The trial of Murad Dervish, a former University of Arizona graduate student, commenced this Tuesday, with prosecutors alleging premeditation in the 2022 killing of Professor Thomas Meixner. Dervish, who faces multiple felony charges including first-degree murder, is accused of shooting Meixner nine times on campus, as detailed by the U.S. News & World Report. The Pima County Superior Court trial is projected to span two weeks.
Prosecutors claim that the act was intentional, emphasizing to the jury the horrific nature of the crime. "This isn’t a case about whether or not the defendant was the one who pulled the trigger and shot and killed Professor Meixner," Deputy Pima County Attorney Hayley Weigold asserted, a statement captured by the FOX 10 Phoenix. Instead, the case focuses on whether Dervish knew the difference between right and wrong when he fired the shots.
Dervish, 48, was a part of the university’s hydrology program until he was expelled following disputes with staff triggered by a poor grade. His defense attorneys have delayed their opening statement until after the state presents its case, hinting at a possible insanity defense. Captured after fleeing the scene more than 120 miles away from Tucson, authorities found that the ammunition in Dervish's loaded 9mm handgun matched the shell casings from the crime scene, according to the U.S. News & World Report.
As part of the security measures, a flyer bearing Dervish's image was disseminated among university staff, mandating a 911 call if he was spotted entering the Harshbarger Building where the hydrology department is located. Having made several reports of harassment and issuing threats to staff, Dervish managed to enter the building without obstruction and eventually execute the shooting, a lawyer for Meixner's family mentioned in an interview—an incident steeped in warnings ignored by the school. University President Robert Robbins acknowledged that campus police had tried twice to have Dervish charged prior to the shooting, but prosecutors did not find sufficient evidence to proceed, the FOX 10 Phoenix reports.
After filing a $9 million notice of claim alleging the university's failure to protect its community, the family of the victim settled with the university and the Arizona Board of Regents for $2.5 million this January. This followed a stream of blame flowing toward the institution for not taking adequate measures to prevent the tragedy that befell Meixner, as per the details provided by the FOX 10 Phoenix.
