U of M removing locks from bathroom doors in dorms

(WMC-TV) - The University of Memphis was hard at work Thursday removing locks from bathroom doors in the Richardson Towers and South Hall dorms.

"We do want students to be safe at the university, but this work is really part of routine building maintenance," said director of residence life and dining services Peter Groenendyk.

"Someone is going to slip and fall. Someone might faint and no one is going to be able to get to them," said student Kate Charbonnet. "They're not going to hear them. It's dangerous, so as long as you know someone's in the bathroom there's no need to lock it."

The move comes about a year and a half after freshman engineering student Joseph Liner died while trying to escape from being locked in a bathroom in Richardson Towers. Liner was electrocuted when he tried to crawl through ceiling tiles to escape.

"If they had done this when he was here, he'd still be here," said Liner's friend Carneshia Jackson. "So for that reason, yeah, I guess it was good."

Liner's mother is currently suing the state for $300,000 in connection to her son's death. Groenendyk would not comment on the incident or whether the removal of locks are linked to Liner's death.

"Any comments related to any pending litigation, I will not be able to comment on," he said.

Reaction was mixed among students who have already been notified that the locks are being removed.

"It's kind of an invasion of your privacy if you don't have any locked doors, especially since it's a suite," said student Mikaela LeVells. "So it's kind of good, but at the same time kind of bad in my opinion."

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