A former UBC creative writing graduate testified that she was shocked by mass-email rhetoric used to urge anonymous contact with a reporter about Steven Galloway.
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A former creative writing student testified at Steven Galloway’s defamation trial that she was “shocked” and “horrified” by the language used in a mass email sent in November 2015.
Cara Woodruff, a UBC creative writing graduate, told the B.C. Supreme Court on Tuesday that she received the email from Chelsea Rooney, who had been tasked with collecting complaints about Galloway and has since apologized for spreading what the court has heard were unproven allegations.
Woodruff said the email included “inflated and outrageous” rhetoric and encouraged recipients to anonymously contact a reporter about allegations involving Galloway.
She testified that she did not believe an allegation made by another former student, referred to in court materials as A.B., that Galloway sexually assaulted her.
Woodruff said she repeatedly urged A.B. to report the matter to police so it could be investigated “properly,” and described feeling “blindsided” when she learned of the allegations because she had been friends with A.B.
Woodruff also told the court it was “very unclear” to her whether there was a criminal investigation related to the allegations.
The court has heard that A.B. is not testifying and is not asserting in her defence that the allegations against Galloway are true.
Rooney issued a public apology to Galloway earlier this month, days before the trial began. In the apology, Rooney said she understood her conduct toward him was “serious and harmful,” and that she deeply regretted “contributing to the harm Mr. Galloway has suffered.”
The evidence before the court says Galloway is the author of novels including “The Cellist of Sarajevo” and “The Confabulist.” He previously worked as a tenured professor and chair of the creative writing program at UBC, and the court has heard he was fired from his job despite never being charged over the allegations made by A.B. His name cannot be reported due to a publication ban.
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