A trial date was set yesterday in the case of Marshall Thompson, the man accused of entering the high rise dormitory room of a female graduate student and assaulting her.
The trial was set for July 12, at which point the jury selection process will start. Testimony will begin following the selection of the jurors, according to Thompson's defense attorney Jay Wells.
Rich DeSipio, the assistant district attorney prosecuting the case, said that Thompson currently faces charges of burglary, criminal trespassing, indecent assault and simple assault.
If Thompson is found guilty on all counts, he could face between 17 and 34 years in prison.
The 30-year-old employee of Penn Jersey Window Cleaning was arrested on Aug. 27 after allegedly entering the room of a female graduate student in Hamilton College House early last fall, grabbing her from behind and pressing his body against her back.
Though he originally faced charges of attempted rape, those charges were dropped in November to the dissatisfaction of the District Attorney's Office.
An attorney who formerly represented Thompson claimed in November that the defendant was allowed access to the students' rooms to use the bathroom.
However, University officials said that at the time of the incident, Thompson was only authorized to enter the first floor of the college house, and that University employees are not allowed to enter the rooms of student without permission.
Yesterday, Thompson was present in the courtroom, but was not asked to speak.
Judge Steven Geroff has been assigned to preside over this case.
Both the prosecution and defense lawyers said that additional conferences are unlikely to occur between now and the trial date.
