2008 Woodie Awards
Student acquitted of rape charge
Maureen Catalano '09
Issue date: 2/28/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
A Saint Joseph's student who was arrested for alleged rape on April 12 of last year was acquitted from all charges at his final hearing on Feb. 15, 2007.
James Joseph Brown, then a sophomore, was removed from the apartments at Borgia Hall, arrested, and taken into custody by Philadelphia Police.
According to NBC10 and CBS 3, Brown allegedly raped a 20-year-old female who was visiting a female friend in Rashford Hall. The woman claimed that she awoke to Brown attacking and kissing her while complimenting her beauty.
The female reported the alleged incident to her hometown police who then informed the Philadelphia Police and Saint Joseph's security. The student body was notified via an announcement on MySJU.
The charges included rape forcible compulsion, sexual assault, unlawful restraint/serious bodily injury, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, and indecent exposure.
Brown was taken in on $35,000 bail, and posted bail the following day. Since then, his status with the school has been on hiatus.
According to Nancy Komada, Assistant to the Vice President and Senior Community Standards Officer, Brown was neither suspended nor expelled from the University. Whenever a student is arrested on campus, they must go through the school's judicial system in order to be properly sentenced. Since Brown was involved in criminal court, the school did not yet hold a hearing because they did not want to interfere.
Brown, however, anticipates returning to the school, especially now that his name has been cleared.
When asked if he plans to return to the University, Brown said "Absolutely, I really want to come back…I haven't talked to the school directly, but my lawyer has."
The school released a general statement following his acquittal that stated, "We look forward to hearing from James directly. We will review his case and consider his readmission."
James Joseph Brown, then a sophomore, was removed from the apartments at Borgia Hall, arrested, and taken into custody by Philadelphia Police.
According to NBC10 and CBS 3, Brown allegedly raped a 20-year-old female who was visiting a female friend in Rashford Hall. The woman claimed that she awoke to Brown attacking and kissing her while complimenting her beauty.
The female reported the alleged incident to her hometown police who then informed the Philadelphia Police and Saint Joseph's security. The student body was notified via an announcement on MySJU.
The charges included rape forcible compulsion, sexual assault, unlawful restraint/serious bodily injury, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, and indecent exposure.
Brown was taken in on $35,000 bail, and posted bail the following day. Since then, his status with the school has been on hiatus.
According to Nancy Komada, Assistant to the Vice President and Senior Community Standards Officer, Brown was neither suspended nor expelled from the University. Whenever a student is arrested on campus, they must go through the school's judicial system in order to be properly sentenced. Since Brown was involved in criminal court, the school did not yet hold a hearing because they did not want to interfere.
Brown, however, anticipates returning to the school, especially now that his name has been cleared.
When asked if he plans to return to the University, Brown said "Absolutely, I really want to come back…I haven't talked to the school directly, but my lawyer has."
The school released a general statement following his acquittal that stated, "We look forward to hearing from James directly. We will review his case and consider his readmission."
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