AUSTIN, Texas — In November of 2024, a Travis County judge dismissed a case against Richard Heyman, a former University of Texas at Austin lecturer charged with Interfering with Public Duties. The case stemmed from an interaction with Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers during the April 2024 pro-Palestine protests on UT’s campus.
Heyman was fired from his position at UT shortly after charges were filed.
Heyman was charged with Interfering with Public Duties after he allegedly grabbed a DPS trooper’s bike. According to Heyman’s lawyer, he had worked at the university for 18 years.
According to DPS, after troopers issued a dispersal order, Heyman attempted to breach a bike barrier and damaged a bike when troopers attempted to block him.
When KVUE reached out to the UT in May following Heyman’s termination, a spokesperson said the university couldn’t comment on personnel matters. KVUE reached out to UT again on Tuesday regarding the dismissal of Heyman’s case. This article will be updated if we hear back.