Five current and former Mississippi State students, including a one-time peer adviser at the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, are facing sexual assault charges against a female student.
Starkville police arrested and booked Dunbar Henry II, 21; Darrell Harris, 21; Charles Lowe, 23; Jenard Younger, 21; and Willie Washington Jr., 21, on a charge of sexual battery Dec. 4, 2002. All five men are currently out of custody on $50,000 bond each.
Citing police records, other local media reports said the victim, 18, claimed she went to a party at Club 124 with female friend, Washington and Henry-her peer adviser through the Holmes Center-following Mississippi State’s football game against the University of Tennessee.
The victim told police she had two drinks while at the party and had to be carried to a car between midnight and 1 a.m. That car drove from Club 124 to an apartment complex off Locksley Way. Reports also said the victim stayed in the car, unable to move, while her female friend went into an apartment.
The victim said the assaults began shortly after her friend entered the apartment. The victim was assaulted on multiple accounts between 1 a.m and 3 a.m. Although unable to move, the victim said, she remained conscious during the attacks. She told another female friend about the assaults the next day. That friend reported them to Mississippi State’s Sexual Assault Services who reported them to Starkville Police.
Starkville Police Detective Mark Ballard said drugs are a possible factor in the crime and may have been used to incapacitate the victim. He said the department is waiting for complete toxicology test results. Physical evidence taken from the victim during an examination at Oktibbeha County Hospital is also being tested. Ballard said the victim was able to identify each of the suspects.
Before the holiday break, the MSU Campus Directory listed Henry, Lowe and Washington as seniors in the College of Business and Industry. Harris and Younger were listed as sophomores in the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences, respectively.
Henry is no longer listed in the university directory or on the staff list for the Holmes Center. Lowe and Washington are listed as business information systems majors. Harris is listed as a mechanical engineering major while Younger is no longer included in the directory.
Each student may still face university disciplinary action in addition to any criminal proceedings. Even though the alleged incident occurred off campus, the five are still governed by MSU policy.
Anyone with information in the case is encouraged to contact the Starkville Police Department’s detective division by calling 323-0393.