UNH professor acquitted in campus stalking case
DURHAM, N.H. - A University of New Hampshire professor has been acquitted of stalking and other charges after being accused of going on an angry, expletive-filled rant against a colleague. He hopes the acquittal means UNH will allow him back on campus.
John Collins, 57, of Lee, was found not guilty this week of stalking and disorderly conduct. However, next Tuesday, he must face Stacia Sower, the colleague he allegedly ranted against, at a hearing on a restraining order she filed against him.
Colleagues say Collins became angry and belligerent after receiving a parking ticket in June and blamed Sower. At a previous hearing on the restraining order, colleague said Collins threatened to kill Sower. She was not there for the alleged outburst and filed the restraining order the next day.
Afterward, Collins was banned from campus and stripped of his department chair title, orders that remain in effect.
UNH says the acquittal does not affect its ruling banning Collins from campus.
"A ruling on the criminal charges doesn't affect the university's position on Professor Collins' status," University System of New Hampshire General Counsel Ronald Rodgers said.
But Collins said he hopes that with the acquittals, the restraining order will not be continued.
"We're confident that even without the verdict in the criminal charges, but certainly with that as a bolster to our case, that there's no basis for a restraining order," he said. "What remains is to get back on campus and back to my career."
Information from: New Hampshire Union Leader, http://www.unionleader.com