Video related to this article is available below.Issue date: 10/16/06 Section: News
Students could face prison if convicted
Max penalty would include $50,000 fine
Shruti Dave
Two Penn students charged with assaulting a University senior with a beer bottle could face years in jail and hefty fines if convicted, according to state sentencing guidelines.
College senior Bryce LeFort and Wharton senior Stephen Lande are facing charges of aggravated assault over an incident in which LeFort allegedly broke a glass beer bottle over the head of College senior Andrew Scharf, ripping off a portion of his ear. The incident occurred on Oct. 5 at Copabanana on 40th and Spruce streets.
Aggravated assault is a felony involving serious bodily injury to another person with a deadly weapon and an indifference to human life, according to the Pennsylvania penal code.
While an aggravated-assault charge alone can result in up to 10 years in prison and $50,000 in fines, the students may face additional penalties due to the severity of damage they allegedly inflicted on the victim and the recklessness of the attack.
According to criminal-defense lawyer Patrick Artur, the students will almost undoubtedly face some time behind bars if they are convicted of the charges.
"With a case like this, it's important to know that it is generally - almost definitely - going to call for jail time," Artur said. They could even face time in a state institution, depending on how much, if at all, the victim is determined to have provoked the alleged attackers, he said.
While neither LeFort nor Lande has commented on the case, Scharf has said that the alleged attack was unprovoked. Scharf said that after having a conversation with one of the two students facing charges, he turned his back, only to have the bottle broken over his head.
However, a student who knows LeFort - who refused to be named for this story - said Scharf threw beer at Lande before LeFort struck him with the bottle. If true, this provocation could reduce penalties for LeFort and Lande.
The Division of Public Safety has not said exactly what understanding of the alleged events outside Copabanana resulted in the aggravated-assault charge.
Preliminary hearings will most likely be held next week.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 13
Concerned Penn Student
posted 10/16/06 @ 10:21 AM EST
Honestly, the whole thing makes me sick. Bryce and Lande, you are complete trash and don't deserve to go to a school like Penn.
Bryce: What kind of classless hooligan smashes a beer bottle over someone's head? Do you think you're Tony Soprano? You could have killed the kid, and as a matter of fact, you're lucky you didn't; then you'd be facing a nice little homicide charge. (Continued…)
Disturbed Student
posted 10/16/06 @ 10:42 AM EST
I don't want to share a campus with these kids. I'm honest frightened that a Penn student could be so violent.
gradstudent
posted 10/16/06 @ 11:56 AM EST
the attack was provoked. a pitcher of beer was poured on the guy's head. this doesn't excuse throwing a bottle of beer at someone and injuring them. (Continued…)
curious
posted 10/16/06 @ 4:17 PM EST
A legal question:
I assume that only one of the two students actually smashed the beer bottle on scharf's head. What did the other student do that made him guilty of felony assault? If one of my friends smashes a beer bottle over someone's head, could I get arrested for being on his side of the scuffle, without actually harming anyone?
Copaman
posted 10/17/06 @ 3:07 AM EST
When you are a complete ass of a person and think your parents money entitles you to treating people like trash (i.e. pouring a pitcher of beer on someone), bad things MIGHT happen. (Continued…)
what's good?
posted 10/17/06 @ 12:40 PM EST
i really hope lande and lefort get off without any punishment. everyone knows that when you are drunk, you do foolish things and while this one happens to be extremely foolish and harmful, i highly doubt it was done with the intent of gravely hurting the "victim. (Continued…)
friend
posted 10/26/06 @ 5:27 PM EST
First of all, the whole incident was provoked, scharf was obviously very drunk and acting recklessly and agressive. And secondly, i really dont think that ruining one, or possibly, two students lives over such a stupid incident is the right way to handle this. (Continued…)
AP
posted 12/08/06 @ 12:43 AM EST
Note to anyone who finds this article on Google at a later date:
All charges against Lande were dropped. Please read about it before judging him. See:
http://media. (Continued…)
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