The University of Missouri-Columbia has completed its investigation of the incident which occurred at the MU-KU men’s basketball game on March 6, 2005. The following information describes the investigation and its results.
FINDINGS:
— The University of Missouri-Columbia failed to provide a clear policy regarding banners and signs in Mizzou Arena and adequate training related to such a policy.
— Police Chief Jack Watring’s conduct was consistent with the professional standards for law enforcement officials and his authority as a representative of the University and the University of Missouri-Columbia Police Department.
DESCRIPTION OF INVESTIGATION:
It has been the University’s intent that this investigation be objective, fair and thorough. Significant efforts were made to identify and obtain information from the complainants and actual witnesses to the incident. The primary investigator, Lisa Wimmenauer, associate director of business services, traveled to Lawrence, Kan., for individual private interviews to ensure that the KU students and fans involved in the incident had an opportunity to be heard.
The University requested and received assistance and counsel from two independent law enforcement executives with significant professional experience in law enforcement in a university setting. Those individuals were:
Assistant Chief Dale Burke, University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department
Chief Ronnie Grice, Kansas State University Police Department.
The KU fans involved in the incident-Chris Kaufmann, Andrew Wymore, Rich Littrell, and Christian Green-brought a heavily laminated banner, approximately 3 by 6 feet, for display in Mizzou Arena. They were allowed to bring the banner into Mizzou Arena and were initially given permission by a student employee to hang the banner from a railing on a Plexiglas wall in front of the section where they were seated. At the time of the incident, the University had not adopted a formal sign/banner policy for Mizzou Arena.
Subsequently, Chief Watring directed the removal of the banner. Safety was the primary motivation for removal of the banner, as it could reasonably be predicted that inappropriate and unsafe fan behavior could result.
After removal and return of the banner to the KU fans, further discussion between the KU fans, Watring and MUPD Major Doug Schwandt continued. Major Schwandt and Chief Watring asked the KU fans to move to the concourse area where the discussion would be less intrusive for other fans. This action was consistent with standard police procedure. The continuing debate, which was heated, resulted in the ejection of Wymore, who received a trespass warning. Wymore was arrested when he attempted to re-enter the arena unlawfully. The ejection was consistent with the valid exercise of law enforcement authority.
