Charges Against Undergrad Dropped

Cambridge Police yesterday dropped charges of assault and battery filed against a member of the Harvard Lampoon in early December.

Andrew Oliver II '92 was billed $300 in court costs during a pretrial hearing in the Cambridge District Court yesterday.

Police charged Oliver with assault and battery of a police officer with a dangerous weapon and with disturbing the peace, after an alleged altercation at the Lampoon Castle in December.

Jill Riley, spokesperson for the District Attorney's office, said it was in the best interests of both parties to dismiss the case.

"Oliver does not have a criminal record," she said. "After reviewing the evidence and interviewing the defendant, we decided to drop the charges."

After the trial, Oliver said that he was not pleased with the decision, despite the fact that the case was dismissed.

"It is unfortunate they didn't drop it for nothing," he said. "I get the short end of the stick because it would cost $800 to continue the trial for another day."

Oliver said the police were entirely at fault and that the charges had no foundation.

"I did nothing improper or illegal," he said. "The only improper and illegal things were done bythe police. They were beating up on a student."

Oliver's attorney, Michael L. Altman, said thatpolice responded to a report that someone hadfallen out of a window. He said that policeoverstepped their bounds by breaking up theLampoon initiation party.

"After they found out that no one had fallenout of a window, the police should have left," hesaid. "But they stuck their noses in to a privateinstitution. The police have no right to do that."

Altman said that the assault charges werecompletely baseless.

"The only thing Drew assaulted with a knife wasthe lobster that was part of the dinner," he said."And he didn't even get to eat it because of theCambridge Police."

Altman said that the police started shouting atOliver because he wasn't moving out of thebuilding fast enough. They then grabbed him in achoke hold, he said.

"I believe that the police filed charges topreempt Drew's ability to file a complaint againstthem," Altman said.

Oliver said he was not drunk, and could notexplain why the police dealt so harshly with him.

No Comment

Lieutenant Ronald Ellis, the prosecutor forCambridge Police, said that Oliver's account was"not entirely true." He refused to comment furtheron the matter.

Oliver would not comment as to whether he willpursue the matter further in court

Oliver's attorney, Michael L. Altman, said thatpolice responded to a report that someone hadfallen out of a window. He said that policeoverstepped their bounds by breaking up theLampoon initiation party.

"After they found out that no one had fallenout of a window, the police should have left," hesaid. "But they stuck their noses in to a privateinstitution. The police have no right to do that."

Altman said that the assault charges werecompletely baseless.

"The only thing Drew assaulted with a knife wasthe lobster that was part of the dinner," he said."And he didn't even get to eat it because of theCambridge Police."

Altman said that the police started shouting atOliver because he wasn't moving out of thebuilding fast enough. They then grabbed him in achoke hold, he said.

"I believe that the police filed charges topreempt Drew's ability to file a complaint againstthem," Altman said.

Oliver said he was not drunk, and could notexplain why the police dealt so harshly with him.

No Comment

Lieutenant Ronald Ellis, the prosecutor forCambridge Police, said that Oliver's account was"not entirely true." He refused to comment furtheron the matter.

Oliver would not comment as to whether he willpursue the matter further in court