Jumping the Gun

After the May 6th shooting of Wesleyan University student Johanna Justin-Jinich, police identified a suspect and because of a bad records search, they took a photograph of Cornell University professor Stephen L. Morgan to Wesleyan administrators and inquired if he had any connection to their campus.

According to legal papers submitted by Professor Morgan, police did not give the university permission to release the photo, but apparently they gave it to the media, who broadcast his name and photo along with allegations that he was the shooter and may have been partially motivated by a hatred of Jewish people.

Needless to say, Professor Morgan has filed suit against Wesleyan. He alleges that the photo release and university statements branding him a homicidal racist has damaged his reputation in the community.