{ prima facie } the Temple Law newspaper

By Jesse Chen
2L, Temple Law

At approximately 3 p.m. on Monday, a commotion in the Klein Hall library caught the attention of many students, faculty and staff. A student, who allegedly assaulted several other students, was eventually tracked down by a group of law students and campus security guard Vincent Griffon. Campus police arrived shortly thereafter and detained the alleged attacker, who is now under hospital observation.

The incident began when a student, whose name has not been released by the law school, allegedly hit another student. The alleged attacker then fled through the library stacks.

Several students immediately formed a group in pursuit of the alleged attacker while also alerting security. This reporter interviewed an 1L, who was part of the following group but declined to be named.

According to the 1L, female students in the library told his group that the alleged attacker threatened them, and directed the group to where the alleged attacker had gone. The group then followed a trail of overturned trash cans and books that were pulled to the ground.

"We finally caught up with him and cornered him," the 1L said. "He was missing a shoe, and his foot was bleeding. His pants were pulled down. He obviously wasn't in his right mind."

This reporter witnessed Vincent Griffon, a security guard who manned the front desk, arrive on the scene on the library's 3A floor. Griffon attempted to calm the alleged attacker; however, the alleged attacker then tried to grab Griffon. Griffon responded by placing the alleged attacker in a hold and forced him to sit in a library stall.

"[Griffon] was on one side [of the stall]," the 1L in the pursuing group explained. "We blocked off the other side just in case he might run off the edge [of the floor]."

After several tense minutes, during which the alleged attacker again grabbed at Griffon, campus police arrived on the scene. Police officers handcuffed the alleged attacker after he threw more books and began screaming. The police asked the alleged attacker whether he was diabetic, to which he responded affirmatively while also claiming that he was "on drugs" without further specification.

The alleged attacker was subsequently removed from Klein Hall by police and placed in an ambulance.

Later the same day, Associate Dean of Students Marylouise Esten sent the following report to the law school community: “[N]o one was hurt. The student was transported to the hospital for evaluation. We hope you'll keep him in your thoughts. This was a very difficult experience for those who were in Klein this afternoon. Please let me know if there is anything that we can do to help.”

When asked for additional information by Prima Facie, Dean Esten declined comment on the event, and cited both to the situation as “ongoing” and to confidentiality concerns.

Esten added, “We're doing everything we can to ensure the care and safety of all of our students.”