Content warning: This article
contains the use of graphic sexual
language.
The jury trial for Peter Chen,
former professor of electrical
engineering and computer science
at the University of Michigan,
began Monday morning at the
Washtenaw County 22nd Circuit
Court in downtown Ann Arbor.
Chen is charged with criminal
sexual
conduct
in
the
first
degree, defined as an act of sexual
penetration with a victim under
the age of 13, a felony punishable
by life in prison. The case filing
states that the offense began on
April 1, 2017. The alleged victim,
who is a minor, is set to testify in
the trial later in the week. Chen is
pleading not guilty.
Originally set to begin in
January 2022, the trial was
delayed several times before
commencing
Nov.
28.
Judge
Darlene O’Brien, the judicial
officer presiding over the case,
said she anticipated that the trial
would take four to five days.
Amy
Reiser,
Washtenaw
County’s assistant prosecuting
attorney,
is
representing
the
prosecution, the People of the
State of Michigan. Reiser was
accompanied by Sergeant Dawn
Murphy from the Ann Arbor
Police
Department.
Attorney
Mariell Lehman is representing
Chen, the defendant.
The first day of the trial
consisted
primarily
of
jury
selection, in which 12 jurors
were to be chosen from a pool
of
approximately
four
dozen
to sit on the panel. During the
jury selection process, the judge
and both attorneys questioned
the jury pool to determine who
would be suited to deliberate the
case.
O’Brien asked potential jurors
about
any
prior
experience
serving
on
juries
and
any
previous familiarity with the
case or the parties involved.
Jurors also answered questions
regarding
any
circumstances
that might prevent the potential
jurors from being impartial, such
as being or knowing a sexual
assault victim or someone who
had been charged with assault.
Many of Lehman’s questions
regarded the possible jurors’
relationships with their children,
as well as their stance on whether
a child would lie about or have
false memories of an impactful
event.
Reiser explained to the pool of
jurors that because there was a
delay between when the offense
allegedly occurred and when the
alleged victim reported it, no
DNA evidence would be provided
by the prosecution. Reiser asked
potential jurors if they would be
able to return a verdict without
DNA evidence and based solely
on the testimonies of the alleged
victim and the witnesses.
Throughout
the
selection
process,
O’Brien
excused
a
few seated jurors for cause.
Several others were excused
via a peremptory challenge, in
which either party’s attorney can
dismiss a possible juror without
needing to provide a reason.
After Chen was placed on
administrative leave in early
2021, Engineering Dean Alec
Gallimore wrote in an email to
CSE students that there was
no indication of a connection
between Chen’s career at the
University
and
the
criminal
charge.
In a Jan. 2021 statement to The
Michigan Daily, Lehman said
Chen denied the claims made
against him.
“On January 26, 2021 Mr. Chen
was made aware of the criminal
sexual conduct allegations that
had been made against him,”
Lehman wrote. “He completely
denies the allegations and has
cooperated fully with the Ann
Arbor
Police
Department
to
assist them in their investigation.
Mr. Chen is confident that the
truth will prevail and that he will
be exonerated fully. Mr. Chen
thanks the numerous people who
have reached out in support of
him over the last few days.”
As
is
the
case
with
all
criminal jury trials in the state of
Michigan, all 12 jurors must come
to a unanimous verdict by the end
of the trial.
The trial will resume at 8 a.m.
on Nov. 29.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News
2 — Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Jury trial begins for former CSE
professor Peter Chen
Pioneer High School closed due to social
media threat
PUBLIC SAFETY
Computer Science faculty member charged with criminal sexual
conduct
District leaders urge parents to warn children about dangers of
online rumors
The Division of Public Safety
and Security at the University of
Michigan released a statement
on Wednesday regarding several
home invasions between Nov. 20
and Nov. 27 in the Burns Park area
south of Hill Street.
According
to
the
release,
residents of Burns Park reported
to
the
Ann
Arbor
Police
Department various items were
stolen
from
their
residences
following their return from the
holiday break. DPSS said there are
no known suspects, and there is
evidence that homes were entered
by force.
DPSS asked the Ann Arbor
community to reach out with any
known information.
“If
you
have
information,
please contact the Ann Arbor
Police Department Tip Line at
(734) 794-6939 or tips@a2gov.
org,” the statement said.
DPSS
said
it
strongly
encourages
students
to
store
valuables out of plain sight,
utilize timers for lights and
other electronics, keep windows
and doors locked and report any
suspicious behavior or incidents.
Burns Park sees rise in home invasions
PUBLIC SAFETY
DPSS: students leaving their residences over Thanksgiving break
returned to break-ins
RACHEL MINTZ
Daily Staff Reporter
NEWS
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Ann
Arbor
Pioneer
High
School
was
closed
Tuesday
due to a threat made on social
media, according to a news
release from Ann Arbor Public
Schools
(AAPS).
The
news
release stated that a threat was
made Monday evening and that
classes were canceled out of “an
abundance of caution.” Pioneer
is one of four primary high
schools in Ann Arbor, and this
decision will impact its nearly
2,000 students.
In
an
email
to
students
obtained by Click on Detroit,
AAPS Superintendent Jeanice
Swift said the district is working
closely with law enforcement
to determine the source of the
threat.
“The Pioneer and our District
teams, working in partnership
with the Ann Arbor Police
Department, continue to work
vigorously through a thorough
investigation
of
this
matter
today, and we will hold those
involved
responsible,”
Swift
wrote.
This is the second time that
classes have been canceled at
Pioneer in two weeks, with the
school closing on Nov. 21 due to a
problem with a water main. Like
many districts, Ann Arbor has
received social media threats in
the past. AAPS closed all of its
schools for a day last December
after several threats were made
in the wake of the shooting at
Oxford High School that left four
dead. The threat comes a day
shy of the one year anniversary
of the Oxford shooting, which
occurred Nov. 30, 2021.
Swift encouraged community
members to take an active role
in
protecting
their
schools
and urged students to report
concerns
to
school
or
law
enforcement authorities.
“Parents
should
speak
with their students regarding
the seriousness of posting or
spreading social media rumors,”
Swift said.
AAPS and AAPD did not
immediately respond to requests
for comment.
LEVI HERRON
Daily Staff Reporter
Ellie Vice/Daily
College of Engineering freshman Ishika Gupta laughs as she skates around the CSG ice rink on Monday night.
IRENA LI
Daily Staff Reporter
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