Tech professor under investigation for porn

The investigation of sexually explicit images on a Texas Tech Health Sciences Center professor's work computer has led to his retirement.  Even though Johannes Everse, 79, will officially be retired Thursday, Texas Tech Police will continue their investigation.

For more than 30 years Everse has been working at Tech's Cell Biology and Biochemistry Department doing research in the lab and teaching several classes, but back in July he received a letter of "Intent to Dismiss" from the Dean.

In the letter the Dean cited three reasons for dismissal including neglect of professional responsibilities, moral turpitude and unprofessional conduct adversely affecting the performance or duties to the school or students.

Before officials could meet for a hearing to discuss the dismissal, Everse sent a letter stating he was retiring, as well as an email to the Dean stating he was "embarrassed and humiliated" after being escorted off campus by police. He goes on to say the Dean "had not a shred of evidence of any wrongdoing."

The Dean replied back saying he was "bewildered" by Everse's letter, and that "the evidence, in fact, was overwhelming and frankly quite shocking. The University was prepared to hold a hearing at your request to present evidence of your violations of TTUHSC police and state law related to your inappropriate and numerous use of pornography on state owned property while in your lab during normal working hours".

KCBD obtained several sexually explicit emails and pictures Everse sent to his mistresses that date back to 2005. Some of the photos were of Everse exposing his genitals while at work in the lab.

Emails show he used his office phone to talk for hours to a woman overseas, and he wrote her things like "I promised to write you, but I got snookered into an all afternoon meeting with a student. I was thinking more about you than what the student had to say."

Another email states "Time to go to the lab now. I'll be working alone, so I'll have plenty of time to look at your pictures."

One email reveals the woman came to Lubbock, and Everse brought her to the lab. She wrote several days later "I hope you didn't clean your lab so neatly that it erased my tracks, especially where the two of us were standing by the fridge, and had really romantic moments."

Most of the others are too pornographic to share, talking about lewd behavior in the Tech lab.

Over the phone we asked Everse about the images and emails we had obtained. His only response was "I have been accused of wrongdoing by the school, but I am totally innocent."

While the investigation continues, the University put restrictions on Everse's retirement. He is still able to use many of Tech's resources but he is forbidden from using the computers.

Copyright 2011 KCBD. All rights reserved.