DU Graffiti Suspect Makes Appearance In Court

By Tom Mustin

DENVER (CBS4)- Samson Whittemore walked in to a Denver court room Wednesday, leaving behind a trail of questions. The 32 year-old registered sex offender, has a violent criminal past.

He's accused of spraying graffiti across the campus at the University of Denver and at a nearby church.

"That's scary for anybody, knowing there's a violent offender on campus, " student Katelyn Pegher told CBS4's Tom Mustin

Tuesday, students were issued a campus safety alert. Authorities posted Whittemore's face across campus.

The search ended Wednesday, when the suspect appeared in court to face previous graffiti charges. He also agreed to meet with Denver police on Thursday regarding the DU tagging case.

"I definitely feel a little bit safer now," said student Abigayle Scadden,

Scadden told Mustin, the fact that Whittemore showed up in court, is a huge relief.

"I'm really glad he was in court and they know where he is, so I don't have to worry about other people and my roommates. I don't have to worry about them running into any danger," said Scadden.

As he left the courtroom, Whittemore would not discuss the case with CBS4's Jaimie Leary, instead shaking his head and mentioning the word "media."

But with the suspect apparently out of the shadows, DU students like Emily Hung are breathing a sigh of
relief.

"Last night I was at home and I got the message from the school and I was really scared. Now I just feel happy and I feel safe," said Hung.

After learning that Whittemore showed up in court Wednesday, DU Communications Coordinator Madeline Phipps sent CBS4 a statement that read, "We are glad to know the suspect is cooperating and hope that he presents no further threat on campus or the surrounding area."

Tom Mustin is CBS4's Weekend Anchor. He has been with CBS4 since 2002, and is always looking for great story ideas. Connect with Tom on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @TomCBS4.