Criminal charges dropped in obscene mockery of Pope at Carnegie-Mellon

June 10, 2013

Criminal charges have been dropped against a student at Carnegie-Mellon University who paraded semi-nude in a costume mocking the Pope.

Katherine O’Connor reached an agreement with prosecutors to perform 80 hours of community service. In exchange, charges of indecent exposure will be dismissed. Another student who had appears naked during a campus art show reached the same agreement.

President Jared Cohon of Carnegie-Mellon, responding to a protest by Pittsburgh’s Bishop David Zubik, said that the university would uphold the students’ right to free expression and would not take disciplinary action apart from the indecent-exposure charge.

 

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Further information:

• Charges withdrawn in CMU 'pope girl' nude protest (Post-Gazette)
• Carnegie Mellon students face criminal charges for blasphemous display (CWN, 5/10)