Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Tuesday, August 8, 2017.
Lawyer: Ex-Northwestern professor plans to plead not guilty to murder of Trenton Cornell-Duranleau
Northwestern professor Wyndham Lathem—who was fired by the university effective August 4—is expected to plead not guilty to first-degree murder charges for the July 27 stabbing death of 26-year-old Trenton Cornell-Duranleau in River North, according to his California attorney, Kenneth Wine. On Monday afternoon Lathem appeared in court in suburban San Francisco, where “he agreed to waive his arraignment and right to oppose extradition to Chicago,” the Sun-Times reports. “Since the beginning of this case, the defense has received dozens of calls and letters in support of Dr. Lathem, from friends and colleagues who have known him for decades,” Wine said in a statement. “They all describe him in the same way—a kind, intelligent, and gentle soul, and a loyal and trusted friend. What he is accused of is totally contrary to the way he has lived his entire life.” His codefendant, Oxford University employee Andrew Warren, also charged with first-degree murder, is slated to appear in court for the first time Friday. [Associated Press via Tribune] [Sun-Times]
