Attorneys discussed the University’s request to review police records Friday during the second hearing of a wrongful death suit filed against GW and a student organization.
The father of a man who was fatally stabbed five times outside a Bhangra Blowout after-party two years ago filed the suit against the University and the South Asian Society. The South Asian Society annually hosts Bhangra Blowout, a nationally renowned dance competition.
The case, filed last year, aims to recover damages for the lost income and pain resulting from the March 2005 murder of Ranjit Singh outside of the official Bhangra Blowout after-party. The South Asian Society has not organized an official after-party since the stabbing.
The Metropolitan Police Department opposed the University’s request for the entire police file related to the stabbing because the incident is still under investigation by the federal government. The hearing ended with presiding Judge Rosemary M. Collyer ordering outgoing MPD Chief Charles H. Ramsey to submit the full police file to the court by Wednesday for a review to determine whether the evidence is sensitive or relevant, according to court documents.
GW submitted a request for the full police file to determine if it is of interest to the case, said Tracy Schario, director of Media Relations.
Geoffrey D. Allen, counsel for Gurpal Singh, the victim’s father, said the judge seemed to side with some of GW’s arguments on Friday.
“It may screw up the investigation if those facts get out,” Allen said. “(But) the judge seemed sympathetic to GWU on some of the documents.”
The court is concerned about allowing the University to view the documents because the government is still searching for the person suspected of killing Ranjit Singh, Schario said. She declined further comment, referencing a school policy of not discussing ongoing lawsuits.
MPD initiated a homicide investigation after Ranjit Singh’s death on March 27, 2005. The suspected murder occurred outside of the Old Post Pavilion near Union Station, where the South Asian Society-sponsored after-party was held.
“(Police) have a suspect and they have a name, but they won’t give it to us because it is an ongoing criminal investigation,” Allen said.
The government’s investigation has found that the suspect is hiding in Pakistan, Allen said.
Court records show Singh is seeking compensation as high as $6 million from GW, the General Services Administration of the U.S. Government and others.
Singh has said he initially did not intend to press charges, but filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit based on the claim that GW and the South Asian Society did not provide enough security for the event.
GW, which is represented by Timothy W. Romberger and Steven Anthony Hamilton, argues it is not liable because it had hired an independent contractor to secure the event.
