Arraignment Delayed for UCLA Professor Accused in Fatal Lab Fire
Patrick Harran and the University of California, Los Angeles, face charges in a lab fire that killed Sheharbano "Sheri" Sangji
Patrick Harran at an arraignment hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012.
Arraignment has been postponed for a UCLA chemistry professor and UC regents charged in connection with a lab fire that killed a staff research assistant at UCLA in December 2008.
Patrick Harran, 42, and the regents of the University of California have been charged with three counts each of willfully violating occupational health and safety standards, resulting in Sheharbano "Sheri" Sangji's death, according to a felony complaint issued by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
A new arraignment date has been set for March 7.
Harran faces up to 4 1/2 years in state prison if convicted. The school system faces fines of $4.5 million, prosecutors said.
Sangji was burned over nearly half her body Dec. 29, 2008 when air-sensitive chemicals burst into flames and ignited her clothes at a UCLA lab. She died 18 days later.
An investigation by Cal/OSHA in May 2009 found that Sangji had not been properly trained and should have been wearing protective clothing. Cal/OSHA fined UCLA $31,875.
The university and Harran have maintained that the death was a tragic accident that does not merit criminal charges.
"Since the time of the accident, UCLA has fully cooperated with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health and the district attorney's office," UCLA said in a statement. "Cal/OSHA conducted an exhaustive investigation into the incident in 2009, which included interviews with UCLA officials and the examination of numerous documents shared by UCLA."
The Cal/OSHA probe found no willful violations on the part of the college and the university paid the fines, UCLA said.
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