| Balderston | Banga | Bispham | Hochfelder | Stolk |
Police have released the names of the five Penn students charged with assaulting Princeton University student John Brantl in an incident last month. The students allegedly poured motor oil over Brantl and flicked a lit cigarette at him.
A preliminary hearing for College freshmen David Hochfelder, 19, and Philip Balderston, 19, College sophomore Thomas Bispham, 20, Wharton sophomore Tavraj Banga, 19, and College senior Steven Stolk, 20, is scheduled for tomorrow, according to Penn Police.
The Penn students face several charges including aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment of another person's life, terroristic threats, conspiracy to commit a crime and possession of an instrument of crime.
The students will enter their pleas to the charges at the hearing.
Bispham, Balderston, Stolk and Hochfelder would not comment on their arrests. Banga could not be reached for comment last night.
The five students turned themselves in last week after Brantl decided to press charges. Balderston, Bispham, Banga and Stolk turned themselves in Tuesday morning with their attorneys present, and Hochfelder turned himself in early Wednesday morning without an attorney, Penn Police said.
The five Penn students reportedly entered a Quadrangle lounge, where Brantl and several other Princeton students were sleeping, at approximately 4:15 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16. The Princeton students were staying in the Quad for a debate sponsored by the Penn Parliamentary Debate Team.
The five Penn students, all of whom were unassociated with the debate team, then reportedly began harrassing Brantl, and one student reportedly poured motor oil over him. One of the students then allegedly threatened to light him on fire, and another student reportedly flicked a lit cigarette at Brantl.
Arraignments for the five students were held last week. They were each placed on $10,000 bail. However, they were allowed to sign their own bail, meaning that they will not be required to pay the amount unless they fail to appear at the preliminary hearing, currently scheduled for tomorrow.
All of the Princeton students who witnessed the alleged incident will be testifying at the preliminary hearing, Penn Police said yesterday.
According to Detective Supervisor Frank DeMeo, it is possible that the hearing will be held at the Criminal Justice Center and that the scheduled date could change. This procedure is often used to save time when there are multiple defendants, DeMeo said.
The purpose of the preliminary hearing is to determine whether there is enough evidence to substantiate the charges against the students, DeMeo added. If there is, a trial date will be set. Penn Police say they are certain there is sufficient evidence against the Penn students.
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