A female employee at Berkeley Engineering and Research in California has released a hidden-camera video showing her coworker, David Xu, allegedly tampering with her water bottle. Xu, previously a senior materials engineer at the company, is attempting to have his felony poisoning conviction dismissed. Prosecutors assert that from 2017 to 2019, Xu poisoned Rong Yuan, a colleague, using cadmium, a toxic metal.
Initially, Xu faced charges of premeditated attempted murder and two felony counts of poisoning. However, he accepted a plea deal for a single count of poisoning, resulting in a one-year probation. A judge extended this to two years, describing the deal as generous given the circumstances.
Rong Yuan recently released her footage as Xu’s request for conviction dismissal is reviewed by an Alameda County judge. Although the district attorney’s office has opposed this, California law may mandate the judge to approve the request if probation conditions are fulfilled.
Yuan stated, “This video is my last resort to address a legal system I feel has failed me.”
Yuan joined the company in January 2017, recalling an initial confrontation with Xu when he told her she could not utilize the firm’s material characterization lab. This led Yuan to distance herself from him.
Over time, Yuan experienced symptoms like dry heaving and hair loss. The symptoms worsened in July 2017 after she drank from her water bottle. She reported feeling as if she was dying.
Frequent hospital visits culminated in an email she sent on Nov. 27, 2018, explaining her illness. Xu responded, suggesting she work from home, mentioning possible mold at BEAR.
In January 2019, after another water incident, her suspicions about tampering intensified. Her mother tasted sour water, corroborating Yuan’s fears. She bought a hidden camera from Amazon to monitor her workspace.
On Feb. 11, 2019, the camera recorded Xu reaching for Yuan’s water bottle. Another video on March 4, 2019, appeared to show Xu pouring a substance into the bottle.
“Watching the video, I felt my blood freeze,” Yuan recounted. “I almost died. I was so close to death repeatedly. I cannot let him go.”
She provided the video evidence to the Berkeley Police Department quickly after capturing it.
Xu’s probation ended in March. While he seeks to expunge the conviction, it will remain documented on his record. Fox News Digital reached out to Xu’s legal representation but has not received a response.
Reporter Adam Sabes can be contacted at [email protected] for further information.
Leave a Reply