Judge denies Runte’s request to be excused from testifying
An American judge has denied Carleton University president Roseann O’Reilly Runte’s request to be excused from testifying in a corruption trial in Virginia. Runte’s lawyers had argued that she could not testify because “Changing her schedule on short notice, if possible, would greatly inconvenience both Dr. Runte and negatively reflect on the university.” The case in question involves former Virginia legislator, Phil Hamilton, who secured a job at Old Dominion University after successfully introducing legislation that saw $500,000 in state funding granted to the school’s training centre. Runte was president of Old Dominion at the time, but denies knowledge that Hamilton was employed by the university. Her testimony is requested by the defence who expect her to testify that she did not offer employment to Hamilton. The Ottawa Citizen reports that Hamilton’s lawyer will come to Ottawa within the next two weeks in order to videotape Runte’s deposition.