Media Center > Turkish Student Cleared In Bomb Threat Trial

June 25 2003
Source: St. Petersburg Times

DADE CITY - After a trial that included references to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a Turkish student was cleared Tuesday of charges he telephoned a bomb threat to Saint Leo University after he was expelled.

Mehmet Emir Bozbey, 22, of Tampa smiled broadly as court officials announced the acquittal after 45 minutes of deliberation. His attorneys argued the state presented no concrete evidence and said Bozbey was visiting his family in Turkey when the threat was made Dec. 19, 2002.

"I believed in the judge, I believed in the jury," Bozbey said outside the courtroom. "I knew I was not guilty."

In the courtroom, defense attorney David Kubilian slapped Bozbey on the back in celebration. His mother, Meral, broke into tears.

In opening arguments, Kubilian said his client was the victim of mistakes and stereotypes. Bozbey was a student at Saint Leo in September 2001 but was expelled shortly after the terrorist attacks.

University vice president of student affairs Edward Dadez testified the attacks had nothing to do with Bozbey's dismissal; rather it was the result of earlier breaches of school conduct codes. But Kubilian said Bozbey noticed people treated him differently after the attacks.