they can do with it what they want. If it is needed to solve a crime the police can get a warrant. If they alter, destroy or do something to the tape to damage it then the police should be able to file obstruction of justice charges.

I am not sure who is making the complaint, is it the school, a teacher, the police or someone else?

After the Duke lacrosse thing, I would be very careful on how I would handle certain incidents/possible evidence if I was a school administrator. A warrant makes the turnover of evidence legal.

[Ingtar]

Columbia holding the tape could be because of who is on it. That is a logical reason to believe that it is doing so. However, in today’s society, voluntarily handing it over would likely lead to a lawsuit. Reading on here that Columbia called the police also changes my opinion. I thought that some local politician had insisted on the investigation.

[Ditto]

You know, some people expect some sort of protection from an organization they belong to.

When you commit an act which is both against the law and against the policies of the organization you work for, you have zero expectation of protection by that organization and if fact, that organization has an obligation to assist law enforcement in every way possible in prosecuting you.

That Columbia isn't providing that assistance raises red flags to me.

When a 7-11 gets robbed, do the police have to have a warrant to get the surveillance video of the store? The answer is no.

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.

Pure nonsense. In a case where a crime is committed in a public place where there is no expectation of privacy, there is absolutely no liability in turning the tapes over to the police.

[italianquaker]

damn duke boys again

[Izzy Dunne]

A search warrant is not needed because Columbia owns the tapes and may, if they want to, voluntarily give them to the police.

But the whole point here is that they DO NOT want to turn them over.

Therefore I think that a warrant is justified.

It is reasonable to speculate that Columbia’s refusal to cooperate is because revealing the tapes will embarrass the university or cause legal problems with faculty or students regarding privacy.

Reasonable indeed. Still, get the warrant, then get the tapes.

[Phantom Lord]

I am good. Thank you.

But on this matter, little intelligence or ability is really needed to make that prediction and do it accurately.

[buffman]

Kinda obvious- Madonna done did it. How about the ‘offended’ speech she made afterwards. This is nor a new phenomenon with minority faculty...

[buffman]

Kinda obvious- Madonna done did it. How about the ‘offended’ speech she made afterwards. This is nor a new phenomenon with minority faculty...

[crazyshrink]

Columbia University Teacher's College professor Madonna Constantine said tears sprang to her eyes when she saw a noose hanging on her office door. New York police are treating the incident as a hate crime. They are also investigating whether the noose, first discovered by one of Constantine's colleagues, may have been placed by an angry student or another faculty member as part of an ongoing dispute with Constantine. Constantine is involved in a lawsuit with another professor at the college, according to court records. http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3716757&page=1

[Elpasser]

I guaran—damn—tee ya that this will turn out to be a self-serving fraud by the prof herself.

Paging Tawana Brawley...

[Elpasser]

“...so it doesn’t matter who put it there, racism is the larger issue that must be addressed.”

Sounds like you have already learned your PC lesson well. Go to the front of the class!

[freeangel]

“get the warrant, and then get the tapes”

My guess is that Columbia will not be able to find the tape after they get receive a warrant.

[Phantom Lord]

“get the warrant, and then get the tapes”

My guess is that Columbia will not be able to find the tape after they get receive a warrant.

My guess is that Columbia will have no problem handing over the tape if a warrant is presented. But the problem is, that while reviewing the tape a freshman from the AV club was operating the equipment and the tape was damaged due to his inexperience in operating the equipment and unfortunately, the tape is damaged beyond repair and unplayable for a period of 20 seconds, which happens to be when the perp is on film.

Its just a terrible thing that now the racist perp from the young republicans club can not be easily identified.

[17th Miss Regt]

I agree. This sounds like a hoax. Columbia knows what is on the tape. If the court will not force Columbia to turn over the tape, then point out that Columbia knows who did it and is not telling, that there is no way to force them to tell, and that the case is therefore being closed as unsolvable. Then reassign the police resources for this case to important tasks.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Hoax.

[Melas]

You’re both wrong.

Well, since you said so, I guess it must be true. /sarcasm

[Melas]

Pure nonsense. In a case where a crime is committed in a public place where there is no expectation of privacy, there is absolutely no liability in turning the tapes over to the police.

You're probably right. However, if the police have a warrant it's a non-issue and there isn't even an astronomical chance that it could be otherwise. Nothing wrong with playing it safe.

[isrul]

That or something much like it.

[Phantom Lord]

You're probably right. However, if the police have a warrant it's a non-issue and there isn't even an astronomical chance that it could be otherwise. Nothing wrong with playing it safe.

It appears that Columbia has a highly aggrivated, easily offended, and litegeious (sp?) employee on their hands. The requiring a warrant to hand over the film showing her to be the perp is likely a wise move on their part to protect themselves from her and the likelyhood she would sue them.

A warrant removes the possibility of her getting an inch in a suit against them.