'Bible' T.F., Attempted Car Theft Suspect, Awaits Court Date

Todd R. Hanneken, a graduate student at Harvard Divinity School and a teaching fellow (T.F.) for Literature and Arts C-37, "The Bible and Its Interpreters," was arrested Feb. 24 and charged with an attempt to commit a crime.

Witnesses told Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) they saw a man checking car doors and trying to break into cars near 38 Oxford St. According to HUPD, Hanneken was picked up by police as a suspicious person.

He was carrying a weapon at the time of the arrest.

According to Peggy A. McNamara, HUPD spokesperson, Hanneken was taken to the Cambridge Police Department (CPD) after his arrest, arraigned, released on bail and is currently awaiting his court date.

Hanneken could not be reached for comment last night.

Students enrolled in Hanneken's "Bible" sections received an e-mail message Wednesday, notifying them that their T.F. would no longer be teaching the popular Core class due to personal reasons.

Hanneken taught one of his sections the morning after he was arrested, students said.

But students and James L. Kugel, Starr professor of classical, modern Jewish and Hebrew literature and the course's instructor, were not notified of Hanneken's arrest.

Kugel said he learned Tuesday that Hanneken would no longer be teaching his sections. The e-mail message sent to Hanneken's students said the course's staff hoped to find a permanent replacement in the next few days.

"The only thing I heard was that he had gotten into some kind of trouble and would not be teaching the course," Kugel said.

Students from Hanneken's section said they were surprised to hear of their T.F.'s arrest.

"I had read in The Crimson Police log of the arrest of a `Todd Hanneken,' but the last name was spelled differently and when he was in section the next week I thought nothing of it until now," said Susana Sohi '00.

The Crimson reported on March 1 that HUPD officers arrested a Todd Hanneken of 45 Francis St. after witnesses reported he was breaking into cars in the Oxford Street area.

McNamara said yesterday that HUPD made a typographical error when entering Hanneken's name into their police blotter. CPD officers made the same error when Hanneken was taken to their headquarters.

"We will be making the appropriate corrections early tomorrow morning," McNamara said last night.

This past week, Kugel has taught Hanneken'ssections. While he said he does not foresee anyproblems with the grading of students inHanneken's section, Kugel said the sudden loss ofa T.F. will disrupt the class.

"It's not going to be easy for us since it'sthe middle of the semester. I might end upteaching the class permanently," Kugel said.

Kugel said the news of Hanneken's arrest was acomplete surprise to him. He said he had not hadvery much personal contact with Hanneken, but saidthat he had not had any problems with Hanneken asa T.F.

"It's always a struggle to find T.F.'s for a bigcourse--we get applications from all sorts ofplaces, and we review them very carefully," Kugelsaid.

"He was a student in one of my classes," hesaid. "He's a very good student--an outstandingstudent.

This past week, Kugel has taught Hanneken'ssections. While he said he does not foresee anyproblems with the grading of students inHanneken's section, Kugel said the sudden loss ofa T.F. will disrupt the class.

"It's not going to be easy for us since it'sthe middle of the semester. I might end upteaching the class permanently," Kugel said.

Kugel said the news of Hanneken's arrest was acomplete surprise to him. He said he had not hadvery much personal contact with Hanneken, but saidthat he had not had any problems with Hanneken asa T.F.

"It's always a struggle to find T.F.'s for a bigcourse--we get applications from all sorts ofplaces, and we review them very carefully," Kugelsaid.

"He was a student in one of my classes," hesaid. "He's a very good student--an outstandingstudent.