Calif. Professor Convicted in Staged Hate Crime Case

Kerri Dunn, a Claremont McKenna College psychology professor from Redlands, Calif., was convicted of attempted insurance fraud for falsely reporting her car was vandalized while speaking about racial tolerance at a campus event, according to the Associated Press.

Dunn reported to police that her tires were slashed and her car was spray-painted with anti-Semitic slurs on March 9. The vandalism report sparked numerous protests against intolerance at Claremont’s five campuses the day after the incident, and classes were canceled.

Dunn reported the vandalism to her insurance company, but later witnesses came forward and said they saw Dunn vandalizing her own vehicle.

Defense attorneys said that Dunn never submitted a claim and that she continues to maintain her innocence.

She was convicted of two felony counts of attempted insurance fraud and one misdemeanor count of filing a false police report.

Dunn is reportedly appealing the insurance fraud convictions.