2008 Woodie Awards
Web post: Noose was 'Halloween joke'
Male student confesses to police about incident
By: Alex Piazza
Issue date: 11/19/07 Section: News
"There is no joke or prank here," Smith said. "The university finds this type of action intolerable and it will take this opportunity to engage the campus community in a dialogue about diversity, respect, inclusion and the importance of upholding values that embrace all people."
The Friday posting said the poster did not intend to offend anyone.
Upon completing their investigation, CMU Police will forward case information to Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick early next week for review, said Police Chief Stan Dinius.
If the prosecutor decides to file charges against the student for his actions, his name will be made available following a court arraignment, Smith said.
After hearing that a student had turned himself in, Kierre Majors said she felt a sense a closure in a time when she needed it most.
"I have some sense of clarity now," the Detroit junior and president of Students Against Discrimination said. "It gives me some type of relief, but (when) we get to the end of this is when the problem will be solved."
Detroit sophomore Carly Wilson said she thought it was a responsible decision for someone to come forward and admit their guilt, but she still is shocked by the incident.
"I am uncomfortable that this person might not have realized that this would be that big of a deal," Wilson said.
The anonymous source who posted on the Web site also said people overreacted to the situation.
"I am one of the least prejudiced people you could ever meet," the Web submission said. "I don't hate anyone based on race, skin color or nationality. I simply have a habit of making jokes that are not politically correct. I would like to apologize for my lack of taste and to everyone who had to waste valuable time investigating the matter."
The investigation began last Monday when a student reported finding four nooses hanging from a cupboard inside a classroom.
The student told a staff member, who then reported it to CMU Police at 1:15 p.m. Monday.
The Friday posting said the poster did not intend to offend anyone.
Upon completing their investigation, CMU Police will forward case information to Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick early next week for review, said Police Chief Stan Dinius.
If the prosecutor decides to file charges against the student for his actions, his name will be made available following a court arraignment, Smith said.
After hearing that a student had turned himself in, Kierre Majors said she felt a sense a closure in a time when she needed it most.
"I have some sense of clarity now," the Detroit junior and president of Students Against Discrimination said. "It gives me some type of relief, but (when) we get to the end of this is when the problem will be solved."
Detroit sophomore Carly Wilson said she thought it was a responsible decision for someone to come forward and admit their guilt, but she still is shocked by the incident.
"I am uncomfortable that this person might not have realized that this would be that big of a deal," Wilson said.
The anonymous source who posted on the Web site also said people overreacted to the situation.
"I am one of the least prejudiced people you could ever meet," the Web submission said. "I don't hate anyone based on race, skin color or nationality. I simply have a habit of making jokes that are not politically correct. I would like to apologize for my lack of taste and to everyone who had to waste valuable time investigating the matter."
The investigation began last Monday when a student reported finding four nooses hanging from a cupboard inside a classroom.
The student told a staff member, who then reported it to CMU Police at 1:15 p.m. Monday.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 75
Nathan Inks
posted 11/19/07 @ 1:37 AM EST
BULL CRAP! Who doesn't know what racial implications hanging a noose has.
Natasha Moore
posted 11/19/07 @ 1:45 AM EST
1) Where was this right to keep a person's business disclosed when many of the men accused in the DeMarcus Graham case were publicised and being humiliated via cartoon, articles, etc?
2) To this "anonomous" person: Where in the world have you been all of your college career? Are you seriously going to sit here and pretend like we were not going to take this the way we should?
If anyone thinks that for a moment we (anyone who takes offense) would stand by and not voice our opinion on the matter, they are dead wrong. (Continued…)
Nathan Inks
posted 11/19/07 @ 4:22 AM EST
Another thing. I invite this mystery poster to tell me how he didn't know that the nooses were racist but that they was "not politically correct" and how exactly he had never heard that nooses were a symbol of racism. (Continued…)
benji
posted 11/19/07 @ 8:56 AM EST
"There is no joke or prank here," Smith said. "The university finds this type of action intolerable and it will take this opportunity to engage the campus community in a dialogue about diversity, respect, inclusion and the importance of upholding values that embrace all people. (Continued…)
Meagan Slappey
posted 11/19/07 @ 9:28 AM EST
I think the young man should make a public apology to the students of CMU for being ignorant and careless. It is a poor excuse on the young man's part of "not realizing how nooses have been used in the recent past. (Continued…)
G Washington
posted 11/19/07 @ 9:54 AM EST
The youngman has no clue what NOOSES mean to the African-American people. Its evident this child has never taken a course in African-American History or any other race history. (Continued…)
D. Samuel (CMU Mom)
posted 11/19/07 @ 10:26 AM EST
As a parent of a CMU student I am very relieved that this matter has come to closier. However I do think that the student involved should be held accountable for his/her actions. (Continued…)
Concerned Reader
posted 11/19/07 @ 10:27 AM EST
It's funny how CM-life states in the article that "CM Life editors approve online posts before they appear on cm-life.com and the comment was not approved because it was an anonymous confession to a serious campus issue. (Continued…)
toya
posted 11/19/07 @ 11:34 AM EST
1st it was a halloween joke, then it was 'rather be hung than work on this project'. Which lie would you like to stick to? Not being aware of the Jena six case is what's a joke. (Continued…)
John Tuttle
posted 11/19/07 @ 12:17 PM EST
The student who pulled this prank without with the nooses, didn't watch the news because of its bias, rightly so. Well, people are beating up on him and abusing him with the "news" they read or saw in the mainstream media. (Continued…)
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