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Sgt. Brett Parson, commander of the
D.C. police department's community liaison units, said police would not reopen the case to seek another suspect in the assault of a gay Georgetown student. (Blade file photo)
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HOME > NEWS > LOCAL
By: LOU CHIBBARO J COMMENTS
 
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N.W., where people were congregating about 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 9. According to a police affidavit in support of Cooney’s arrest, the victim reported being followed by Cooney and at least one other person. He told police the attacker, later identified as Cooney, allegedly “tackled and punched complainant about the head and face with closed fists,” the police affidavit says.
The victim was treated and released at Georgetown University Hospital for injuries he sustained in the assault, a police report says.
“Before going forward in any criminal case, we must feel confident that a crime has been committed and that the person charged is the person who committed the crime,” U.S. Attorney spokesperson Phillips said in a statement. “Our subsequent investigation raised doubts as to the second factor, that is, whether based upon available evidence we could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant in this case was the person who actually committed the assault.”
In response to a question from the Blade, Phillips said he was making inquires to determine if investigators with the police or his office attempted to seek out witnesses linking Cooney to the area where the assault occurred.
Onorato said he was prepared to present evidence showing that Cooney was not present in the immediate area where the assault took place.
“Philip was with friends at a small gathering at a fellow student’s house,” he said.
Julie Green Bataille, a spokesperson for Georgetown University, said the university “respects the autonomy of the U.S. Attorney’s decision and the independence of the external criminal proceeding.”
She said that consistent with Georgetown’s student code of conduct, “both undergraduates involved remain students in good standing while the university’s confidential review of this incident is ongoing.”
“It is not appropriate for the university to comment on the specifics of the alleged incident, other than
to say that it is critical that Georgetown’s internal processes be able to address incidents of student conduct in a fair and impartial manner that do not in any way pre-judge what may have occurred,” she said.
Shortly after the incident occurred, Green Bataille said the university condemns hate crimes against all groups and would take steps to promote a campus dialogue on the subject of intolerance and prejudice.
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