ULM Student Claims Rape At Off Campus Party
By: Janice Park
Updated: April 23, 2009
A ULM student claims she was raped at an off-campus party months ago.
Now, almost 3 months later -- two former Delta Community College students have been arrested.
Both are charged with aggravated rape.
But now a big question is being raised: did ULM take appropriate action?
A ULM student told police she was raped by four men while she was unconscious at this house off campus. Police say all were either Delta Community College or ULM students at the time. Former Delta Students Joshua Bradley and Steven Powell have been arrested. Both are charged with aggravated rape.
In a written statement, the University says the rape allegations were reported to a university employee on February 3rd. The University goes on to say that that employee then informed university police. Student services and judicial affairs immediately began investigating. But ULM Police Chief Larry Ellerman says university police never investigated because the reported rape happened off campus.
So why didn't anybody tell city police, so they could investigate immediately? ULM officials say they left several voicemails with Monroe Police 10 days after learning about the initial rape report. The university says they reached an investigator five days later: "We responded very quickly the office of student services and judicial affairs conducted hearing and investigations on the occurrences that surrounded this event and we responded very appropriately and very promptly," said ULM VP of Student Affairs Wayne Brumfield.
A ULM student told police she was raped by four men while she was unconscious at this house off campus. Police say all were either Delta Community College or ULM students at the time. Former Delta Students Joshua Bradley and Steven Powell have been arrested. Both are charged with aggravated rape.
In a written statement, the University says the rape allegations were reported to a university employee on February 3rd. The University goes on to say that that employee then informed university police. Student services and judicial affairs immediately began investigating. But ULM Police Chief Larry Ellerman says university police never investigated because the reported rape happened off campus.
So why didn't anybody tell city police, so they could investigate immediately? ULM officials say they left several voicemails with Monroe Police 10 days after learning about the initial rape report. The university says they reached an investigator five days later: "We responded very quickly the office of student services and judicial affairs conducted hearing and investigations on the occurrences that surrounded this event and we responded very appropriately and very promptly," said ULM VP of Student Affairs Wayne Brumfield.
