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'VIDEO VOYEURS' IN A COLLEGE DORM
posted: 10-30-2002
Was it a college prank, or something sinister?
Three male Louisiana Tech University students -- accused of wearing masks and sneaking through a women's dormitory and videotaping co-eds in their rooms -- have been allowed back on campus while their case is pending. That has sparked complaints from some students and their parents.
The alleged incidents happened earlier this month at two women's dorms on the Ruston campus.
University officials and police said three Tech freshmen were let in by residents after midnight. Leisa Tompkins said her daughter was getting ready for bed when there was a knock on the door.
"She went and cracked the door and there were three masked guys standing there -- ski masks and gloves and a video camera," Tompkins said.
Several other co-eds were videotaped in their rooms before university police arrested three suspects, officials said.
The suspects are identified as Keith Charles, Datarius Claiborne and Lonnie May, all freshmen at Tech. They were booked on charges of unauthorized entry, simple robbery and video voyeurism.
University police said the suspects told them they were involved in a sociology project in which they were supposed to videotape something out of the ordinary.
Since their arrests, they have been allowed to return to class before going through a hearing that could lead to disciplinary action. That hearing, before Louisiana Tech's Behavioral Standards Committee, is scheduled for Thursday. The review board is made up of faculty, staff and students.
That decision not to suspend the students has Tompkins outraged.
"That's not even an option that they be back at that school," she said.
But university administrators say because the incident did not involve violence, there are policies in place to protect the rights of everyone involved.
"The student is entitled to a fair review of the merits of the case and they have an opportunity to present their side of the story," said student affairs vice president Jim King.
The criminal case against the three has been forwarded to the Lincoln Parish district attorney's office for a decision on prosecution. •
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My girlfriend was one of the RA's who helped chase these guys away. Uh, come on, this is a no-brainer. Those guys should NOT be allowed back on campus. They could have easily been in that dorm to rape a girl. And anyway, video voyeurism is no laughing matter in and of itself. Expel these jerks! You have got to be tough.
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This sounds really strange.
If a male had been caught in a women's dorm at Tech in the 1958-64 era I suppose penalties would have been harsh. A man couldn't get past the living room even during the hours of 7 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. when the FRONT doors of the dorms were unlocked.
However, in today's world I would think these guys would have had to have been involved in setting up secret video cameras and selling the tape to GIRLS GONE WILD to get in much trouble.
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That would be my guess too Aub. These guys were probably trying to make their own video of "Girls Gone Wild". :thumbsdo:
