Threat charges dropped
by N.S. Garcia
The Metropolitan
 George
Culpepper
Student Judicial Officer Emilia Paul has cleared two Student Government
Assembly members of allegedly violating the Student Code of Conduct.
Charges originally filed by Metro student George Culpepper, former chairman
of the Auraria College Republicans, said Attorney General Will Safford
and Vice President of Communications Beth Ott were aware of a possible
threat against his life and did not report it to the proper authorities.
In her letter to Safford, Paul wrote: “I have determined that there
are insufficient grounds to support the allegations of threats, intimidation
or other conduct which endangers the safety of George Culpepper. There
will not be any charges against you through the Office of Judicial Affairs.”
Both Safford and Ott said they expected the charges to be dropped.
“I think it was apparent from the beginning that it (the charges)
had no substance,” Safford said.
“I’m happy my charges were dropped,” Ott said.
Paul said that over the last month she interviewed “several credible
witnesses” who attended the Sept. 10 Native American Students for
Un-American Activities meeting where members allegedly discussed removing
Culpepper from campus and kidnapping and killing him on an American Indian
reservation.
“I have not spoken to anyone that heard comments connected with
his removal from campus in any manner, shape or form. This includes bodily
harm to him or attempts to end his life as the complaint indicated,”
Paul said in her letter.
Paul concluded that the entire situation was based on “zealous”
behavior and “misinterpretation.”
 Beth
Ott
Safford was quick to criticize Culpepper’s behavior.
“These are not the actions of the wronged party. These are the
actions of a man on a witch-hunt,” he said.
Ott said she is circulating a petition asking the three colleges at Auraria
to re-evaluate the treatment of American Indian students and instructors,
as well as Metro’s grievance procedures in questions about professors
infringing on students’ academic rights.
Culpepper is named in the petition. In the 2003 fall semester at Metro,
he claimed political science professor Oneida Meranto was unfair to him
in class because he was a white conservative. He dropped out of her class
and filed a complaint.
The letter ended, “While I don’t wish to insult anyone with
a ‘play nice’ philosophy that may be considered too simplistic,
I ask you to consider how the current situation has advanced anyone’s
cause. Again, I urge all parties involved to explore more relevant and
skillful ways of expression that are worthy of your passion.”
Ott took offense.
“I’m a little upset that I was lectured by Emilia Paul,”
she said.
“I feel this school has been tormented by George Culpepper and
he is allowed to do whatever he wants,” Ott said. “George
is terrorizing anyone who gets in his way.”
Ott said she feels she is doing nothing wrong.
“I think petitioning is an acknowledged method of conducting social
change,” Ott said. “I don’t know why she (Paul) wouldn’t
accept a petition as playing nice.”
“He likes the attention. He believes it’s furthering his
political agenda,” Safford said. “However, in reality he’s
a laughingstock.”
At press time, neither Paul nor Culpepper were available for comment.
|
