The future leaders of America:
Princeton student assaulted in Quad
A Penn student was arrested for allegedly pouring motor oil on
a Princeton debate team member.
By Stephanie Steward
November 18, 2002
A Penn student was arrested for assaulting a Princeton
University student who was staying in the Quadrangle for
an on-campus debate tournament this weekend. The
incident took place early Saturday morning.
According to Parliamentary Debate Team member Jeff
Sandman, the assault may have been sparked by a scuffle
that took place about a half hour before the assault. A
group of 12 to 15 students visiting from Princeton were
sleeping in a lounge in a Quad lounge when two Penn
students entered the room, Sandman said. Sandman, a
College freshman, was hosting some of the Princeton
students.
"The Penn kids walked in and flicked the lights on and off
and were being obnoxious," Sandman recalled. "The
Princeton kids said, 'We're trying to sleep, leave us alone.'
And they started going at each other."
After the two groups exchanged words, the Penn students left, but allegedly
a group of four returned a half hour later, at about 4:15 a.m., with a can of
motor oil. One of the students poured the oil on one of the Princeton
students.
The Penn student "threw the oil all over the most vocal of the Princeton
kids," Sandman said. "He was kicking the student and made him promise
never to set foot on Penn's campus again."
The Penn student, who was allegedly smoking a cigarette, then threatened
to throw the cigarette on the student and light the student on fire.
"He and his sleeping bag were covered in the motor oil," Sandman said.
At this point, Penn Police officers arrived on the scene and arrested the
assailant.
University officials have confirmed this weekend's incident and the student's
arrest, but would not release the student's name.
"There was an incident with a member of the Princeton debate team who
was staying in the Quad, and police are still sorting out the details," Penn
spokeswoman Lori Doyle said.
Police later confirmed that the liquid substance was motor oil.
The Princeton students were part of a group of approximately 150 students
from different colleges and universities staying on campus this weekend for
Penn's annual Parliamentary Debate Tournament, hosted by the
Parliamentary Debate team. Members of Penn's debate team host the
visiting students while they are participating in the tournament. Students
were staying in many of the college houses this weekend.
Sandman said members of the debate team are disappointed by the actions
of the assailant.
"On Sunday, almost every Penn debater was apologizing to the students
from Princeton," Sandman said. "It is an utter embarrassment to us... that
they can't come to [Penn's] campus without getting physically assaulted."
Sandman said the assailants were not associated with the Parliamentary
Debate team, and it is unclear why they were in the Quad.
According to Sandman, some of the Princeton students, including the one
who was assaulted, did not participate in the conference on Sunday,
because of the events earlier that morning.
"A couple teams dropped out because they were emotionally drained,"
Sandman said.
Otherwise, he said, the conference went well.
Members of Princeton's debate team were unavailable for comment last
night.
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