The Panther Prints

EXPOSED!

This is a dramatization. . . please don't beat up Lorne Photo by M.Beagan

by Yvonne MacKean As most people have no doubt noticed, there have been recently a number of posted Campus Advisories. The reason for this is an incident that took place last week. On Monday March 4, two UPEI students (who, due to the sensitive nature of this issue, wish to remain anonymous) were walking up to campus. They had taken the short cut across the field past Bernardine Hall. As the two came closer to Bernardine, they saw a man. "He was running towards us, and he slowed down and walked towards us” ob- _ served one of the girls. She noticed that he "Was kind of digging in his pocket.” She observed this only because the whole situation was unusual. As the two got closer, he exposed himself to them. The two proceeded towards one of the resi- dence buildings, all the while keep- ing an eye on the man, who stood watching them. The RA in Bernardine told and UPEI Security was promptly con- tacted. The man remained outside until one of the girls identified him to another person. He then ran off. In flight, he lost his hat. He escaped into a van with an easily identifiable name on it. Security came that night and took statements from the girls. The next day, the girls talked to

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ri ain. then they were con-

tacted by the Charlottetown police to come for a photo line up. The man was identified by both girls. The man has been charged, but has yet to go to court. Should he plead not guilty, the girls will have to testify in court. Both were happy with the response time of Security and the police, as the suspect was appre- hended in under twenty-four hours.

The girls are still nervous about walking at night. One of the girls remarked that she had walked alone once before but "now I'd never walk alone, it would be stupid" (a warning all should heed). The second girl admits that she is a bit nervous when she is alone. How- ever, she thinks security is good on campus. The two are still shook up about the incident. One has night- mares about what could have hap- pened, while the other just remem- bers the incident and sees his face when she tries to sleep.

As a result of the incident, both suggested that some warning be put out to people about their experience. As one of the girls said "We know that a lot of girls walk around at night alone and after what happened, we didn't like the thought of others walking alone. We wanted to them to know what happened and let them know they should be more careful

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March 19, 1996

Memorial Student Attacked in Own Apartment

by David Cochrane

(CUP, the Muse) -- A Burton's Pond resident has been expelled from Memorial University and banned from campus after an attempted assault on his roommate. On February 25 Jacob Larkin, in self-defence, was forced to swing a hockey stick at his roommate in who was charging him with a knife.

"I think I struck him a glancing blow around the arm," said Larkin. "It wasn't solid, but he did back up."

According to Larkin he had been watching a show about private investi- gators on television when his roommate, John -- not his real name -- began to ask Larkin repeatedly if he was a private investigator. When Larkin said no, John became increasingly agitated then picked up a knife and rushed at Larkin. It was then that Larkin had to use his hockey stick as a weapon.

After the incident was diffused the police were called and John was taken

into custody. Charges have been laid and, at last report, John was being examined at the Waterford Mental Hospital. Larkin said that this was the final episode of what had been two months of odd behaviour by John.

John moved into Burton's Pond, a division of campus housing, in January and did not know Larkin or the two other men who shared the apartment.

According to Larkin, John was very difficult to live with.

_ "Noise was a big thing with him," said Larkin. "The least bit of noise in the apartment and he would come out and complain about it."

John's obsession with noise went as far as to cause him to become en- raged when the refrigerator cut in or a snow plough went down the street, complaining it was interfering with his studying. His strange behaviour esca- lated to the point where John was constantly talking about murder plots against him and conspiracies of people who were "out to get him."

Larkin complained to Burton's Pond administration in mid-January when he began to think that John might be dangerous. It was later determined that John was not dangerous and so he was only warned that he would have to put up with certain things if he were

oing to live in Burton's Pond.

Until the attack, John's behaviour in the apartment was not considered serious enough to have him kicked out of Burton's Pond. Eventually it was John's behaviour outside the apartment that got him into trouble.

Two separate complaints were filed against him, one by a professor and another by library staff, and he was disciplined by the university.

Dr. Wayne Ludlow, Memorial University's (MUN) Dean of Student Affairs and Services would not comment on the specifics of this case because he didn't want to violate John's right to privacy. He did, however, confirm the complaint process.

"There was a complaint, action was taken, and that resulted in that person's registration being terminated,” said Ludlow. "There was a subsequent complaint and that person was banned from campus."

John had received notice of his expulsion before the assault, but had been allowed to stay in Burton's Pond while the decision was under appeal as per Memorial's disciplinary code.

John had been notified of his ban from campus on a Friday, two days before the attack. He had until Monday to get out of Burton's Pond. Larkin said he understands the process, but thinks the whole thing could have been avoided.

"I think if he had been taken out of there by late January this whole thing could have been avoided," said Larkin. "I don't know how the guy ever got in in the first place."

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