New Jersey

William Paterson University Students Plead Not Guilty to Sex Assault Charges

Five students at New Jersey's William Paterson University have pleaded not guilty to charges they restrained and sexually assaulted a female student in a dorm room.

The students, all 18-year-old New Jersey residents, are charged with crimes including conspiracy, criminal restraint and aggravated sexual assault. The alleged attack occurred Nov. 25 on the campus in Wayne.

Jahmel Latimer of Hoboken, Darius Singleton of Jersey City, Garret Collick of Paterson, Noah Williams of Camden and Tremaine Scott of Vineland pleaded not guilty through their attorneys at a brief proceeding Tuesday. Scott was delayed until his attorney arrived.

Bail was lowered from $200,000 to $50,000 by the Passaic County prosecutor's office. The five were being held at the county jail and appeared in court in prison uniforms.

University President Kathleen Waldron did not say when the woman reported the attack, but told the Bergen Record that “as soon as the victim reported this incident, she was attended to by university counselors and police officers.”

Friends of the suspects have said that they're respectful and said there's "no way" they could be responsible for the crime.

Earlier this month, five students at Ramapo College were arrested in connection with the sexual assault of a student in a dorm room. School president Peter Mercer said the arrests have "raised fundamental issues of personal responsibility and respect for fellow students." 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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