Charges dropped for former Pitt student

A federal court dismissed the charges against a former Pitt student accused of making bomb… A federal court dismissed the charges against a former Pitt student accused of making bomb threats to three University buildings in April 2008.

Federal prosecutors said that, in 2008, Louisa Ewuresi Nkrumah of Harrisburg called the Pitt police and threatened to destroy the Cathedral of Learning and Posvar Hall. A judge dismissed the charges against her Tuesday after she completed 150 hours of community service and paid Pitt $8,000 over the course of a year.

Nkrumah’s volunteer work and payments to Pitt were part of Pretrial Diversion, a court-sponsored program that gives people — most without previous criminal histories — the chance to fulfill certain requirements in exchange for having their charges dropped. The requirements vary for each person but usually focus on education, career development and other self-improvement goals.

Michael Haywood, who was Pitt’s football coach for two weeks this winter, also entered Pretrial Diversion after he was accused of putting the mother of his son in a chokehold and throwing her backward. His Pretrial Diversion program requires him to have a psychological evaluation and perform 60 hours of community service.

When Nkrumah began her program last spring, Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Robert Hill said the University thought the requirements were “appropriate.”

The $8,000 payment to the University matched the amount Pitt spent to respond to the bomb threats. Hill said Nkrumah’s program “sends the message that … the University will devote resources to investigate these crimes.”

Pitt spokesman John Fedele said yesterday that the University had nothing to add to that initial statement.

A woman who answered the phone at Nkrumah’s house yesterday said she was not available, and Nkrumah’s attorney did not return requests for comment.