Mirelle Miller-Young, an associate professor of feminist studies at University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) pleaded nolo contendere (no contest) to the charges of battery, vandalism, and theft, as a result of her assault of a group of pro-life students who advocated on campus in early March.
In the assault, Miller-Young forcibly took the signs that the students were using, and as she walked away, Thrin and Joan Short, two sisters who had been part of the pro-life group followed. The sisters caught the interaction between them and Miller-Young as they tried to follow her, showing Miller-Young physically pushing the sisters away when they tried to enter the elevator with her. Reports also say that Miller-Young had hit the young women in the pro-life group, and that Thrin Short had visible scratches on her arms.
"Before she grabbed the sign, she was mocking me and talking over me in front of the students, saying that she was twice as old as me and had three degrees, so they should listen to her and not me. Then she started the chant with the students to "tear down the sign'. When that died out, she grabbed the sign," Thrin Short told Fox News.
Miller-Young told police that her forceful actions were "triggered" by the graphic images on the posters that the pro-life group was holding, and that she felt especially provoked because she was pregnant at the time. Reports also say that Miller-Young felt that she was setting a good example to her students by her actions.
As a result of the publicity of this case, the Short family had been garnering support. However, they do not condone their supporters' attacks personally against Miller-Young.
Catherine Short, mother of Thrin and Joan Short, and legal director of Life Legal Defense Founation, expressed this in a statement. "Unfortunately, along with the expressions of support we have received, we have become aware of individuals engaging in ad hominem attacks against Miller-Young. We do not condone this, and we ask that such attacks stop. As my daughters tell people they meet on campuses, let's keep to the topic and have a reasonable, productive conversation."
Miller-Young is still listed as a professor in the UCSB directory, and UCSB has not issued any statements about the case. However, Michael Young, the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, has sent an email to the student body over a week after the incident explaining his strong stance for free speech, but also expressing his distaste for outside groups coming into the campus and creating discord in the campus.
"Civility plays an important role in how we choose to exercise our right to expression. We all have the right to say odious things, to display offensive slogans and placards, and to hurt and disrespect groups and individuals that disagree with us. The question is: should we? Should we engage in these behaviors just because we can or because they serve our political, religious, or personal agendas?" he wrote.
A hearing for Miller-Young's sentence has been set for late August.
