A University of Colorado professor originally charged with felony and misdemeanor assault pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge Wednesday and will continue in his job as the university reviews the case.

John Rinn, 42, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of telephone service in connection with a Dec. 21 incident in which police said he picked up a woman by her throat, threw himself on top of her and took away her phone when she tried to call police, according to his arrest affidavit.

One felony and two misdemeanor charges of assault were dismissed as part a plea agreement, and Boulder District Judge Judith LaBuda sentenced Rinn to 18 months of probation, court records show. As stipulations of the plea agreement, he will be required to complete domestic violence treatment, abstain from alcohol and non-prescription drug use and submit to substance abuse monitoring.

His attorney, Sydney Dolan, said the case was resolved with very a low-level charge as compared to the original charges. That outcome, she said, reflected the legal and factual issues that existed in the case.

A CU spokesman said Rinn continues to be employed by the university, and university officials will need time to assess his conviction. Rinn is a professor of biochemistry and a researcher in the university’s BioFrontiers Institute.

“We acknowledge the seriousness of this case and will need some time to assess this new development,” CU spokesman Ryan Huff said in a written statement. “While we cannot speak about specific employment cases, we can confirm that we run these matters through proper university channels. Professor Rinn continues to be employed at CU Boulder, performing his normal duties.”

University officials need to perform a careful review of further documentation from the court and the facts of the case, Huff said.

“At that point, we can determine what, if any, actions are appropriate,” Huff said.

Per university policy, current employees are required to self-disclose post-employment criminal convictions or felony charges filed against them within three business days, and they can be disciplined or fired for not doing so. Rinn properly disclosed the charges, Dolan said previously.

To be dismissed, a tenured faculty member must demonstrate professional incompetence, neglect of duty, insubordination, conviction of a felony or any offense involving moral turpitude, sexual harassment or “other conduct which falls below minimum standards of professional integrity.”

On Dec. 21, a concerned caller reported a disturbance in the 3000 block of Pearl Parkway. Responding officers found a distraught woman who said she thought they were there to talk to her about the incident. She told officers that she and Rinn had gotten into an argument before he became physical, according to his arrest affidavit. She also shared a recording of part of the incident that she had on her phone.

Rinn originally denied any physical contact beyond grabbing the woman’s arms, but he later told police he threw himself on top of her, which caused her pain, according to his arrest affidavit.

Cassa Niedringhaus: 303-473-1106, cniedringhaus@dailycamera.com