Cops: CCSU student faked anti-gay harassment

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (WTNH) — A college student who complained about receiving anti-gay notes, has admitted to police that she wrote them herself.

"It's disgusting," said Venus Ferrabelo

"That angers me a little, I don't know what to make it," said Alex Rodriguez.

Many on the CCSU campus are just stunned by the arrest of a gay student. Lexi Pennell told police she was the target of hate.

In March, she said someone had been slipping nasty, threatening notes under her dorm door in Beecher Hall, and writing them on her white board because she was gay.

"We received a couple of notes with derogatory notes on them that were directed toward our sexual orientation," Pennell said.

Pennell stood in front of hundreds of CCSU students who turned out to support her in a stop the hate rally.

"I stand here in front of you today speaking to the person who is responsible for this and all I have to say is I will not be run out of my home," said Pennell, "I will not be intimidated by hate."

Police say they placed hidden cameras in the dorm hallway and caught Pennell on the tape placing the notes under her own door. They say the whole thing was a lie.

Pennell is now facing eight felony counts of fabricating evidence, among other charges.

"You have your classmates, the whole CCSU campus coming out to support you and then you just smack them in the face like that," said Rodriguez, "wow!"

"A lot of people supported them and had their back and everything," said Ferrabelo, "and to find out that it was all a lie, it's very upsetting."

It was just this Spring that hundreds of students filled the quad, handing out t-shirts that say stop the hate, and now that they found out that it is all an alleged lie, they say they are still proud of their university for supporting the cause.

"I am very proud of this university," said Rodriguez. "CCSU is a very diverse and loving community, and I am happy to be a part of it."