Current and former IU students and a former IU faculty member await court hearings in the local courts for various criminal charges. The IDS has reported on each of these cases. Here’s a run-down of where each case stands in the local Monroe County Circuit Courts:
James McGovern
James McGovern, 21, is an IU student, charged with rape and criminal confinement. McGovern allegedly raped a female friend Feb. 15, after he met up with her at a bar downtown and brought her back to his apartment.
He was held in Monroe County Correctional Center but was released after posting bond. He has yet to appear in court.
Whisper
A group of four men, including two IU students and one IU graduate, were arrested for having sex, independent of one another, with a 13-year-old girl. Each of them met and chatted with her through the social media app, Whisper, which allows people to chat anonymously. Current police evidence suggests the men knew she was underage.
Matthew Filipek, 23, and George Pearcy, 21, are IU students. Another man, Thomas Snape, 23, graduated from the IU Kelley School of Business in 2015 with a degree in accounting, according to his LinkedIn account. All are facing child molestation charges.
All of the men pleaded not guilty at initial hearings last week. Filipek has a pretrial conference scheduled for March 30. As of now, there are no upcoming court events scheduled in the cases of Snape and Pearcy.
Jason Cox
Jason Cox, 21, is an IU student who accidentally shot his roommate Nov. 9. He is charged with criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and pointing a firearm at another.
While Cox’s roommate was outside their apartment with his girlfriend, Cox allegedly picked up a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun and pointed it at his friend through the window. Cox accidentally pulled the trigger when his roommate turned to face him, shooting him in the mouth. The roommate was airlifted to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.
Police said Cox appeared to be under the influence at the time of the shooting. He was arrested but has since bonded out. He has a pretrial conference scheduled for March 9.
Guoping Wang
Guoping Wang is a former Jacobs School of Music lecturer and dance coach, who is accused of sexually assaulting multiple students he worked with.
The first reports of sexual assault came from an
incident in fall 2015, when he was rehearsing with a ballet student for “The Nutcracker.”
Wang asked the student to come to his office to work on stretches.
He attempted to kiss the girl and tear off her leotard despite her protests, according to a probable cause affidavit. The girl was able to redress and leave after Wang got up to check on a disturbance in the hallway.
The student reported the assault to the University in March 2016, at which point the University launched an investigation into Wang. Over the course of the investigation, six other students came forward with sexual assault allegations against Wang.
He was fired in May.
The University did not share its findings with police until six weeks after the student’s initial report of the assault.
Wang was arrested in July, but has been out on bond since then.
At his most recent pretrial conference, Wang’s attorney, Katharine Liell, requested a change of venue for Wang’s trial, citing negative press coverage.
Wang’s next pretrial conference is scheduled for 2 p.m. on March 1.
