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The West Virginia State Police will be investigating the hidden recordings at the
Glenville State College Library. GSC's security chief Phil Huff has turned over his
investigation to the agency, after several college faculty members reportedly
complained about conflict of interest with the in-house process.
Problems surfaced last week when Prosecuting Attorney Gerry Hough made
statements before a Gilmer County Commission meeting regarding the issue. Hough
told The Glenville Democrat "Anytime a college administrator is implicated in a felony,
the investigation should be delegated to a law enforcement agency that does not
answer to the college president." Prosecutor Hough did not return a call from The Hur
Herald for clarification.
Hough said in a Letter to the Editor of The Democrat that security chief Huff
"Completed a thorough investigation of the college library incident and I do not
believe he tampered with any evidence."
The problem surfaced about two weeks ago when the library's administrative
assistant Eileen Dixon discovered a recording device hidden above a ceiling tile.
Dixon complained to college officials and filed a grievance. Library Director Ed
Messenger then resigned. President Thomas Powell said it was strictly Messenger's
choice, and was quoted as saying "The tapes were turned over to the State Police,
and no one (on campus) was involved in looking at or listening to the tapes."
Security head Phil Huff said the bugging incident was serious, a felony which could be
prosecuted.
Meanwhile Prosecutor Attorney Hough is in conflict with local State Police, stating
"There is an investigation underway regarding certain State Police officer's conduct."
(SEE 11/11/01 "Prosecutor Unhappy...")
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