Judge Allows Louisiana State U. to Fire Scientist in Advance of Trial

Louisiana State University has won a round in its fight to fire Ivor van Heerden, the deputy director of LSU’s hurricane center, after he blamed the federal government for levee failures in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.

A federal judge in Baton Rouge, James J. Brady, refused on Thursday to grant a preliminary injunction in Mr. van Heerden’s lawsuit against LSU. That means the scientist, who has spent more than 15 years at LSU, must vacate his office.

The dispute has buffeted the LSU faculty and prompted an investigation by the American Association of University Professors.

The professor’s lawyer, Jill L. Craft, said she would now seek an expedited jury trial of the lawsuit, which seeks to block the dismissal, and the judge said he would consider the request, according to The Advocate, a newspaper in Baton Rouge.

The judge also criticized LSU for e-mail exchanges in which university administrators suggested Mr. van Heerden was crazy and perhaps should receive a cyanide pill, the newspaper said.