Student Tries To Get Deported to China To Escape Punishment for Allegedly Poisoning College Roommate
A former international student who allegedly poisoned his college roommate tried to get deported to China to escape punishment.
Former Lehigh University student Yukai Yang was accused of trying to deport himself by Northampton County, Pennsylvania, prosecutors on Thursday, The Allentown Morning Call reported.
Yang posted cash bail earlier in the week with plans to return to China to avoid punishment, according to ABC News. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, however, gave him back to local authorities.
The former Chinese international student turned himself in to police in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 20 and was charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment in relation to the poisoning attempts, ABC News reported.
Yang allegedly gave black roommate Juwan Royal doses of thallium, a tasteless and odorless poison used in the 1980s to kill dissenting scientists in the late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s regime.
“This was over a period of time with small amounts of poisoning occurring,” Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli told The Washington Post. “It was added to food and drinks in the refrigerator.”
Yang’s alleged death plan revealed itself in March after Royal showed symptoms like vomiting and having dizzy spells, according to ABC News.
It is unclear what Yang’s motives were, though Chinese cultural views of black people could have contributed to his actions.
Yang had an ethnic intimidation charge for reportedly writing “N—– get out of here,” on Royal’s desk.
“To be Black or African in China is to be labeled unintelligent, dangerous, unattractive, or to see an empty seat next to you on a crowded subway,” Leroy Adams wrote for Inkstone News.
Royal graduated from the university but still deals with the after-effects of the poisoning.
Morganelli is looking into another allegation accusing Yang of attempting to kill a second student at the university, according to The Morning Call. This allegation came after a Dec. 20 conference.
“That is in the early stages of investigation,” Morganelli told The Morning Call. “It came to light essentially after the publication of these charges.”
Morganelli and Lehigh University did not immediately respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment. ICE could not respond due to a government shutdown.
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