2008 Woodie Awards
Oduwole note still considered evidence
Student's note in car threatened shooting at a university
Alestle Staff Report
Issue date: 8/26/08 Section: News
A note found in the car of former SIUE student Olustosin Oduwole will still be used as evidence against him in his upcoming court case for gun charges and making a terrorist threat.
Associate Judge Richard Tognarelli ruled that the evidence was properly obtained when SIUE Police searched Oduwole's car last July on campus.
SIUE Police Chief Regina Hays said the note was critical to the case against Oduwole.
"The judge said SIUE did a great job," Hays said. "Everything went as we thought it would."
SIUE officers testified last week at a hearing where Philip Dennis, Oduwole's attorney, argued that the note was found under a search warrant for a gun crime.
The note read: "send $2 to … paypal account if this doesn't reach $50,000 in the next 7 days then a murderous rampage similar to the VT shooting will occur at another highly populated university. THIS IS NOT A JOKE!"
Oduwole was initially charged July 19, 2007 with theft by deception and computer fraud after a Kirksville, Mo. man informed Wood River police that he had sent a check to Oduwole and failed toreceive promised firearms. Police then searched Oduwole's silver 2001 Ford Taurus that had been abandoned on campus and impounded.
Oduwole was arrested that same day at his Cougar Village apartment and was found with a Jennings Model 25 handgun. He was charged with unlawful possession of weapons in a public building, a class A misdemeanor.
Hays said if the note had been dropped, the case would most likely have been dropped as well.
"If you don't have the note, then you don't have the threat," Hays said.
Oduwole's case will continue later on this year.
Dennis was unavailable for comment as of Monday afternoon.
Associate Judge Richard Tognarelli ruled that the evidence was properly obtained when SIUE Police searched Oduwole's car last July on campus.
SIUE Police Chief Regina Hays said the note was critical to the case against Oduwole.
"The judge said SIUE did a great job," Hays said. "Everything went as we thought it would."
SIUE officers testified last week at a hearing where Philip Dennis, Oduwole's attorney, argued that the note was found under a search warrant for a gun crime.
The note read: "send $2 to … paypal account if this doesn't reach $50,000 in the next 7 days then a murderous rampage similar to the VT shooting will occur at another highly populated university. THIS IS NOT A JOKE!"
Oduwole was initially charged July 19, 2007 with theft by deception and computer fraud after a Kirksville, Mo. man informed Wood River police that he had sent a check to Oduwole and failed toreceive promised firearms. Police then searched Oduwole's silver 2001 Ford Taurus that had been abandoned on campus and impounded.
Oduwole was arrested that same day at his Cougar Village apartment and was found with a Jennings Model 25 handgun. He was charged with unlawful possession of weapons in a public building, a class A misdemeanor.
Hays said if the note had been dropped, the case would most likely have been dropped as well.
"If you don't have the note, then you don't have the threat," Hays said.
Oduwole's case will continue later on this year.
Dennis was unavailable for comment as of Monday afternoon.
Be the first to comment on this story