WSU student leaders press for retrial in Hargraves case

Student leaders at Washington State University released a letter Tuesday urging the Whitman County prosecutor to put a former Pullman police officer back on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a former WSU student.

The letter, directed to the “Cougar Community,” was on Associated Students of Washington State University letterhead and signed by ASWSU President Quinton Berkompas and ASWSU Vice President Jhordin Prescott. ASWSU is the university’s student government.

Berkompas told the Daily News that the student government felt it needed to take a public stance because the actions of the former officer undermined the safety and security that WSU students deserve.

“We want to make it clear that there’s a lot of pressure here from the student body that this case needs to be retried,” he said.

On Sept. 19, Whitman County Superior Court Judge Gary Libey declared a mistrial as the jury could not reach a verdict in the trial of Dan Hargraves.

Hargraves was charged with custodial sexual misconduct after a former WSU student alleged he made her perform oral sex on him while she was in his custody in March 2018.

After the mistrial was declared, Prosecutor Denis Tracy said his office would take time to decide whether to retry Hargraves in court.

“The Associated Students of Washington State University value the safety, security and well-being of all students,” the letter states. “The alleged actions of former Pullman Police Department sergeant Dan Hargraves stand in direct contrast to these values, and ASWSU firmly believes that the alleged actions are a direct threat to the sense of safety that law enforcement is meant to provide to the community and our students.”

The trial took nearly two weeks as the jury was presented with substantial evidence from the prosecutor and the defense attorney, including phone records, police body camera footage and testimonies from forensic experts.

The alleged victim was an 18-year-old freshman at the time of the alleged incident.

“ASWSU undoubtedly believes and supports the victim, and it is absolutely imperative that Mr. Hargraves be held accountable for the revolting actions he allegedly committed. To not proceed with this trial would be a gross miscarriage of justice,” the letter states.