American University Prosecutes Student Critic; Tramples Free Speech and Due Process
FIRE is defending the rights of Ben Wetmore, a student at American University (AU) in Washington, DC. Wetmore publishes a website critical of AU President Benjamin Ladner. AU police wrongly detained Wetmore for "possession of stolen property" after he videotaped a public speech by Tipper Gore. In addition to being roughed up by campus officers, Wetmore was convicted in a trial that denied an impartial hearing or an appeal. FIRE has secured legal representation for this undergraduate.
