University of Pennsylvania Police on Wednesday named the five students arraigned for allegedly assaulting a Princeton debate team member Nov. 16, authorities said.
The suspects — Penn undergraduates Philip Balderston, 19; Tavraj Banga, 19; Thomas Bispham, 20; David Hochfelder, 19; and Steven Stolk, 20 — were released on $10,000 bail each, The Times of Trenton reported Thursday.
All five students turned themselves in to Penn Police early last week and were charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, making terroristic threats, conspiracy and reckless endangerment.
Penn Police officials were unavailable for comment yesterday.
Balderston, Bispham, Hochfelder and Stolk are in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Banga is in the Wharton School. Their class years were not available.
Bispham declined to comment yesterday, and the other Penn students could not be reached.
The Princeton student, John Brantl '05, and other members of the Princeton Debate Panel attending a tournament at Penn were sleeping in an unlocked lounge in the Quadrangle dormitory when someone began harassing the Princeton students, Brantl has said.
The person allegedly flickered the lights, and the Princeton students asked him to leave.
He returned with four others about an hour later. They allegedly proceeded to kick Brantl, throw motor oil on him and threaten to light him on fire, police have said. They then forced him to promise never to return to Penn.
Brantl declined to comment yesterday.
Penn Police detective supervisor Frank DeMeo told The Times the five students did not appear to be members of Penn's debate team and the cause of the confrontation was unknown.
Penn's Office of Student Conduct is also investigating the incident, which could lead to disciplinary action, The Daily Pennsylvanian reported.
Read More
GSG approves audit, delays budget approval after ‘insufferable’ meeting
Nikki HanThe final Graduate Student Government (GSG) meeting for the semester lasted more than an hour and a half when discussions over the proposed budget for the next year and a proposed Student Life Fee of $100 turned controversial.
The final Graduate Student Government (GSG) meeting for the semester lasted more than an hour and a half when discussions over the proposed budget for the next year and a proposed Student Life Fee of $100 turned controversial.
Effort to restore chapel’s pews slowly progresses
Ben GoldstonHead carpenter Jim Sullivan has been restoring the Chapel pews over the last year. The dry atmosphere of the Chapel has warped the wooden pews over the years.
Head carpenter Jim Sullivan has been restoring the Chapel pews over the last year. The dry atmosphere of the Chapel has warped the wooden pews over the years.
Metals, molecules, and medicine: chemical biology’s influence on health and sustainability
Aanya KaseraChemistry professor Chris Chang’s lab studies the chemical biology of the elements, specifically examining the roles that copper, iron, and zinc play in biology across all kingdoms of life.
Chemistry professor Chris Chang’s lab studies the chemical biology of the elements, specifically examining the roles that copper, iron, and zinc play in biology across all kingdoms of life.