Frames from the video of Ohio State assistant professor Luke Perez grappling a local cameraman after president emeritius Gordon Gee visited a Chase Center course Monday. Credit: Courtesy of DJ Byrnes, The Rooster
A panel of Ohio State faculty has recommended that Luke Perez be terminated after he tackled an independent documentarian who attempted to speak with former president E. Gordon Gee.?
The Office of Human Resources, Employee and Labor Relations found significant evidence that Perez, who is an assistant professor in the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society, demonstrated workplace violence during the incident, which occurred on Feb. 9.
“Dr. Perez engaged in violent behavior as defined in the Workplace Violence Policy,” a panel report obtained by the Lantern stated. “Specifically, he used physical force, violence, or other actions that have the capacity to inflict harm or to endanger the physical safety of another person. This violent behavior caused a disruption to the work environment, and a reasonable person in that environment would fear for their physical safety.”
The report shows investigators interviewed Perez and seven university-affiliated potential witnesses, which included two staff members, three faculty members, one Emeritus faculty member and one student.
The panel also reviewed video-documentation provided by Ohio State police, and the department’s report that documented the incident.?
After an analysis of the materials and comparison to the workplace violence policy, investigators concluded Perez violated the policy by engaging in violent behavior.
“Specifically, he used physical force, violence or other actions that have the capacity to inflict harm or to endanger the physical safety of another person,” the report stated. “This violent behavior caused a disruption to the work environment, and a reasonable person in that environment would fear for their physical safety.”
After determining other factors, such as Perez indicating in panel interviews that he acted in self-defense, the reputational harm done to the university from the incident and Perez’s lack of documented prior disciplinary history, the ELR determined that the seriousness of the incident outweighs these factors.
“Retaliation is prohibited by university policy and law,” the panel report stated. “The university will not tolerate retaliation in any form against any individual who makes an allegation, files a report, serves as a witness, assists a complainant, or participates in an investigation.”
Perez was placed on administrative leave on Feb. 11, shortly following the incident. He was then charged with assault and pleaded not guilty in court later that month, per prior Lantern reporting.
During his arraignment, Perez was released on the condition that he does not contact the victim, Michael Newman. He was granted a temporary protection order against Perez.
Perez did not respond in time for publication.
