Editor’s note: This story was updated nine years after the original reporting, to reflect that the criminal case was dismissed three months after publication. Annenberg Media reported on the criminal case developments here, and the separate university investigation here. In late 2018, following the university sanctioning hearing, USC reinstated the student who was previously expelled following the charges.
A USC student was arrested Tuesday by the Los Angeles Police Department on suspicion of sexual assault and was released after posting a $100,000 bail the same day. The alleged incident occurred on April 1 in Fluor Tower, according to DPS Assistant Chief David Carlisle.
The student, age 20, is scheduled to appear in court on May 2. He is a sophomore business administration major, according to the USC Student Directory.
The LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division is investigating the alleged incident, which is unusual, according to Carlisle. Typically, the LAPD Southwest Division investigates sexual assault cases among students on USC’s campus.
“Their robbery-homicide unit, otherwise known as RHD, is their elite investigative arm of the department. So they put the best of their best detectives there, and they usually handle complex cases or very high profile cases,” said Carlisle. “Why they’re handling this sexual assault between students at USC? I have no idea.”
LAPD declined to comment.
The student was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity at USC but was expelled from the chapter after the alleged incident according to Evan Lubin, the chapter president. Lubin said the chapter leadership is working closely with USC’s Interfraternity Council on this issue.
Reach News Editor Sharon Zhang and Staff Reporter Heran Mamo here and here, respectively.
Annenberg Media