PENNSYLVANIA STUDENT CONVICTED AFTER COMPUTER STOLEN FROM SCHOOLLehigh student found guilty of stealing school's computerFriday, April 16, 2004
By RUDY MILLER
The Express-Times
EASTON -- After more than nine hours of deliberations, a Northampton County jury determined Thursday that a Lehigh University senior stole a computer from his school.

The jury found Bryan Max Douge guilty of theft, criminal trespass and receiving stolen property, records say. The jury acquitted him of burglary.

Court papers say the 22-year-old Bethlehem man triggered a silent alarm in the Human Resources Building of the Bethlehem university at 1:49 a.m. on May 31, 2003. A campus security guard saw him standing near a computer monitor on the south side of the building; then the guard saw him lower a computer to the ground, records say.
The jury found Douge stole a computer, monitor, keyboard and mouse worth $1,500.

The jury deliberated Wednesday for 4 hours, then deliberated for another five hours Thursday. The panel spent an hour Thursday listening to the court stenographer read back testimony from a campus security guard, according to a court staffer.

Northampton County Judge William F. Moran told jurors he couldn't understand how they found Douge stole the computer without burglarizing the building.

"At least in part it seems hard to imagine he could have committed the crimes of criminal trespass and theft but not have committed burglary," Moran said, according to a court transcript. "It seems inconsistent on its face. Nonetheless, I thank you for your efforts."

"I was pleased with the verdict," said Assistant District Attorney Roy Manwaring. "I think it's a prime example of a compromise verdict."

Manwaring said Douge completed enough credits to earn his degree, but has not received a diploma. University officials said they were waiting for the disposition of Douge's charges to determine whether or not to award him his degree, Manwaring said.

Douge was represented by attorney Carlos Martir.

Court records say Douge was living in the 100 block of East Morton Street in Bethlehem at the time of the crime. Updated papers in his file say he lives in the 100 block of East Fourth Street in Bethlehem.