After more than a month of build-up, the University community will bear witness to third-year College student Adam Boyd's open honor trial Saturday.
The Honor Committee announced plans yesterday to release tickets for the trial to be held in the Committee's fourth floor trial room, and to broadcast the proceedings to the Commonwealth Room, on Newcomb Hall's third floor, for greater observational capacity.
"We are hoping that these plans will meet the demand of the community," Honor Committee Chairman Christopher Smith said. "We recognize it's an educational opportunity and hope all who want to see it will be able to."
Tickets will be available on a first come, first serve basis at the information desk in Newcomb Hall starting Tuesday morning.
Roughly 40 tickets will be released, enough to fill the trial room "to the limit of comfortable capacity," Smith said.
The trial will be simulcast live to the Commonwealth Room, which holds a maximum of 210 people.
No tickets will be required to watch the broadcast.
Smith explained that the Committee chose to simulcast the trial, a technique not traditionally utilized, because of increased interest in Boyd's case.
"There have been desires expressed by both the accused student and the community to have the trial open to a large group," Smith said. "By simulcasting this, we are able to treat this like a regular trial and open it up to the community."
Boyd said he was happy with the Committee's decision.
"I'm definitely pleased they are willing to simulcast it," Boyd said. "I'm glad people will be able to see how the system works."
Over the last few weeks, Boyd circulated a petition to have the trial moved to Old Cabell Hall, a venue that seats 851, so that more students could observe the proceedings. He reported that 300 signatures had been gathered to date, but said the Committee informed him the petition would not be grounds for moving the trial.
"We wanted to have it in Old Cabell because we thought it would be fair if everyone could see it," Boyd said.
Smith has emphasized that all trials will be held in the trial room.
Boyd said he was glad the Committee had compromised and made the decision to simulcast, but said he and his advisors were busy working on a pretrial motion that, if successful, could get the case dismissed before Saturday.
Boyd's motion seeks to dismiss the case on the basis of investigatorial incompetence.
"We still have the pretrial to work on," he said. "Maybe this won't even get as far as trial."
Read More
Dean Rucker honored with Z Society’s highest honor, Pale Z Award
By Brendon Bordwine | 14 hours agoThe Society has a storied history of honoring University leaders with the Pale Z.
Students receive free STI testing through U.Va. Health and Wellness
By Jackie Bond | YesterdayThrough funding from Student Council, students are now able to receive free STI testing with SHW which includes tests for HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and Hepatitis C.
President Ryan signs collective statement condemning Trump administration
By Cecilia Mould | YesterdayWhile the statement claims that signees are willing to enact reforms and cooperate with government supervision, it disagrees with the current administration’s decision to withdraw funding from institutions.
