Campus police accuses ‘Crushes’ victim

Meg Lanker-Simons has been issued a citation for interference with a police investigation.

Lanker-Simons is accused of making false statements to the University of Wyoming Police Department about a comment that was posted on the “UW Crushes” Facebook page about her.

Though officials are not allowed to discuss many details of the case as it is still under investigation, the university has released a statement regarding the incident.

“There is a process for the code of conduct. I obviously can’t give out details because we can’t give out details regarding individuals,” Chad Baldwin, director of Institutional Communications, said. “The investigation is still on-going because the police believe they have sufficient evidence that she posted the comment herself.”

Lanker-Simons was cited after police interviewed her and searched her computer and discovered the post most likely had come from her computer.

In response, Lanker-Simons has issued a statement on her blog, Cognitive Dissonance, asserting that she is not guilty.

“In regards to recent allegations, I’ve retained counsel and entered a plea of not guilty,” she said on her blog. “Any further questions can be directed to my attorney of record, Charles Pelkey of Laramie.”

Last week Dean Cozzens released a statement to the university saying that the post “crossed into safety and viciousness by threatening a UW student with violence” and reminded students that all voices needed to be heard as long as it was non-threatening to students.

Now that Lanker-Simons has been accused of posting it herself, students have shown their outrage on social networking sites to vent their frustrations over the incident.

“I feel like it’s really unfortunate that my initial suspicions were right. If all these allegations are true, then I think it’s sickening that someone would take something like rape culture and use it for their own attention,” Holly Wood, a UW art student, said. “I think it’s good that people came together and said that this was something that we needed to talk about, but not in this way.”

Professors also have taken notice of the issue, including Dr. Bonnie Zare, an associate professor in the Gender and Women’s Studies Department who spoke at the rally on Monday.

“I just want to express my solidarity to the organizers of the rally and this shouldn’t overshadow the marvel of the students who leap into action,” Zare said. “Right now we should show support for those who might be hurting.”

Lanker-Simons has not yet been convicted, but the UW Crushes Facebook page has been taken down and it is unclear whether or not it will be reposted.