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Professor sentenced in attack on fellow prof in Massachusetts

A judge sentenced Rie Hachiyanagi to 10 – 12 years in prison Wednesday in the attempted murder of fellow professor Lauret Savoy, reported Boston.com.

Both taught at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA.

Police say Hachiyanagi tortured Savoy for four hours in her home, beating Savoy with a fire poker and garden shears.

The defendant changed her plea to guilty earlier this month.

In announcing the sentencing, Judge Francis Flannery weighed Hachiyanagi’s reputation as a respected and kind person with the horrific act she admitted to committing.

“I have this defendant who tried to torture to death over four hours someone who wasn’t an enemy, but was a friend,” said Flannery.

Savoy believed she would die at the hands of Hachiyanagi. According to People, she asked the defendant why she wanted to attack her and she replied “that she loved her for many years and she should have known,” a police report stated.

Savoy played along and convinced Hachiyanagi that she did love her and convinced her to call 911 for help.

“Professor Savoy is certainly a victim of a horrific crime, but that’s not what I’m going to remember,” he said. “I’m going to remember that she had the presence of mind and the courage to convince her attacker not to kill her. As her body was failing her, she used her mind to save
herself. That’s remarkable.” said Judge Flannery.

Hachiyanagi pled guilty to three counts of armed assault with intent to murder a person over 60; three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a person over 60; and one count each of home invasion, mayhem and entering in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony.

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