Mount Holyoke College Art Professor Charged With Attempted Murder After Attacking Fellow Faculty Member

A Massachusetts art professor has been charged with attempted murder and other crimes after allegedly beating a fellow faculty member with a fire poker and other objects, according to the Northwestern District Attorney's Office.

Rie Hachiyanagi, a professor at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, was arraigned Friday at Orange District Court and ordered held without bail until a Feb. 4 court hearing.

Police accused Hachiyanagi of attacking the victim in the victim's home in Leverett between Dec. 23 and 24. Authorities allege Hachiyanagi beat the victim with a fire poker, a rock, and garden shears.

Officials said the victim suffered severe injuries including broken facial bones but is recovering.

An email message seeking comment was sent to Hachiyanagi on Saturday. It wasn't clear whether she has a lawyer who could respond to the allegations.

Mount Holyoke College officials said Hachiyanagi has been placed on administrative leave and is barred from campus pending a review.

The victim told police Hachiyanagi showed up at her home uninvited and said she wanted to talk about her feelings, then attacked her. The victim said Hachiyanagi told her "she loved her for many years and she should have known," a police report said.

The report said Hachiyanagi told police she didn't remember anything after 6 p.m. that day and she has a medical condition that includes multiple concussions that affect her memory.