Third-year College student Adam Boyd was asked to leave the University on Saturday night after an 11-student random jury found him guilty of cheating.
The verdict came on the heels of more than two and a half hours of jury deliberation that concluded Boyd's 12-hour open honor trial.
"It's never a happy moment when a student is asked to leave the University," said Honor Committee Chairman Christopher Smith, who served as trial chair. "That said, I think the jury was very thoughtful, and no matter what the outcome would have been, I had confidence in their decision."
As Smith read the jury's verdict, Boyd stood and quickly departed the trial room.
"I feel the trial was not a pursuit of the truth," Boyd said after the trial. "I was innocent of the charges. The only thing I was guilty of was getting the wrong paper handed to me."
Boyd was accused of cheating on the second quiz in Astronomy 124, "Introduction to Stars and Galaxies," last spring by obtaining a copy of the test, filling it out and substituting it when he took an identical make-up test a week later.
Observers filled the seats of the Newcomb Hall trial room to capacity. Roughly 30 other students watched the proceeding via simulcast from the Commonwealth room on the third floor of Newcomb Hall. Boyd's parents were present, as were a variety of students and local media representatives.
Jurors were presented with testimony from a variety of witnesses.
Astronomy Prof. Charles Tolbert, the accuser in the case, was the only witness called by fourth-year College student Tim Johnson and third-year Commerce student Logan Moncreif, the honor counsels for the accuser.
According to Tolbert, all makeup tests for the quiz were marked with a pen after he realized one more test was handed out in class than was returned. The test Boyd turned in had no such mark.
Tolbert also testified that the first 10 makeup tests handed out were hand-stapled. He further stated that since Boyd was the sixth student to receive a test, he should have received and turned in a hand-stapled version, though the test Boyd turned in was machine-stapled.
Boyd's counselors, third-year Law student Seth Wood and fourth-year College student Jeffrey Eisenberg, called Boyd to the witness stand. They also called Raven Carter -- a student in the room when Boyd took the test -- who said she saw nothing unusual, as well as fourth-year College student Lindsay Ross and second-year College student Steve Ander, the honor investigators who handled Boyd's case.
Boyd testified that he did not cheat on the quiz. He claimed he was not present on the day of the quiz and that he took and returned the same makeup test that was provided to him.
Boyd's counselors brought Ross and Ander before the jury to call into question the validity of the investigation. Boyd claimed that the investigators did not do a thorough job, making it difficult to know what events transpired concerning the handling of makeup tests.
Jurors posed numerous questions to witnesses, bringing into evidence the fact that Boyd received a 'C' on his first quiz, an 'A-' on the quiz in question, and a 'C' on the final quiz of the semester.
One of the jurors questioned Boyd's reasons for taking the makeup quiz. Boyd claimed to have been studying for a biology test the night before the Astronomy quiz was scheduled, although he admitted the biology test actually occurred three days prior to the Astronomy quiz.
In closing, Boyd's counsel asked the jury to consider what he said was a lack of evidence and a failure by the accuser to show beyond a reasonable doubt that Boyd had obtained a copy of the quiz and made a switch. Counsel posited several possible scenarios that they said offered plausible explanations for the situation.
Tolbert's counsel closed by reiterating the accuser's case, claiming there was no reasonable scenarios suggested, and asking the jury for a guilty verdict.
Boyd has until Wednesday to appeal the case. Unless he files an expedited plea, asking for a quick resolution, he will be expelled from the University.
Boyd also has the option of filing a grievance, attesting that there were procedural errors in the system leading to his conviction.
Boyd said he planned to appeal, although he felt the system was tilted against him.
"Ultimately I have to appeal to the Committee members, and they have shown me that they will not change their minds," Boyd said. "They will never agree that the honor system is fundamentally flawed."
Boyd also said he has plans for filing a grievance and will consider a legal suit against the University.
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