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U.S. NEWSWednesday 21 October
Indiana University expels student in attack on Muslim woman
RICK CALLAHAN This photo shows 19-year-old Triceten D. Bickford, an Indiana emerged from a nearby Tuesday. Both the Monroe
Associated Press University student who faces multiple felony charges including alley shouting “white pow- County prosecutor’s office
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indi- intimidation, strangulation and battery in the Saturday, Oct. 17, er,” anti-black racial slurs and Land said it’s unclear
ana University has expelled 2015, attack on a Muslim woman in a cafe in Bloomington, Ind. and “kill the police.” Bick- if Bickford has an attorney
a 19-year-old sophomore ford grabbed the woman who could speak on his be-
accused of attacking a (Bloomington Police Department via AP) by the neck and forced half.
Muslim woman over the her head forward, restrict- Bickford told WTHR-TV in
weekend, trying to remove gal process run its course.” ton, about 50 miles south- ing her breathing as he Indianapolis that he has
her headscarf and shout- Bickford, who is from Fort west of Indianapolis. tried to remove her heads- no memory of the incident
ing racial slurs, a school of- Wayne, Indiana, has been According to a probable carf, police allege. and that a combination
ficial said Tuesday. charged with multiple felo- cause affidavit, the Mus- The woman’s husband of drinking alcohol and
School spokesman Mark ny charges, including intim- lim woman was sitting at and a passer-by dragged not taking his anti-anxiety
Land said IU’s dean of stu- idation, strangulation and a table with her 9-year- Bickford off and restrained medication caused him to
dents “dismissed” Triceten battery, in the attack at a old daughter when a man him until police arrived. snap. He said he is not a
D. Bickford on Monday Turkish cafe in Blooming- later identified as Bickford Bickford spit in the men’s hateful person.
night as a “direct result faces, threatened to kill “I’m so sorry to that wom-
of what happened over them and arriving officers, an. I have no idea who she
the weekend” when the tried to kick out the win- is ... I’ve never hurt some-
woman was attacked Sat- dows of a patrol car and one like that before,” Bick-
urday evening outside of a bit an officer on the calf ford told the TV station.
Bloomington cafe. at the Monroe County Jail, The woman’s 48-year-old
“He didn’t withdraw, let’s the affidavit states. husband, who asked that
put it that way,” Land said, Bickford was released Sun- their names not be used,
adding that he couldn’t day from Monroe County’s said Tuesday that the fam-
go into further detail due jail on $705 bond and other ily had moved from Turkey
to privacy concerns. fees. He returned to class to Bloomington nearly two
He said the university, Monday but was expelled decades ago but had nev-
which had already called later that day. er experienced anything
the attack a “horrifying in- The Associated Press sent like the attack.
cident,” won’t have any- emails to Bickford and He said his 47-year-old wife
thing more to say about left cell phones messages was sitting outside the res-
Bickford and will “let the le- for him seeking comment taurant when she noticed
a drunk man approach-
Oaks: Kentucky clerk taking wrong approach on gays ing “mumbling some drunk
stuff” and then heard him
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The moment in the conser- seek a balance, not a total guides The Church of Jesus repeating “white power”
Mormon Church has staked vative religion’s transfor- victory.” Christ of Latter-day Saints, shortly before he attacked
a deeper claim to middle mation from a faith that As with the Roman Catholic to give the speech, the her. He said Bickford’s
ground in American soci- frowned on gays and lesbi- Church under Pope Fran- most detailed yet reflect- bond was set “too low”
ety, advocating for com- ans to one becoming more cis, the conservative Mor- ing the new approach to and that he and his wife
promises between protect- welcoming and compas- mons are trying to assert what Mormons call “same- would have preferred for
ing religious liberties and sionate, albeit in small steps a softer position in society, gendered attraction.” He Bickford to remain in jail un-
prohibiting discrimination, that may seem nominal to while holding firm inside the brings credibility as a former til his initial hearing on the
and criticizing Kentucky outsiders. church to its own doctrines Utah Supreme Court judge charges, which is sched-
clerk Kim Davis for refusing “We may have cultural dif- against gay marriage and who also once served as a uled for Friday. He expects
to license gay marriages. ferences, but we should homosexual activity. law clerk to Chief Justice prosecutors to request a
A speech Tuesday by Mor- not have ‘culture wars,’” The Mormons chose Oaks, Earl Warren on the U.S. Su- restraining order at that
mon leader Dallin H. Oaks Oaks said. “On the big is- a member of the Quorum preme Court, church offi- hearing to keep Bickford
marked another landmark sues ... both sides should of the Twelve Apostles that cials said.q away from the family. q
