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The Maharishi University of Management stabbing occurred on March 1, 2004, when without provocation, a student at Maharishi University of Management, Shuvender Sem, fatally stabbed another student, Levi Butler. The stabbing attracted attention partly due to the university's practice of Yogic Flying, that it says reduces violence in the surrounding area. Earlier in the day Sem had attacked another student. Sem was found not guilty due to insanity. A lawsuit against the university that had charged negligence was settled out of court.

Incident

On March 1, 2004, Shuvender Sem stabbed another student in the face with a pen during a class on Teaching for Enlightenment. Told by university staff that he did not need medical attention, the injured student drove himself to the hospital where he received seven stitches. Joel Wysong, the school's dean of men, took Sem to his apartment but did not report the incident to police. Left unattended, Sem took a paring knife from Wysong's kitchen then went to the dining hall. Wysong followed him there but did not take him back into custody. With no provocation, Sem stabbed another student, freshman Levi Butler, four times in the chest, killing him.

Sem, who was a diagnosed schizophrenic, reportedly had been off his medication for months at the time of the murder. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Context

The university places an emphasis on reducing crime.

Crime prevention is one of the seven founding goals of the University: "To solve the age-old problem of crime and all behavior that brings unhappiness to the family of man." All students and administrators practice the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs which are designed to help eliminate criminal tendencies and behavior at their root cause.

Response

According to journalist Anthony Barnett, the attacks led critics to question the movement's claims that advanced meditation techniques could end violence. There were allegations that other incidents had been covered-up and that negative publicity was strenuously avoided. A former MUM professor, Kai Druhl, said that he recalled another student with schizophrenia who had been advised to stop taking his medication in favor of meditation and had had a mental breakdown.

The university said that this was the first incident of its kind on the campus, which they said was the most crime-free in the country, and that it was not their role to bring criminal charges against students. Craig Pearson, executive vice-president, reported that the Maharishi had said of the incident that "this is an aspect of the violence we see throughout society", including the violence that the U.S. perpetrates in other countries.

Lawsuits

On February 24, 2006, the injured student and Butler's estate sued the university and the Maharishi Vedic Education Development Corporation in federal court. The suits charged gross negligence for ignoring warnings that Sem was dangerous, for failing to report the first attack to police, as required by the university's own policies, for failing to provide medical attention to the injured student, and for failing to control the scene properly, causing delays in the emergency response. They further alleged that staff members said the attacks occurred because Sem was not meditating properly, and that the twice-daily practice of Transcendental Meditation, which the university requires of all students, can be dangerous for people with psychiatric problems. The lawsuits against the MVED were dismissed and those against the MUM were settled out of court in 2009. A separate suit, for wrongful death, was filed in state court by Butler's parent's.

References

1. ^ Barnett, Antony (May 2, 2004). "Trouble in transcendental paradise as murder rocks the Maharishi University: Antony Barnett reports on the killing that has shocked the Beatles' guru's college campus". The Observer. London (UK). p. 3.
2. Frank, Thomas (6/12/2007). "Campus security flaws a pattern in slayings". USA TODAY. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
3. Gable, Erik (March 5, 2004). "Reporting policies vary at Iowa's private colleges". The Fairfield Ledger.
4. Owens, Nancy K. (October 26, 2005). "Man Fails to Fly, Sues Camelot Owner". Greater Tulsa Reporter.
5. ^ Associated Press (January 08, 2009). "University expected to settle lawsuit over death". Chicago Tribune. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
6. "Annual Security Report — Fall 2009: Crime Prevention". Retrieved December 23, 2009.
7. Cochrane, Kira (July 25, 2004). "Positive thinking?". Sunday Times. London (UK). p. 39.
8. Milner, Matt (December 22, 2008). "MUM lawsuit heads to federal court in January: Murder victim's family says school is guilty of gross negligence". The Ottumwa Courier.
9. ^ Lorentzen, Amy (January 9, 2009). "Fairfield university settles lawsuit". The HawkEye.
10. Butler v. Maharishi University of Management, US District Court, Southern District of Iowa, Central Div., Case No. 06-cv-00072
11. Kilian v. Maharishi University of Management, US District Court, Southern District of Iowa

External links

• Remembering a friend: Levi Butler 1985-2004 The Chaparral, the student newspaper at College of the Desert
• Photographs of Levi Butler

• School killings in the United States
• Murder in Iowa
• 2004 deaths
• Transcendental Meditation movement