The University of California paid nearly $4.5-million in legal fees to defend itself and a UCLA professor in the case of a 2008 lab fire that left one dead, the
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The University of California paid nearly $4.5-million in legal fees to defend itself and a UCLA professor in the case of a 2008 lab fire that left one dead, the Los Angeles Times reports. Records obtained by the Times show that nearly five dozen lawyers and other staff members billed the university for upwards of 7,700 hours of work on the case.
On December 29, 2008, a chemical ignited and burned a 23-year-old research assistant, Sheharbano (Sheri) Sangji, who died 18 days later. The professor supervising the lab, Patrick G. Harran, was charged with four felony counts of willfully violating state health and safety standards. The university also faced charges but settled them with prosecutors two years ago. Mr. Harran settled his case earlier this year, agreeing to pay $10,000 and perform 800 hours of community service while admitting no wrongdoing.
“We defended ourselves and our faculty member as was our right and obligation, using funds in a systemwide self-insurance program,” the university said in a statement.
