Crime Briefs

Students report prank, leading to drug charge

A Duke police officer responded to 1915 Erwin Rd. in reference to a person wearing a gorilla mask June 23 at 2:30 a.m. Upon arrival, the officer was informed by an occupant of the apartment that the person wearing the mask was actually playing a prank on the friend of someone attending a party at another apartment located in the same building. The occupant said the prank was a result of a previous incident reported in The Chronicle about a subject walking around Central Campus wearing a mask. He said he did not know the identity of the subject.

He assisted the officer in locating the female student who was the victim of the prank. She reported that she was walking near the playground behind 1915 Erwin Rd. when a man approached her and pulled the gorilla mask on his face. She said he acted as if he were just playing around and when she pulled out her cellular phone he ran away. While the officer was speaking to her he could smell an odor consistent with that of marijuana coming from the apartment.

A man came to the door and, upon his consent, the officer entered. There were five people in the apartment. Subsequent investigation resulted in the confiscation of less than half an ounce of marijuana, two smoking pipes and a metal tin. The resident, Ori Johanan Benhamou, Trinity '02, of 1915 Erwin Rd. apartment F, was charged with possession of marijuana. His court date is July 1.

Contacted via e-mail, Benhamou said he did not give consent for police to enter and that there were 25, not five, people in the apartment. "If it weren't for that snooping gorilla, no one would have been hurt and everyone would have enjoyed their night," he wrote.

Duke police is requesting anyone with information about the individual wearing the gorilla mask to contact them at 684-2444.

Confrontation reported at Hospital

An employee reported that at 4:20 p.m. June 19 her ex-boyfriend, who is not a Duke employee, approached her in the Hospital food line. She reported that earlier they had an argument over the phone that resulted in him coming to Duke. He slammed two screws down on the counter and told her the screws were the screws that held her license plate, which he was taking. He also threatened to kill her if she ever hung up on him again and used other abusive language toward her. Duke officers were unable to locate the ex-boyfriend, but said he was trespassed from Duke property on April 24. The employee did not wish to take out a warrant.