Applied mathematician Eva Lee had her day before the court.
VILLAR LOPEZ / EFE / NEWSCOM
By Jeffrey Mervis
A federal judge today gave a lighter sentence than the government requested to Eva Lee, a retired professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) who pleaded guilty to false statements about her federal subsidy.
The United States “needs you to help us” fight the coronavirus pandemic, said District Judge Steve Jones in rejecting the request for prosecution that Lee be immediately confined to her home for eight months. Instead, Jones was sentenced to 60 days in prison and delayed its start until the spring of 2021. “Society would not benefit from [you serving] 8 months of imprisonment at home now, ”Jones Lee said during a hearing this morning in Atlanta, which was conducted via Zoom.
Lee, an applied mathematician who has developed computer models to improve health care and is working with various federal agencies to respond to the country’s response to the pandemic, in December 2019 admitted to doctorate a grant report to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and then lies to agents investigating their handling of the $ 40,000 price tag. She told Jones she did not understand the reporting requirements and said the university did not provide her with the necessary administrative support. But she said she also admits she broke the law.
“I stand by you to apologize for the mistakes I made and to remind you that it will never happen again,” Lee told the judge. “Please forgive me.”
Before announcing his decision, the judge said he was very impressed with what Lee has done in improving health care delivery, collaborating with minority students, and educating the next generation of scientists. And he acknowledged that these were important contributions to society in his decision.
“You are one of the most brilliant people I have ever read,” Jones said, referring to the statements made by her dozens of character witnesses, some of whom also testified at today’s hearing. “You play a big part in how America will overcome this pandemic, including how it should spread the vaccine.” Jones also mentioned her role in advising school systems and universities on what they need to do to reopen safely.
At the same time, Jones reminds Lee that what she described as mistakes are criminal crimes that will stay with her forever.
“What you did was wrong,” Jones told her. ‘When they asked you a straight question, you could give a word of truth. But you left for those agents, and that stood me in good stead. ‘
As a result of her behavior, Jones added, “You will be a convicted felon. And that will remain on your plate. You must be able to help the country. But the court cannot ignore the crime.”
Lee’s lawyer, Wilmer “Buddy” Parker, had asked the judge for what is known as “straight probation”, without housing, for some period less than 1 year. Jones rejected that request, but his decision suggested he agreed with Parker’s argument that any restrictions placed on Lee during her home occupation next spring should be minimal.
“You will not be on a single monitor,” Jones told Lee, “and you will be free to go about your business, to work, to the store, to religious services, without having to check your location.” Jones said Lee would also be free to travel to scientific conferences – “let your probation officer know just in advance, and they will work with you.”
After the hearing, Parker said the terms of the house association were equivalent to a ‘night meeting’. Lee’s movements will not be restricted otherwise, he noted, and she will be free to continue her work with various federal agencies.
Georgia Tech officials, however, have still prevented Lee from being on campus and accessing computers containing their modeling software. University officials had previously said they were awaiting sentencing before proceeding with an investigation into whether they should be released from possession and fight.
At the hearing, Georgia Tech biochemist Mark Plausnitz described Lee’s actions as “administrative errors that need to be corrected” by the university’s sponsored research bureau before proposing an NSF study. Last spring, a university spokeswoman said Georgia Tech disagreed with Lee’s claim that she was provided with inadequate administrative assistance.
