Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Sophomore Acquitted of Charges

An MSB sophomore accused of assaulting another student outside a university residence hall last March was acquitted of all criminal charges after a D.C. Superior Court judge dismissed the case on Nov. 24.

The alleged attacker, Vincent “Trey” Martin (MSB ’07) left Georgetown on medical leave and said he has no plans to return to the university. If he does choose to return, artin will face university judicial hearings into the alleged attack and an additional allegation of assaulting a DPS officer, stemming from an October incident.

Although he faced possible expulsion following the second incident, Martin is free to attend another institution and will face no additional sanctions unless he returns to Georgetown.

Martin was accused of beating David Riedman (NHS ’07) early on the morning of Mar. 26 after an altercation outside the New South Residence Hall. In an April interview with THE HOYA, Riedman said the assault was completely unprovoked. But Martin said the altercation stemmed from an earlier incident during a basketball game where he said Riedman made an obscene hand gesture. Both students accused the other of being intoxicated and physically striking first.

Riedman was left unconscious and bloodied before a DPS officer found him and GERMS transported him to Georgetown University Hospital.

Martin was subsequently charged with aggravated assault, a felony. The charge was later downgraded to simple assault, a misdemeanor.

In May, he appeared before a university judicial hearing board which found him responsible for the assault and suspended him for one year. Martin was granted a new hearing in the summer after questions arose about the fairness of the original hearing.

He once again faced a Georgetown hearing board after he was accused of striking DPS officer Anthony Meyers on the face Oct. 1 and hiding under a bush in front of the Darnall Residence Hall. No criminal charges were filed in that incident and soon after the hearing, Martin chose to leave Georgetown.

Neither the prosecuting attorney nor Martin’s lawyer, Lisa Prager, could be reached for comment.

Although Riedman expressed frustration Monday at the outcome of the trial he declined further comment saying only that he wanted “this to be over.”

Martin, however, said he was pleased with his acquittal and that “justice has finally been served somewhere.”

“The judge dismissed the entire case before we even put on our side of the case,” he said.

“She said she dismissed the case because of a lack of credibility and she told the prosecutor she should never have brought the case to trial.”

Martin said he was angry with the Riedman family, particularly Reidman’s mother, associate provost Marcia Mintz, who he accused of unfairly influencing his original university judicial hearing.

“The only reason this played out as long as it did is because of his mother’s position in the university,” he said. “All I have left to say is the truth is finally out and the pain and suffering David’s family has put my family through no longer rests on our shoulders.”

Mintz did not return a phone call placed to her office Thursday morning.

Martin is currently in his hometown of Pacific Palisades, Calif., where he is working and preparing to transfer to a new university. He said he hopes to play baseball at Boston College or Tulane University next year.

Although Martin had been allowed to work out with Georgetown’s baseball team while his criminal case was pending, he was not allowed to play in any games.

University spokeswoman Laura Cavender said Georgetown would not comment on Martin’s case.

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