Charges filed in high rise assault case

Marshall Thompson, a 29-year-old male, has been arrested in connection with the assault of a female graduate student in her Hamilton College House room last week.

Thompson has been charged with burglary, criminal trespassing, unlawful restraint, indecent assault, simple assault, reckless endangering of another person and false imprisonment, according to Chief of Police Thomas Rambo.

Following his arraignment, Thompson's bail was set at $7,500. His bail was posted and he was released from police custody, Rambo said.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday at the Criminal Justice Center, according to Rambo.

Thompson, an employee of Penn Jersey Window Cleaning, a company under subcontract with the University to assist in cleaning and repair in the newly renovated high rise, allegedly entered the woman's room at approximately 10 a.m. last Wednesday and "basically indecently assaulted her," Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush said.

The woman, who is also a College House System employee, was in the process of moving into her room when the assailant managed to gain entrance. Her door had been left open.

Rush explained that Thompson, who was legally allowed on the building's entry floor, was not authorized to go upstairs.

"He was a bona fide worker and he was given permission to clean the lobby," Rush said.

However, Thompson allegedly managed to gain access to the high rise's upper floors.

The woman -- who had attended a mandatory session provided through the Department of Public Safety in conjunction with her training duties as a Hamilton employee -- immediately contacted Penn Police, Rush noted.

Due to the victim's knowledge of security procedures, there was an "immediate call and immediate arrest," Rush explained, adding that the preponderance of police on hand for move-in aided in the department's quick response time.

Rush explained that both Penn Jersey Window Cleaning and the University screen job applicants before hiring them, and that problems like this one are unfortunate. She added, though, that Penn Jersey will continue to work for the University.

Representatives from Penn Jersey would not comment on the events.

Leslie Delauter, director of college houses and academic services, expressed her belief that students must be aware of the possibility of internal crimes.

"We need to remember that our security is to be found not so much in new safety precautions, but with each other, the friends and neighbors with whom we share these homes of ours," Delauter said.

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