Damon Thompson, 20 (October 13, 2009) |
WESTWOOD -- A 20-year old UCLA student has pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted premeditated murder of a classmate whose throat was slashed.
Damon Thompson, of Belize, is being held on $3 million bail. He is due back in court Oct. 27.
For the first time, the victim's name was read in open court. She was identified as UCLA student Katherine Rosen.
According to prosecutors, Thompson and the female victim were standing next to each other in a Young Hall chemistry lab shortly after noon Thursday when Thompson -- without provocation -- pulled out a knife and stabbed her five times, including slashing her throat.
The victim, a 20 year old female who has not been identified, remains hospitalized at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
Her family says she is showing signs of improvement and is expected to survive.
Detectives are trying to determine a motive for the attack.
One student who was inside the lab when the attack occurred told reporters that he looked up as the assailant appeared to repeatedly punch the victim.
Then the man calmly turned and walked away as the victim lay bleeding profusely.
Witnesses said they saw a woman staggering out of the lab with a teacher's assistant applying pressure to her bloody neck moments after the attack.
Witnesses say Thompson walked into a student information office and told a staff member he had stabbed someone.
He was then arrested by UCLA police.
Investigators found the knife believed to be the weapon used the stabbing at the scene.
Meantime, a professor who taught Thompson said he told a university administrator he was worried about the student's mental health 10 months ago.
UCLA history professor Stephen Frank met Thompson in his Western civilization class late last year.
Frank said Thompson sent him several emails complaining that classmates sitting around him had been disruptive and made offensive comments to him while he was taking a written exam.
In one email, Thompson also accused Frank of taunting him. "I believe I heard you, Professor Frank, say that I was 'troubled' and 'crazy' among other things," Thompson wrote. "My outrage at this situation coupled with the pressure of the very weighted examination dulled my concentration and detracted from my performance."
Frank said he was present during the entire exam, that Thompson sat in the front row and that he saw nothing to support the student's complaints.
Frank said he was told that other professors had reported similar exchanges with Thompson, who complained he was taunted by other students -- in class, the dorms, dining areas and the library.
A university official told Frank that he could only suggest that Thompson seek treatment, but they couldn't require him to seek psychological help.
"My concern was in the context of other violent incidents on campuses around the country," Frank said.
UCLA spokeswoman Carol Stogsdill said university officials were forbidden by federal privacy laws from discussing how the school may have handled any complaints about Thompson's behavior.
LAPD Detective Alan Behnke said Thompson did not have any previous criminal history and has cooperated with authorities.
Damon Thompson, of Belize, is being held on $3 million bail. He is due back in court Oct. 27.
For the first time, the victim's name was read in open court. She was identified as UCLA student Katherine Rosen.
According to prosecutors, Thompson and the female victim were standing next to each other in a Young Hall chemistry lab shortly after noon Thursday when Thompson -- without provocation -- pulled out a knife and stabbed her five times, including slashing her throat.
The victim, a 20 year old female who has not been identified, remains hospitalized at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
Her family says she is showing signs of improvement and is expected to survive.
Detectives are trying to determine a motive for the attack.
One student who was inside the lab when the attack occurred told reporters that he looked up as the assailant appeared to repeatedly punch the victim.
Then the man calmly turned and walked away as the victim lay bleeding profusely.
Witnesses said they saw a woman staggering out of the lab with a teacher's assistant applying pressure to her bloody neck moments after the attack.
Witnesses say Thompson walked into a student information office and told a staff member he had stabbed someone.
He was then arrested by UCLA police.
Investigators found the knife believed to be the weapon used the stabbing at the scene.
Meantime, a professor who taught Thompson said he told a university administrator he was worried about the student's mental health 10 months ago.
UCLA history professor Stephen Frank met Thompson in his Western civilization class late last year.
Frank said Thompson sent him several emails complaining that classmates sitting around him had been disruptive and made offensive comments to him while he was taking a written exam.
In one email, Thompson also accused Frank of taunting him. "I believe I heard you, Professor Frank, say that I was 'troubled' and 'crazy' among other things," Thompson wrote. "My outrage at this situation coupled with the pressure of the very weighted examination dulled my concentration and detracted from my performance."
Frank said he was present during the entire exam, that Thompson sat in the front row and that he saw nothing to support the student's complaints.
Frank said he was told that other professors had reported similar exchanges with Thompson, who complained he was taunted by other students -- in class, the dorms, dining areas and the library.
A university official told Frank that he could only suggest that Thompson seek treatment, but they couldn't require him to seek psychological help.
"My concern was in the context of other violent incidents on campuses around the country," Frank said.
UCLA spokeswoman Carol Stogsdill said university officials were forbidden by federal privacy laws from discussing how the school may have handled any complaints about Thompson's behavior.
LAPD Detective Alan Behnke said Thompson did not have any previous criminal history and has cooperated with authorities.
