Branded
What happens when "he said, she said leads to an arrest
As of now, the details of what happened on August the 27 on Sanford Hall’s second-floor are unknown, or least are not being disclosed, the unofficial story however is fairly consistent. Big questions still remain: How could this have happened? How can future assaults be prevented? What are the ramifications of accusing another student?
At approximately 10:30 p.m. a male student whose name has not been released was taken, in handcuffs, from his second floor dorm in Sanford. Accused of rape, the student spent the night in a Fayetteville jail cell while a team of investigators were sent to examine his room. Neither the accused nor the accuser has been identified by the police.
“There is still evidence to be examined forensically” said James Phillips chief of campus police.
Phillips would not comment on whether the charges were still in place or had been dropped, but said that an investigation was still pending.
Since the arrest, the accused was released and has returned to campus. According to police, it appears that the allegations were intentionally false. It is unknown whether this conclusion was drawn by the victim’s confession or through the gathering of evidence, but those charged with acts of violence, including rape and sexual assault, are not typically released into general public.
Any other details on the case are sketchy. As the investigation is still active, no officials are willing to comment on the matter. The floor’s resident advisors, Joey Vergeno and John Camuso, were ordered by the school not to comment on the incident.
According to Phillips, police hope to have the case resolved in the coming weeks barring
any unexpected turns.
As you have probably noticed, since this and another incident involving a campus resident, security around campus has been tightened. Random ID checks at the gate, more frequent campus patrols, and added lighting are just a few of these improvements.
Philips stressed that “after dark [students should] travel around campus with groups” and to “always keep room and car doors locked even if your only out for a moment”.
Any student can request a student escort between 6p.m. and midnight by calling ext. 7487 or 7098. Escorts are free and make a student travelling across campus alone at night less of a target.
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