HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- The woman arrested for stabbing a Reynolds Community College professor in his office was released from jail Friday, three weeks after the assault occurred.
Brittany L. Burfield, 24 of Glen Allen, is accused of stabbing a professor with a box cutter on the afternoon of Feb. 23, in his office at the Parham Road campus of the community college.
During court testimony on Friday, it was revealed that the 68-year-old professor had to get dozens of stitches for his wounds.
Burfield was released from jail with several conditions from the court. She is not allowed any contact with the professor. She will wear a GPS and stay with her grandmother, the court mandated. She is allowed to leave the home to meet with counsel and for a maximum of two medical visits with her doctor.
Burfield was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder at age 18, according to defense attorney Linda Scott, who also said that Burfield was compliant with her medication and that she showed no sign of a mental health issue when she was evaluated at Henrico County Jail.
Burnette Hall at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Burfield’s mother said that she had seen the box cutter in Brittany’s purse, and explained that she carried it for her job at the Virginia Alcohol and Beverage Control store.
Scott said that Burfield was at the professor’s office seeking a recommendation from him, and that she intended to apply for work with the Richmond Police Department.
The prosecution maintains that Burfield just showed up to the professor’s office unannounced.
According to the criminal complaint, Burfield hugged the professor.
"During that interaction, Professor [redacted] touched Burfield's butt. Burfield felt uncomfortable and that the interaction was not right and attempted to exit the office," the complaint continued. "Burfield attempted to exit the office, but professor [redacted] grabbed Burfield. Burfield reached in her purse to retrieve a box cutter and slashed professor [redacted] in the back of the head."
When Burfield left the office, she was quickly detained by faculty and later campus police.
The lead investigator with the Virginia State Police, Stephen Sclafani, testified that following the attack, close to 10 former students called to report that the professor said or did inappropriate things that made them feel uncomfortable.
Sclafani testified that a school official told investigators that there was one complaint on file against him, but blamed documentation when they said there could have been more complaints made against him.
The school confirmed Burfield was not currently enrolled as a Reynolds Community College student, but, citing privacy laws, declined to comment on whether she ever was enrolled there.
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