A professor at the University of Iowa medical school, recently placed on paid leave for undisclosed reasons, stabbed himself while out jogging and then told police he’d been attacked by a gang.
UI spokesman Tom Moore confirmed that the UI Department of Public Safety is investigating Hunninghake — although it isn’t yet clear what for — and that UI placed Hunninghake on paid leave on April 23. Moore also confirmed that five search warrants had been served in the Hunninghake investigation.
UD is currently scratching her head over this one. Hunninghake was a big shot with a big salary, so theft seems unlikely. Though why else would there be all of those search warrants? Academic fraud’s another possibility. They want to look at his records and computers to see whether he fakes data along with physical assaults.
As for the faked assault itself: This seems a bit more straightforward to me. A distraction. An effort to gain sympathy.