UPDATE: Jan. 30, 6:45 p.m.
Moscow Police records obtained by The Argonaut through a public records request reveal Bennett admitted to police she last used methamphetamine Nov. 3. Officers responded to a report of a domestic dispute in progress with firearms present Nov. 4.
According to the police records the events proceeded as following:
Bennett said she attempted to hide her husband’s firearms to “hurt his feelings.” Bennett and her husband, Bradley Janssen, denied the dispute had been physical, according to the report.
Bennett said she had the intention of selling the firearms without her husband’s knowledge, according to the report.
“Both parties stated their marital issues revolved around Bennett’s recent methamphetamine usage,” the report reads. “Bennett looked and acted despondent, stating she was a professor at the U of I, and both her work and her home life were ‘s–t.'”
Bennett, who did not have meth on her person, denied wishing any harm on others or herself, but refused to see a medical professional when speaking with police. She did, however, agree to speak with Alternative Violence on the Palouse representative, according to the report.
Bennett was then transported to the Moscow Police Station, where she met and left with an unnamed relative.
No criminal charges were pressed.
Janssen was outspoken to students and reporters Wednesday night, saying he was attending the student protest in support of his wife.
Last updated: Jan. 30, 2:30 p.m.
Despite admitting no immediate threat to campus, the University of Idaho issued a Vandal Alert Wednesday morning, informing students, faculty and staff Denise Bennett “has been barred from campus. Recent admittance to police of meth use and access to firearms.”
Jodi Walker, UI director of communications, said there was no immediate threat to campus when the alert was sent. Walker said the alert was approved by UI President Chuck Staben, which is standard procedure for most Vandal Alerts.
Bennett, a professor in the Journalism and Mass Media department, was put on administrative leave Jan. 24, following “unprofessional conduct” with College of Letters Arts and Social Sciences Dean Sean Quinlan and another university employee, according to the terms and conditions of her leave. Bennett relayed this information via live stream Tuesday.
Denise Bennett
Walker said no direct threat had been made to anyone within the university. She said the information in the alert was taken from a police report in early November.
The report, according to Captain Tyson Berrett of Moscow Police, originated from an alleged domestic dispute in which Bennett admitted to using methamphetamine. Berrett said the case was closed that night, and that no charges were filed against Bennett.
“This is where we thought it was pertinent the university should know what we know,” Walker said.
Berrett said police revisited Bennett’s case following her live stream Tuesday, which led to the university citing the information in the alert.
“The information that was included in the Vandal Alert — which came from us — stemmed from one of our officers watching the live feed. He said, ‘I recognize her. I had a case with her last year,'” Berrett said.
Berrett said the university asked Moscow police to serve a notice of trespassing to Bennett should she be seen on campus.
Following the alert, Ryan Benson, administrator of the REINSTATE DENISE BENNETT Facebook page, delayed Wednesday’s planned silent sit-in at the CLASS offices in the Administration Building. Benson said he had not been in contact with Bennett since she read the terms and conditions of her administrative leave Tuesday afternoon.
Moscow police vehicles were posted outside the Administration Building Wednesday morning following the alert. However, Berrett said the heightened security was because of the planned protest. UI security declined to comment.
Many JAMM classes were canceled Wednesday after the alert, and JAMM Director Robin Johnson closed the main office of the department.
Johnson also said the Radio and Television Center facilities were closed for student safety until further notice. Much of Bennett’s profane email sent to university administrators focused on the declining condition of the RTV Center.
UPDATE: Wednesday 2:17 p.m.
Ryan Benson, administrator of the REINSTATE DENISE BENNETT Facebook page, issued a statement on the page, accusing the university of taking Bennett’s past out of context in the Vandal Alert.
“Any reasonable person receiving this alert would assume it implies a real and immediate threat to anyone on campus. Evidently, many did,” Benson wrote.
Benson also announced he would host a walk-out Wednesday at 6 p.m.
“Students will walk out of class, march to the Administration Building with duct tape across our mouths to signify the attempts of the university to stifle and mute the voice of their students,” he wrote.
Students will meet outside Room 047 of the Teaching and Learning Center and will march to the Administration Building. The walkout will coincide with Bennett’s Director’s First Films class, which was canceled today and is normally taught at 6 p.m.
UPDATE: Jan. 30, 7 p.m.
JAMM offices will be open tomorrow. All JAMM classes will continue as scheduled.
“The School of Journalism and Mass Media faculty understands student frustration in the recent dispute between one of our long-time faculty members and the University administration which has disrupted class schedules and caused a significant amount of confusion and anger,” according to an email sent to students from JAMM faculty. “Like everyone else, we want to see this dispute resolved as soon as possible.”
Brandon Hill can be reached at [email protected]
The Argonaut will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.
Editor’s Note: As many Argonaut employees are students in the University of Idaho Journalism and Mass Media Department, no Argonaut employee who has previously worked with Denise Bennett, as part of their curriculum, has or will report on this developing story. It is our mission as a staff to report university and community news with fairness and transparency.
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Students protest to support Bennett