Professor Killer Finally Resigns Post

Earlier this week, ex-Penn professor Rafael Robb pled guilty to manslaughter for killing his wife. He will most likely face 4 1/2 to 6 years in prison, and some people are saying it’s a bit of a light sentence for bludgeoning your wife to death. These people have apparently spent their recent years in some sort of hermetically sealed bubble and are just learning how the American justice system works. Next they’re going to tell me black people get incarcerated longer for drug possession than white people do!

But no matter. The real story is: Rafael Robb is no longer a Penn professor! Yes, when I wrote ex-Penn professor the other day I was apparently in error; the Associated Press reports Robb, an econ prof, officially resigned yesterday, the day after his guilty plea.

Anyway, so, no more Prof. Robb at Penn. Professor Ira Einhorn is still teaching his environmental science course come springtime.

Professor Officially Resigns After Wife’s Death [AP/CBS 3]
Monday: Ex-Penn Prof. Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter

Ex-Penn Prof. Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter

Ex-Penn professor Rafael Robb pled guilty today to manslaughter charges for bludgeoning his wife to death with a “grab-rail exercise bar.”

At his guilty plea, he said he “just snapped” and apologized to his daughter for killing her mom. “I know she liked her mother,” he actually said. Yeah, no shit. He faces up to seven years in prison.

Penn Professor Pleads to Manslaughter [6 ABC]

Penn Prof’s Dead Wife Better Than Other Dead Wives

Penn professor Rafael Robb, who was named as a suspect last week, was officially arrested yesterday and charged with the murder of his wife.

Robb, 53-years-old and a game theory expert, won’t teach at Penn this semester. The professor is charged in the Dec. 22 slaying of his wife largely based on circumstantial evidence, his attorney says, while the affidavit shoots back with, “Dr. Robb lied to the police about an obvious motive for this murder, his knowledge of his wife’s recent plans to divorce him and obtain a significant portion of his wealth.”

The Inquirer’s Melissa Dribben expands Robb’s arrest into a trend story, noting Wharton professor Scott Ward’s arrest for child porn, ex-library head Paul Mosher’s arrest for child porn, Tracy McIntosh’s conviction for sexual assault, etc. She talks with Philadelphia lawyer Neil Jokelson and gets his comment on the situation at Penn, too.

Regarding Rafael Robb, he said, “Without prejudging, if he’s a Penn professor, he’s probably middle class. So he’s alleged to do what middle-class people do all the time.”

That is, commit murder.

“The anomaly of someone in such an exalted position doing what he’s accused of doing perhaps accounts for the public fascination,” Jokelson said. “If it was an ordinary guy, it would be just another wife-killing.”

Freaking middle class people and their murder.

Penn Professor Charged With Murdering Wife [NBC 10]
Arrest adds to the tarnish on Penn’s name [Inquirer]
Jan. 4: Trials In Montco Now Done On Radio
Aug. 29, 2006: Penn Professors Love Their Kiddie Porn

Trials In Montco Now Done On Radio

Penn professor Rafael Robb — whose wife was murdered Dec. 22 — gave DNA samples yesterday to Montgomery County authorities, the Inquirer’s Larry King writes, after DA Bruce Castor named him as the chief suspect.

Castor has said there are discrepancies in Robb’s story — for example, after finding his wife he said he put his laptop and briefcase away first — and that he would never publicly name a suspect if he wasn’t going to arrest him.

Over on KYW 1060, though, the two parties are simply content to wage a war of public opinion. David Madden reports:

There are lots of holes in the story Dr. Robb told authorities, according to Montgomery County DA Bruce Castor. And then there’s the defense lawyer insisting arresting his client would be “a mistake.”

Oh snap! Anything to say in reply, Bruce?

“He must be privy to evidence that we don’t have, because everything that I have seen points in the direction of Dr. Robb.”

Oooooh! What do you have to say to that, mister defense lawyer?

“If there were, we would be the first to let Mr. Castor know about it. I guess, unfortunately for Dr. Robb, he’s already told the investigators everything he knows.”

Oh snap! I can’t wait until these two end up on Jerry Springer.

Update, 2:09 p.m.: I missed Regina Medina’s Daily News story about the Robb incident, which spells out some of the gruesome details. It also contains this awesome first sentence:

Ellen Robb appeared to be in a festive mood when an unknown killer bludgeoned her to death three days before Christmas.

And you thought your family’s Christmas gathering was bad.

Professor provides a DNA sample [Inquirer]
Penn Prof Named Suspect in Wife’s Murder [KYW 1060]
Castor dubs husband suspect [DN]