Hidalgo County prosecutors agree with University Police that a case in which a professor allegedly slapped a student is a class C misdemeanor, UTRGV’s police chief says.
“We spoke with the [prosecutors],” UTRGV Police Chief Raul Munguia said last Thursday. “They’re the ones that would handle a higher grade [assault], a class A misdemeanor, which is what the student thought it should be classified as. The DA’s office here in Hidalgo County also concurred with us that it’s a class C assault.”
On Jan. 21, a student on the Edinburg campus reported that her philosophy class was having a discussion about right and wrong and while the discussion was taking place, the professor slapped her on her left cheek. She was shocked because the slap was unexpected, according to a synopsis of the report.
As of press time Thursday, no charges had been filed by the student, the chief said.
“The case, we’re getting close to wrapping it up,” Munguia said. “Hopefully, by tomorrow or the next couple of days or early next week, we’ll probably exceptionally be closing the case.”
On Feb. 10, The Rider filed an open records request, asking for a copy of the offense report of the case. The request was submitted to UTRGV Chief Legal Officer Karen
Adams.
Adams told The Rider the request is under review and the newspaper will receive a response in a “timely fashion.”
