Laramie, Wyoming – Albany County Circuit Court Judge Robert Sanford found probable cause Tuesday to move the attempted murder case of University of Wyoming graduate student Aili Wang to District Court and refused to reduce her $1.5 million bond.
Charges and alleged crime
Wang, who appeared by video at the 10:30 a.m. preliminary hearing, is charged with felony attempted second‑degree murder and aggravated assault and battery. The charges stem from a suspected poisoning of a fellow graduate student in their shared research lab.
According to University of Wyoming Police Chief Josh Holland, the investigation began after the student reported severe illness twice after drinking tea made with water from an office coffee pot. The student experienced numbness, balance problems and significant liver damage.
Evidence presented
The student and his wife collected a 100‑milliliter water sample from the coffee pot, boiled it down, and discovered 63 milligrams of a white powder. A field test identified the substance as acrylamide, an industrial chemical and neurotoxin.
Campus police installed a hidden camera that captured Wang handling the coffee maker, pouring water between the student’s mug and her own, and photographing documents on his desk on Oct. 1. Email records later revealed two orders for a total of 500 grams of acrylamide delivered to Wang in July and September.
Federal agents detained Wang at Los Angeles International Airport in October after she purchased a plane ticket to China. She surrendered her passport and was found in possession of a $3,000 gold bar.
Prosecution and defense arguments
Prosecutors argued that the chemical purchases, surveillance footage, lab results and the student’s symptoms together establish sufficient probable cause to proceed.
Wang’s defense attorney contended that the state’s case relies solely on circumstantial evidence. The attorney noted that the video never showed Wang placing anything into the coffee maker’s reservoir and questioned the testing methods, pointing out that the initial test did not quantify pure acrylamide in the residue.
Defense counsel also suggested that academic stress could explain the student’s symptoms and that Wang and the complainant worked on different research topics, giving her no motive.
Bond decision
During the bond hearing, the defense argued that a $1.5 million bond effectively serves as detention, emphasizing Wang’s surrender of her passport and local ties. Prosecutors countered that her access to foreign funds and the gold bar justified the high bond amount.
Judge Sanford upheld the bond and ordered Wang bound over to District Court for arraignment, which has not yet been scheduled.
Presumption of innocence
Wang remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The case highlights ongoing concerns about laboratory safety, chemical handling protocols, and the challenges of prosecuting alleged poisoning incidents.
Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.
