University of Virginia Library

Study Of Rights Violations
Spurred By Doran Arrest

A group of University students and
Charlottesville citizens plan to study and
publicize what the group believes are civil
rights violations in the Charlottesville
area.

A spokesman for the group, Judy
Wellman, said interest stems from the
recent arrest of a former student, Tom
Doran. Mr. Doran is now in city jail, charged
with perjury - a felony - in his recent
misdemeanor trial for destroying University
property. His bond has been set at 5,000 dollars
cash or 10,000 dollars property.

Despite a successful fund drive and a great
deal of effort by concerned parties, Mr. Doran
remains in jail. Spokesmen said they had
encountered an inordinate amount of red tape
in their efforts to have a bail bondsman
certified for Charlottesville. Doran was also
re-arrested while in-jail for reasons growing out
of charges that he "cursed and abused"
University Police Chief Rea Houchens.

When Mr. Doran's family tried to visit him
in jail, they were told at the City police station
that Doran would be allowed no visitors An
unidentified police officer told the family that
because the FBI had entered the case, the ruling
was made. After the family returned to their
Virginia Beach home, they discovered that they
did, indeed, have the right to visit their son.

In addition, the group has discovered that
Mr. Doran's mother was fired late last week
from her job with the Federal Government, and
his sister lost her secretarial job with the
Virginia State Police. The mother's firing is
being appealed. The ad hoc group of students
and citizens feels these events may be related to
Mr. Doran's case, Miss Wellmen said.

"We also hope to examine the University
Administration's role in gathering evidence for
student prosecutions," Miss Wellman explained.
"The group had noted that evidence turned up
in court after being gathered and used by
Administration officials as a basis for refusing
Doran's readmission to the University last
summer."