On October 26, Plymouth State campus police arrested a Martha Meacham, age 21, for filing a false report. According to a press release issued by the Plymouth Police Department on October 26, the student is charged with a class A misdemeanor of Unsworn Falsification. This student reported on September 26, 2005 that she was attacked by three unknown male assailants in the vicinity of Langdon and Pleasant Street. The assailants attacked from her from behind while she was walking alone late that evening. Meacham has now reported to the police that she knows the parties involved in her brutal attack, making her previous statement on September 26 not factual. After being taken in to custody, Meacham was released on personal recognizance bail and will be arraigned on November 14, 2005 at 8:30 a.m. at Plymouth District Court.
What is the price we pay for fear? As stated in the above news story, the student who was violently assaulted in September is being charged with the worst punishment for a misdemeanor crime. According to Plymouth Police, a class A misdemeanor crime is punishable by up to one year in the House of Corrections, and a $2000 fine. To our understanding, this is a severe punishment for the ‘crime’ that was committed. According to Meacham, the only difference between her original account of the assault and the new information she provided to the police is that she knew the identity of one of the assailants. Out of fear of further injury, she did not release the name to the authorities when she was first questioned. She was still assaulted by three men in accordance to the original statement given to the police. Have the police investigated the new information that Meacham provided? Why is she being penalized before they even have the assailant in custody? Why is this student being charged so harshly for lying to protect herself from possible further injury? Yes, she lied about not knowing who inflicted her injuries, but it does not lessen the severity of the attack. The press release issued by the Plymouth Police Department and the campus announcement posted on the PSU website give the impression that she fabricated the whole situation. This damages her credibility and the willingness from students to rely on the police and judicial system to take action in future crimes. We are just ending National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Plymouth State has Women’s Services and the town of Plymouth offers Voices Against Violence- both aid women in violent situations. Why was this student not directed to these services before soliciting her original statement? Why were steps not taken to assure her safety in an apartment where she lives alone? Is this situation being pushed to its capacity because of the concern it caused for the campus and community? According to the Plymouth Police press release, “The report that Meacham filed led to a campus-wide safety alert being distributed to the entire PSU community.” The increased security after Meacham’s attack in September created a safer environment for everyone. The police were more aware of growing concerns about violence, students were calling for rides home from off campus locations and people called friends to walk them home late at night. Even before the assault on Meacham, there was a need for increased campus security. A female student was followed across campus by an unknown man and, fearing for her safety, called her friends to come meet her halfway and bring her home. There were also reports of a stranger looking into apartment windows all over the Plymouth community. Meacham’s assault finally raised the awareness we needed on this campus to help keep the students safe. So did it cause a safety alert? Yes, it did- thank goodness.When Meacham’s assault took place, campus officials took great care in how they released the information to the public. Students were not allowed to know anything except that a female student had been “attacked and physically assaulted”(Michelle Hutchins, Director of Public Relations). The press release issued to the student body made little mention of the attack and instead focused on the need to stay safe. Now, in the October 26 press release and the announcement on the PSU website, officials are quick to release a statement to the campus that denounces the significance of the assault. This release gives the impression that the whole assault was falsified, and that the increased campus safety brought on by this assault over the last month has been an unneeded hassle.In September, we asked you to come together and stand behind Meacham in bringing her justice. We asked the student body and community to keep your eyes open and stay safe. We, as students, have done that and are better for it. Why is it that now, when students need it the most, the community is lacking in support? Violence is not tolerated by students on this campus. It should not be tolerated by campus officials. How are students supposed to feel safe when their ideals feel compromised? Stand up, Plymouth State. Allow your eyes to stay open and keep your safety top priority. Just because other people do not take you seriously does not mean you shouldn’t take yourself seriously.