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Morning News

Gallaudet University Students Discuss Campus Life After Murders

Aired February 6, 2001 - 10:23 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Classes do continue at Gallaudet, but students, staff and faculty are stunned about the killings.

Right now, were going to go to Washington, where Gallaudet is located, to talk with two students. They are Angie Geffen, who's a junior -- she's an English major, and Jason Lamberton, a senior majoring in Biology.

Thank you to both of us for joining us here this morning.

First of all, did either one of you know Ben Varner very well? Can you tell us about him?

JASON LAMBERTON, STUDENT (through translator): Unfortunately, I never had a chance to meet Ben, but I can say from what I've heard, you know, about his -- from his residence advisers in the dormitory and his other friends that he was an outstanding, wonderful friend -- wonderful life ahead of him. He was very involved in the Gallaudet activities. And it's unfortunate, too bad, he wasn't able to finish his years here.

KAGAN: Angie, did you know Ben Varner?

ANGIE GEFFEN, STUDENT: I did not know him personally, no, but some friends and people that I know had class with him -- said that he was a really, really kind, very quiet, sweet gentleman. And very, very, very nice guy.

KAGAN: What can either of you tell us about the general mood of the student body right now, besides the mourning. I have to imagine that people on campus are very scared.

LAMBERTON: I think very scared would be a wrong terminology. I think shocked and traumatized would be more appropriate. Over the last four months, we've had two murders. We've never heard of this in the history of Gallaudet -- students fearing for their safety: I think it's more wondering, questioning, you know, where is this murder now. With these two cases -- are they related, is it the same individual who's responsible?

There's a lot of doubt and uncertainty among the students now.

KAGAN: Well, and not just two murders, but two murders in the same dormitory, a dormitory that officials have decided to close and move the remaining students elsewhere, to other housing. Do you think that was a good call?

GEFFEN: Speaking for the student, I have to say that it's been difficult because a lot of them had been in pajamas on Saturday morning. And some of them -- I mean, many of them don't have their plan (ph). And closing it, I think it's wise for, like, a few days, but for the rest of the semester, it makes me -- you know, it makes us wonder, you know, where do we go from here? So...

LAMBERTON: Students, of course, have a choice to go to a vacant room or join's another person that they know. A lot of them are joining their friends and it shows cooperation among the students and the group. And others are very, you know, welcoming of those students who need space. I have a student staying in my room for several days now.

KAGAN: What's the word among students on campus? First of all, do they feel satisfied by what officials are doing, by what police are doing to find the killer or killers in these cases?

LAMBERTON: I can't really say about this case, because it's too early to say, but a lot of students are not satisfied with the previous murder -- you know, Eric Plunkett's investigation. You know, it's now going to the grand jury for investigation. There are a lot of questions that are unanswered, a lot of uncertainty, but with Ben, students feel a lot better, because the FBI's involved. It's being taken more seriously.

GEFFEN: The students, they're all more safe and comfortable now because of having information center set up on campus and things like that. And they have asked us to kind of help. So they feel a little bit more stable.

KAGAN: Two murders in one dormitory on any college campus would be newsworthy, but I think it's particularly newsworthy because this is happening at Gallaudet, the premier college for the deaf. Because it is a deaf student body, are there any special needs that -- that need to be taken of for the kids and the young people that are there right now?

GEFFEN: What do you mean by that?

LAMBERTON: What do you mean by special needs?

KAGAN: Just trying to understand the deaf community. Do you think it's different happening at Gallaudet than it would be at a different college campus?

LAMBERTON: Basically, what comes to mind, the authorities have interview a number of students, and because we have our own sign language, American Sign Language -- you know, we utilize body language -- and so we need to have people who are expertise with interpretation to help us out.

GEFFERN: We have special needs or really now because we can make -- communicate with that -- with other people who cannot sign. And you know, there are interpreters and everybody, but I don't think it's like our needs are special and this is something to be concerned about -- really just like interviewing someone with Spanish as the first language.

KAGAN: Well, I realize this is a difficult time for your community, for the Gallaudet community -- and I want to thank you both, Angie Geffen and Jason Lamberton, for coming on with us here this morning on CNN MORNING NEWS.

And our condolences here at CNN to the entire community there at Gallaudet.

LAMBERTON: Thank you very much.

KAGAN: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com

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