HARTFORD — A former University of Hartford student facing allegations she smeared body fluids on her roommate's belongings was in court Tuesday.
Brianna Brochu appeared Tuesday in packed court room in Hartford Superior Court. She's charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief and breach of peace. If an additional hate crime charge is added it will be a decision made by prosecutors.
The 18-year-old Harwinton resident, who is white, is accused of contaminating her black roommate's belongings at the University of Hartford.
According to the arrest warrant, Brochu posted the following on her Instagram account:
“Finally did it yo girl got rid of her roommate!! After 1 ½ months of spitting in her coconut oil, putting moldy clam dip in her lotions, rubbing used tampons on her backpack, putting her toothbrush places where the sun doesn’t shine, and so much more I can finally say goodbye Jamaican Barbie.”
Police said during their interview of Brochu she admitted some of the actions against her former roommate, Chennel "Jazzy" Rowe, including licking Rowe’s plate, fork and spoon, putting tampon blood on Rowe’s backpack, and mixing Rowe’s lotions with other lotions also on Rowe’s desk, but “denies anything further.” The warrant also said Brochu claimed anything else she “bragged about over social media was a lie in an attempt to appear funny."
“It was a hateful situation and it should be a hate crime,” Scott Esdaile, President of Connecticut’s NAACP, told FOX61. The organization is calling on the State’s Attorney’s office to add a hate crime charge.
“Zero tolerance for this type of behavior, because once you start setting precedence for this, racism could run ramped throughout the state of Connecticut," Esdaile added.
The group gathered outside the court Tuesday morning chanting, “No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!”
Inside the packed courtroom, Brochu appeared briefly before the judge before rushing out to a nearby car and quickly driving away.
Her lawyer, Tom Stevens, from the Law Offices of R.J. Webber, spoke on her behalf saying, “She did some things that she regrets and she’s an 18 year old kid.”
Stevens continued by insisting the issue was not racially driven. “I think when it’s all said and done what you’re going to see is that there was nothing racial that motivated this,” Stevens said.
The NAACP, however, has taken issue with Brochu calling Rowe a "Jamaican Barbie," but Stevens argued that was a self-given name.
“I think that was Miss Rowe’s name for herself. I think she used that name on social media for herself and my client knew that because they were roommates," Stevens said.
Officials said Brochu no longer attends the university. Her case was continued until December 18.
***Associated Press contributed to this report***