U.Va. professor, son want apology to those 'wrongfully punished'

University of Virginia professor Robert F. Turner and his son, Thomas E. Turner, a junior at the university, are calling for U.Va. officials to apologize to the fraternities and students “wrongfully punished” by the administration after the Rolling Stone magazine published a since-discredited story about a fraternity gang-rape at the school.

The Turners, who say they have no connection with Greek life, wrotean op-ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch asking the university — specifically naming U.Va. President Teresa Sullivan — to publicly apologize for its decision to ban fraternity events without any investigation.

“[W]hat message did Sullivan send about basic fairness and the due process of law?” the Turners asked. “Neither of us has any connection with the Greek system, and we understand that they are not popular with some faculty members and administrators. But it is precisely when the alleged crime is so heinous, and the accused unpopular with those in authority, that we must guard against emotion-driven efforts to bypass fundamental due process.”

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