This letter comes to enlist your help in supporting the African-American students at Emory University as they work to bring equity to campus life. There is a statement of facts attached which will apprise you fully of the recent events.Once again African-American students on the campus are embroiled in a struggle for justice which hinges on racism and violence against African-American women by white men. No doubt you've seen the news reports surrounding the recent beating of an African-American female freshman on Emory's campus. The public rallies, the cross-campus marches, and the fervor of speeches at press conferences probably recall times of frustration, injustice, and struggle in many of our own campus life experiences.
T.J.
[...]Emory has not yet condemned the violent attack. Its silence betrays a suspicious complicity with the racism which denies that violence against black women is a crime. Moreover, it has not risen to the defense of those African-American men who verbally confronted the attacker and spoke against the heinous and intolerable nature of this crime against the community. Finally, the University recently dismissed a black Resident Advisor who spoke out against the violence and on behalf of the three students who confronted the attacker. In response to this series of events, there is a march that needs your presence; a forum and press conference on Thursday, March 28th at 6:00 pm in Harland Cinema, and a march on the Dekalb County Magistrate's office at 11:30 am on Friday, March 29th.
[...]
Statement of Facts [intact, not edited]
At the onset of fall semester 1995, Brandy Lilly an African-American freshman, and Kristin Smith, a white freshman were paired together in Dobbs Hall. Early on in the semester Kristin and Brandy maintained a friendly relationship, often finding the occasion to share meals together.
Soon thereafter Kristin became acquainted with and began to date David Neider another freshman and also a resident of Dobbs Hall. As their relationship ensued David began to spend inordinate amounts of time in Brandy's and Kristin's room much to Brandy's frustration. Despite Brandy's repeated pleas to Residence Life for assistance in resolving the conflict there was no action. David would retire to their room at night, spend long hours there with Kristin during the day, and return to Brandy's room after his classes even when Kristin was not present. David effectively became a third roommate depriving Brandy of her living space, right to privacy as a female, and any ability to create an environment conducive to studying within her own residence. Moreover, Brandy complained about suffering the indignity of being forced to sleep on the bottom bunk while David and Kristin would engage in sexual intercourse on the top bunk. On several occasions this illicit behavior literally forced Brandy from her own bed to seek refuge in a girlfriend's room down the hall. As Brandy became more vocal, tensions between the roommates escalated while their relationship deteriorated into an increasingly hostile situation for Brandy.
Over the Christmas/semester break, Brandy and Kristin decided that Kristin should move to another room. Upon returning for the Spring semester, Kristin and David began relocating her possessions to Kristin's new room. The transition progressed uneventfully until Brandy discovered that a possession of hers was missing. Immediately, she went to Kristin's room where she confronted David and Kristin about the item. When Kristin claimed David had taken it and that she could not locate it right away, Brandy entered the room recovered her possession and returned to her room.
Once in her own room she noticed that Kristin had one last item to retrieve, a rolling computer table. In order to assist Kristin, she moved the table from the room to the hall. A short time later Brandy heard a knock on her door. Without any inquiry as to the identity of the visitor, Brandy answered, "Come in." David entered the room and violently shoved the table in with him and informed Brandy that she would not move Kristin's table until he instructed her to do so. Brandy, asserting authority over what was now her room, rolled the table back out and requested that David leave her room. Instead, David struck Brandy. When Brandy attempted to defend herself by pushing him away, David Neider, a state championship wrestler went into a rampage brutally attacking and beating Brandy. He grabbed her and placed her in a headlock. As she tried desperately to free herself, he punched her in the stomach. When she clutched her abdomen in pain he rammed his knee into her groin and threw her to the floor. As she lay there he jumped on her and commenced beating her with closed fists. Her attempts to scratch him were to no avail. By this time others had gathered to watch but no one intervened. A Sophomore Advisor looked and then went to find another Residence Life official. Finally, her girlfriend appeared and with the help of a Residence Advisor, David was finally pulled away from Brandy and instructed to leave the hall and not to return. While Brandy lay in her room, no one called the police. No SA or RA even suggested this as an option. She was left to seek justice alone. When she filed a report with the Emory Police Dept. that evening no one rode to the police station with her. Residence Life officials have characterized this beating as a "fight."
The next night three African-American men, all students of the College knocked on David's door. He invited them in. In the room that night were David Neider, the Sophomore Advisor, two of David's friends and Kristin. The three students proceeded to inform him of the seriousness of his crime. Using a series of hypothetical and conditional statements beginning with the word "if" they helped him to understand that had the circumstances been different the gravity and the heinous nature of his crime would have placed him in bodily danger. After the conversation they left. Soon after exiting Dobbs Hall the three hailed an Emory Police officer and recounted the incident in order to preclude any confusion. The officer said that there should be no problem but asked the three for their names and phone numbers for later reference. The SA along with David Neider called the Emory Police to make a report. Later that night all who were present made statements concerning the incident.
As of now, David Neider has been charged with simple assault, a misdemeanor for which he will probably receive first offender treatment, maybe probation, but ultimately his record will be expunged. The conduct council has met and levied sanctions against him. A month later probably in response to the conduct council's decision, David's father decided to press charges against the three students.
The three students have been arrested and charged with making terroristic threats, a felony. They have been released on a signature bond. Two of them face repercussions from the University.
The University has dismissed a black Resident Advisor who spoke out against the violence and on behalf of the three students who confronted the attacker.
Contact Information:
President's office:
Dr. William M. Chace
President, Emory University
408 Admin. Building
Atlanta, GA 30322
(404) 727-6013
fax(404)727-2613
Email: wchace@emory.eduDirector of Residence Life
Lauren Kent-Delaney
Emory Univ. Drawer B
Atlanta, GA 30322
(404) 727-4359
fax (404)727-4774
Email: larenkd@resfac.emory.eduOffice of the Vice President for Campus Life:
Francis Lucas-Tauchar
Vice President & Dean of Campus Life
Emory University, Drawer PP
Atlanta, GA 30322
(404) 727-4364
fax(404) 727-0281
Email: lucast@emory.eduChief, Emory Police Dept.
Craig Watson
1784 North Decatur Road
Atlanta, Ga 30322
(404) 727-6115
fax (404)727-8039
Email:wats02@emory.Edu