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UCLA

Description

While working in Harran's lab, when Sangji was attempting to transfer a reagent, the plunger of the syringe became dislodged from the syringe barrel, causing the reagent to be released. The reagent spilled onto her torso and hands and immediately caught fire. The fire was eventually extinguished by another researcher working nearby. The Victim sustained second and third degree burns over approximately 43 percent of her body. Sangji died eighteen days later.

Prosecutors

District Attorney Steve Cooley

Incident Type

Burned

County

Los Angeles

State

California

Date

December 29, 2008

Additional Materials

Folder for UCLA materials

Available case materials include

  • Advocacy Materials
  • Case/Court Decisions
  • Media Clips & Gov't. Press

Contact for Additional Information

Victims

First Last Age Title Employer Injury Type
Sheharbano Sheri Sangji 23 Researcher University of California Los Angeles Fatality

Defendants

Name Type Title Plea Information Conviction Sentence
UCLA Board of Regents Entity Entity Unavailable Criminal case against the university regents was dropped after they agreed to establish a $500,000 scholarship fund in Sangji’s name at the University of California-Berkeley. They also promised to implement new safety measures, including requiring all of UCLA’s principal investigators and their lab employees to complete a safety training program within 60 days.
Penal Crimes Charged

Unavailable

Other Crimes Charged

Labor Code violation causing death to an employee (Cal. Lab. Code Sec. 6425)

Patrick Harran Individual Professor, UCLA Unavailable Under a "deferred prosecution agreement" Harran admitted no wrongdoing, but must: develop and teach an organic chemistry course for college-bound inner-city students for five summers, perform 800 hours of non-teaching community service in the UCLA Hospital system, and pay $10,000 to the Grossman Burn Center in lieu of restitution to Sangji's family.
Penal Crimes Charged

Unavailable

Other Crimes Charged

Labor Code violation causing death to an employee (Cal. Lab. Code Sec. 6425)

University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Entity Entity Unavailable Criminal case against the university regents was dropped after they agreed to establish a $500,000 scholarship fund in Sangji’s name at the University of California-Berkeley. They also promised to implement new safety measures, including requiring all of UCLA’s principal investigators and their lab employees to complete a safety training program within 60 days.
Penal Crimes Charged

Unavailable

Other Crimes Charged

Labor Code violation causing death to an employee (Cal. Lab. Code Sec. 6425)