Domestic violence charges against biology professor dismissed
The Santa Clara County Superior Court has dismissed domestic violence charges against Stanford biology professor Hunter Fraser on Nov. 20.
Fraser was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic violence in September 2022 after opening a door his then-girlfriend was behind, causing her to slam into the wall and suffer two broken ribs. Fraser claimed that he did not know his girlfriend was behind the door and that the incident had occurred during a game with her, along with his then nine-year-old daughter. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In November 2022, the charges against Fraser — who has worked at Stanford since 2009 and is slated to teach BIO 191: “Evolutionary Genomics” and BIO 4N: “The Science and Ethics of Personalized Genomic Medicine” during Winter Quarter — were raised from a misdemeanor to a felony due to the injuries the woman sustained.
In June 2023, Fraser went missing on a 40-mile solo hike at Olympic National Park. He said he “slipped on a snowy slope, hit my head, and became disoriented and lost” while hiking. He missed the June 9 preliminary examination he was scheduled to appear for in the Santa Clara County Superior Court, and was ultimately found on June 10 after a manhunt which involved 90 search and rescue personnel.
The State Attorney’s Office requested dismissal of the charges. In addition to dismissing the charges, the Santa Clara County Superior Court also terminated a restraining order Fraser’s ex-girlfriend filed against him.
“After a careful evaluation of all the evidence, including an accident defense, we concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt,” Sean Webby, Communications Director for the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, wrote in an email to The Daily.
Fraser’s attorney stated the woman had said it was an accident just days after the incident, arguing that Fraser caused the injury “accidentally without any criminal intent.”
“This has been a devastating two-year ordeal,’’ Fraser said in a written statement. “It’s deeply unsettling how a simple accident was manipulated into a narrative portraying me as an abuser, something I am not and never have been.’’
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