A former University of Hartford student who harassed her black roommate by smearing her used tampon on her backpack pled not guilty Monday, (Dec. 18) and also avoided a hate crime.
Brianna Brochu made headlines in October when she took to Instagram to brag about the vile things she did to her roommate, Chennel Rowe in an effort to get her to leave. The Harwinton, Conn resident admitted she placed Rowe’s toothbrush “where the sun doesn’t shine,” as well as spit in her coconut oil and place moldy clam dip in her lotions.
Brochu, who frequently referred to Rowe as a “Jamaican Barbie” was charged with criminal mischief and breach of peace. However, the president of the Connecticut chapter for the NAACP made it clear the prosecutor’s inability to charge 18 year old Brochu with a hate crime is a miscarriage of justice.
“She should be charged with a hate crime,”Imam Abdul-Shahid Muhammad Ansari said while speaking with NBC. “We made our feelings known and will continue to do so, letting the community know and elected officials know as well.”
Due to Brochu’s behavior, Rowe said in a Facebook Live video she developed “extreme throat pain” and doctors were unable to diagnose the cause. Since Brochu’s behavior has gone public, she’s been expelled from The University of Hartford.
It’s reported during an interview with the Republican American Newspaper in November, Brochu said her actions were foolish, but that she isn’t racist.