Student may face prison for alleged assault

College junior Justin Majors faces a possible prison term for charges stemming from a September 28 incident in which he is accused of assaulting a student and University Police officer in an alcohol-related attack. Majors is charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment over the alleged attack, one of several recent alcohol-related incidents which have shocked the University community. He will face two counts of each charge -- one set for allegedly assaulting a student and the other for allegedly attacking a University Police officer -- at a November 6 court date, according to Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush. If convicted of the felony aggravated assault or misdemeanor simple assault charges, he could be sent to prison, according to the Pennsylvania legal code. The Office of Student Conduct is also investigating Majors' alleged role in the assault, Rush said. Yesterday, Majors cited the upcoming "court proceedings" in refusing to comment on the incident. "On advice from my attorney, I really don't want to say anything that could be incriminating," he explained. Majors is accused of punching the student and police officer while drunk in an incident that occurred on the 3900 block of Spruce street in the early morning hours of September 28, a University Police official said at the time. The fight was the bloodiest and caused the most serious injury of that weekend's four assaults. In the incident, the student fell backwards after being struck in the face. He opened a large gash in the back of his head when he hit the ground, a witness who requested anonymity said. He was immediately rushed to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was diagnosed with a concussion and received 20 stitches. The student was released from the hospital the next day. After allegedly hitting the student, Majors is accused of punching a University Police officer who had tried to break up the fight, police said. The police officer was not seriously injured in the incident, but attacks against police officers are automatically filed as aggravated assault charges, Rush explained. The alleged assault was one of four alcohol-related attacks that occurred within a few hours between Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28. Since then, University officials have focused increased attention on student drinking and the ways in which alcohol can lead to violence.