Yale Investigates Former Psychiatry Prof Eugene Redmond for Sexual Misconduct

February 1, 2019

Yale University president Peter Salovey has ordered an independent investigation of complaints of sexual misconduct against former professor of psychiatry Eugene Redmond.

Professor Redmond, who conducted laboratory research and did not see patients, retired from Yale in July 2018 with disciplinary proceedings pending against him. He is banned from the Yale campus and denied the privileges of a retired faculty member.

The sexual misconduct complaints arose in the context of a research facility that Redmond ran on the island of St. Kitts. The facility offered summer research internships to students from Yale and other institutions.

Last summer, the university conducted disciplinary proceedings against Redmond in connection with a recent allegation of misconduct. In the course of investigating that allegation, it emerged that additional sexual misconduct complaints had been brought against Redmond in 1994 by interns who worked on St. Kitts. A Yale investigation in 1994 had been unable to verify those earlier allegations, but Redmond confirmed that he would end the internship program. At some point in the last several years, however, Redmond again began inviting interns to St. Kitts for the summer, and two individuals who as students participated in the revived internship program have brought forward complaints: one of these led to the 2018 disciplinary proceeding, and another complaint was brought forward in 2019. 

Salovey said, “I have ordered a comprehensive and independent investigation of possible additional misconduct by Redmond, based on the information that came to our attention during the disciplinary process and subsequently in recent weeks. We must learn whether there are additional survivors who wish to come forward, and we need to understand the facts relating to the internship program.”

Yale has engaged former U.S. Attorney Deirdre Daly, an attorney at Finn Dixon & Herling, to conduct the investigation. She will be contacting students, alumni, and others who may have relevant information. Anyone wishing to contact Ms. Daly may do so confidentially at (866) 277-2881 or [email protected]. At the conclusion of the investigation, the results will be shared with the Yale community. Yale has also reported what it has learned thus far to the Yale Police Department and the New Haven Police Department, which will be in contact with law enforcement in St. Kitts. If the police conduct their own investigations, Yale will cooperate fully.

“Sexual harassment and misconduct have no place at Yale,” Salovey stated. “I am deeply angered by what we have learned of Professor Redmond’s behavior, and I am committed to the investigation that will shine more light on it: a university dedicated to the pursuit of truth can ask no less of itself.”

Source: “Sexual misconduct complaints to be subject of investigation,” Yale News, january 28, 2019, URL: https://news.yale.edu/2019/01/28/sexual-misconduct-complaints-be-subject-investigation