Psychology professor convicted of fabricating hate crime

20 Sep 2004

A Californian professor convicted of staging a hate crime by spray-painting her own car with racist slurs was ordered to undergo 90 days of psychological testing at a state prison. Kerri Dunn, 39, of Redlands, was convicted of filing a false police report and attempted insurance fraud. She could face up to 3 1/2 years in prison when she returns for sentencing on 15 December. The psychology professor reported the racist and anti-Semitic slogans on her car in March 2004, prompting college officials to cancel classes the next day as thousands of students took part in demonstrations calling for tolerance. Dunn became a suspect after two witnesses reported seeing her vandalizing her car.