A reader sent me some links to public documents this morning and I initially decided not to post them, mostly for reasons involving not wanting to deal with reader response and the numerous issues raised by this situation. But then I carefully reread the 2009 unpublished Michigan Court of Appeals decision noted below. And I thought about Wayne State University. And I decided to post.
I’m not going to tell you what to think. I’m just going to lay it out for you. If you want to comment, please read the entire court opinion before you do (including the two footnotes).
This Ph.D. candidate and student employee of Wayne State is focusing his studies on social narratives and discourse regarding sex and sexuality and the harms they perpetuate. He describes his candidacy and focus as resulting in part from an “unanticipated experience with the criminal legal system.” https://clasprofiles.wayne.edu/profile/gu8565.
This is the “unanticipated experience”:
This “unanticipated experience” was a result of sex crimes committed when he was 27 and 28 against two 14-year-old boys. This unanticipated experience resulted in a conviction after a trial by jury, a rejected appeal and a permanent placement on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry.
I can’t help it, but Wayne State University mostly makes me think about the late Frank Shelden, who attended as a graduate student in the Geology Department. Here’s what A.I. told me about Shelden and his connection to WSU:
Did Francis D. Shelden work for Wayne State University?
No, Francis D. Shelden did not work for Wayne State University, but he did earn a master’s degree there
. While Shelden was a student, a news report from 1977 indicated he also had a short-term teaching role at the university.
More details about Shelden’s connection to Wayne State University:
- He received a bachelor’s degree from Yale in 1950 and later a master’s in geology from Wayne State.
- He also took classes toward a doctorate in geology at Wayne State.
- In the 1970s, Shelden was identified as a central figure in a child sexual abuse and pornography ring.
- A 1977 news article about the ring noted that Shelden “taught at Wayne State for a time”. However, records from Find a Grave and Justia Law, which document his education and legal affairs, only mention his student status at the university.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for context regarding Francis D. Shelden. He was a convicted child pornographer and is a highly sensitive topic. Use discretion.
AI responses may include mistakes. For legal advice, consult a professional.
“Use discretion.” “Highly sensitive topic.” “Unanticipated experience with the legal system.” “Fucking unbelievable.”