Edward Constant II
Encyclopedia
Edward Constant II is a former Professor of History at Carnegie Mellon University
in Pittsburgh. He was convicted of aggravated assault and attempted homicide for his actions in a 2002 incident.
Constant earned his doctorate
from Northwestern University
in 1977, and since 1976 had been a member of the Carnegie Mellon history department. He was noted for his publications on the evolution and impact of technology. In 1982 he was awarded the Dexter Prize (now known as the Edelstein Prize) of the Society for the History of Technology
(SHOT) for his book The Origins of the Turbojet Revolution. Constant argued in the book that engineering occurs in "communities of technological practice".
In 2004 Constant was convicted by an Allegheny County jury trial
of attempted homicide
and aggravated assault. On May 26, 2002, a police officer came to the Constants' home on a domestic disturbance
call after reports that Constant had been fighting with his wife in their garden. The officer was shot in the chest by a .44 caliber Smith & Wesson
revolver
, but survived the attack because he was wearing a bullet-proof vest. Constant was arrested after a police marksman shot him in the posterior, despite him being behind his wife at the time. Constant's attorney used the defense that the professor and his wife were drunk at the time of the shooting. Constant was sentenced to 14½ to 29 years in prison. At the time of his sentence, Constant was 61 years old and described as being in failing health.
While on bail in 2003, Constant was involved in a car accident with a van transporting children for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind, when his car drove at speed into the bus on a one-way bridge. Several children were hospitalized.
The first trial was overturned after a juror came forward to report that Judge David Cashman's tipstaff
, Mary Feeney, had made inappropriate comments that could have swayed the panel. At a hearing before the administrative judge, ten jurors confirmed this and the administrative judge ordered a new trial for Constant in July 2004. Constant was reconvicted in 2005. The sentence imposed was 14½ to 29 years in prison.
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
in Pittsburgh. He was convicted of aggravated assault and attempted homicide for his actions in a 2002 incident.
Constant earned his doctorate
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1977, and since 1976 had been a member of the Carnegie Mellon history department. He was noted for his publications on the evolution and impact of technology. In 1982 he was awarded the Dexter Prize (now known as the Edelstein Prize) of the Society for the History of Technology
Society for the History of Technology
The Society for the History of Technology, or SHOT, is the primary professional society for historians of technology. Founded in 1958, its flagship publication is the journal Technology and Culture...
(SHOT) for his book The Origins of the Turbojet Revolution. Constant argued in the book that engineering occurs in "communities of technological practice".
In 2004 Constant was convicted by an Allegheny County jury trial
Jury trial
A jury trial is a legal proceeding in which a jury either makes a decision or makes findings of fact which are then applied by a judge...
of attempted homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
and aggravated assault. On May 26, 2002, a police officer came to the Constants' home on a domestic disturbance
Domestic Disturbance
Domestic Disturbance is a 2001 thriller film directed by Harold Becker and stars John Travolta and Vince Vaughn. It co-stars Teri Polo, Matt O'Leary and Steve Buscemi.-Plot:...
call after reports that Constant had been fighting with his wife in their garden. The officer was shot in the chest by a .44 caliber Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
, but survived the attack because he was wearing a bullet-proof vest. Constant was arrested after a police marksman shot him in the posterior, despite him being behind his wife at the time. Constant's attorney used the defense that the professor and his wife were drunk at the time of the shooting. Constant was sentenced to 14½ to 29 years in prison. At the time of his sentence, Constant was 61 years old and described as being in failing health.
While on bail in 2003, Constant was involved in a car accident with a van transporting children for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind, when his car drove at speed into the bus on a one-way bridge. Several children were hospitalized.
The first trial was overturned after a juror came forward to report that Judge David Cashman's tipstaff
Tipstaff
The Tipstaff is an officer of a court or, in some countries, a law clerk to a judge. The duties of the position vary from country to country.-History:...
, Mary Feeney, had made inappropriate comments that could have swayed the panel. At a hearing before the administrative judge, ten jurors confirmed this and the administrative judge ordered a new trial for Constant in July 2004. Constant was reconvicted in 2005. The sentence imposed was 14½ to 29 years in prison.