OCTOBER 23, 2007

STUDENT RECANTS RAPE ALLEGATIONS

The Mercer County Community College student who reported that she was sexually assaulted on campus two weeks ago has been charged with giving false information to law enforcement. 

Soroyal R. Washington, 20, of Trenton, was charged on Tuesday with knowingly giving false information to law enforcement officers with the purpose to implicate another, a fourth-degree crime. 

It is specifically alleged that Washington provided incomplete and inaccurate statements in more than one conversation with West Windsor Township Detective Marylouise Dranchak, prosecutor’s Sergeant Karen Ortman and Assistant Prosecutor Stephanie Katz.  These omissions and inaccuracies falsely incriminated Nolan Hall of sexual assault and caused him to be charged with the second-degree crime. 

This morning, the prosecutor’s office dismissed the sexual assault charge against Nolan W. Hall.  Hall, 18, of Quinton Avenue, Trenton, was released on his own recognizance last week. 

Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.