The second-year UA law student and former beauty queen accused of suspected kidnapping and torturing her ex-boyfriend will continue to be suspended from school until further notice.
Kumari Fulbright, along with the help of two men, was accused of kidnapping, holding and torturing an ex-boyfriend at gunpoint and knifepoint, according to court documents.
On Jan. 7, Fulbright and her lawyer, Marc Beginin, met with UA officials and Fulbright was placed on interim suspension by the Dean of Students Office, said Johnny Cruz, a university spokesman.
“”There’s no designated end date as to when the status will change,”” Cruz said Thursday. “”Any student on interim suspension cannot be on campus.””
Beginin pointed out that the suspension is a mandatory part of school policy.
“”It’s only an administrative suspension that is an automatic function when someone’s involved in an investigation,”” he said Thursday. “”It wasn’t a decision based on merits of the case.””
The victim told an investigator that Fulbright accused him of stealing her jewelry and that she “”bit him on his left ear lobe, slapped him in the face with plastic bags that had items in them, bit him on the webbing of his hand, stuck a butcher knife into his ear and talked about shoving it into his brain,”” according to a Tucson Police Department report.
The Pima County Superior Court indicted Fulbright on five felony charges, including armed robbery, aggravated robbery, kidnapping and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on Dec. 18, according to court records.
She was freed the next day on $50,000 bail.
“”She denies the allegations,”” Beginin said. “”She got caught in the middle of a situation that was not of her doing.””
The 25-year-old Fulbright is a former Miss Arizona beauty pageant contestant, and was named Miss Desert Sun in 2006 and Miss Pima County in 2005.
She also writes for the James E. Rogers College of Law’s Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law.
“”I’m hopeful they’ll make the right decision and let her finish her education,”” Beginin said. “”She’s been nothing but a productive member of the UA community and is a threat to no one.””