Legal proceedings against Wharton junior Felix Qu are continuing, as a trial date has been set for this spring.
Qu was arrested and charged with simple assault and reckless endangerment of another person after an argument with his girlfriend over winter break allegedly turned violent.
Qu's trial date of April 23 was scheduled at a status conference yesterday.
Shortly after the report about the assault went public, Qu's girlfriend expressed interest in retracting her statement given to police after the incident. The police officer handling the case could not be reached to confirm whether an official retraction had been requested or processed.
Regardless of whether the statement is retracted, the original statement - which, according to police, alleged that Qu struck his girlfried in the face - may still be read in court, said Lt. Frank Vanore, a Philadelphia Police spokesman.
"Many times, by the time the incident goes to court, the complainant and the significant other have resolved their differences and want to retract a statement," Vanore said.
However, a judge may decide to allow a detective to read the original statement in court, which would have been signed and verified by the victim the night of the incident.
"Even if a complainant may not be willing to go forward, the judge may still make a ruling," Vanore said.
The purpose of that policy is to prevent a recurrence of violence, he added. "We want to protect the victim at all costs."
Vanore also voiced the fear that "an incident could rise to another level the next time."
The District Attorney's office declined to comment on Qu, as the case is still active. Qu's public defender has not yet been assigned.
Qu is still enrolled at Penn and attending classes.
