FORMER UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD STUDENT ACCUSED OF HARASSING BLACK ROOMMATE WILL NOT FACE HATE CRIME CHARGES
In a Facebook Live video, Jazzy Rowe alleged that Brianna Brochure had smeared bodily fluid on her belongings and stuck her roommate’s toothbrush ‘‘where the sun doesn’t shine” in addition to spitting in her coconut oil. Rowe, in turn became extremely ill from the disturbing actions.
With the help of the NAACP, the student had brought charges against Brochu as she felt that the girl’s disgusting acts were racially motivated. They protested and requested that the girl be charged with felony hate crime, however, despite all of the evidence against her including a Facebook status in which Brochu admits to the aforementioned acts and referred to Rowe as a “Jamaican Barbie”, she won’t face a hate crime charge at all.
She plead “not guilty” to charges of breach of peace and criminal mischief yesterday and prosecutors decided not to bring any new charges against her.
The president of the NAACP expressed his disappointment with the outcome yesterday. “We are very very disappointed with the prosectors … not pressing this case hard enough,” NAACP President Scot X. Esdaile said. “They are not making this an urgent matter from where we sit.” He added, “We expect [the prosecutors] to fight on behalf of the people of our community. This is a hate crime. Let’s stop playing games. Let’s stop pushing this away.”
On the other hand, Bruchu’s lawyer Tom Stevens commented that he didn’t agree that the incident was racially motivated and chopped it up to the girls just not liking each other. “I think that when it’s all said and done, what you’re going to see is that there was nothing racist that motivated this,” he said. “These were two students who were placed together … who didn’t like each other … and it escalated.”
Prosecutors are still investigating and the case will follow through until January 29th.