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Posted on Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 12:57 p.m.

Man charged with sexual assault in North Quad bathroom now faces witness intimidation charges

By Heidi Fenton

A 25-year-old homeless man suspected of sexually assaulting a woman in a University of Michigan dormitory bathroom now faces charges, along with his twin sister, of witness intimidation.

Raynel White, and his sister, Shanel White, were scheduled today for preliminary examinations in Washtenaw 14A District Court on two counts each of witness intimidation. The charges stem from an encounter the two had in a courtroom hallway before a hearing last week in Raynel White’s sexual assault case, said university spokeswoman Diane Brown.

Brown could not comment further on the encounter.

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The University of Michigan's North Quad building.

Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com

According to Brown, Raynel White and two 18-year-old men managed to get into a North Quad dormitory the night of May 17 with an 18-year-old woman, who knew one of the men. The dormitory is kept locked 24 hours a day, Brown said, and the four in that group were not U-M students.

The woman told police she entered a bathroom around 10 p.m. and was later followed in by Raynel White, who she said sexually assaulted her, Brown said. The woman fled and contacted police, who went to the dorm and found the three men still inside.

U-M police said today the assault occurred in the dormitory's academic section, not in a residential area.

White was arrested and charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct, resisting and obstructing an officer, illegal entry and furnishing alcohol to a minor. Brown said he is accused of providing alcohol to the 18-year-old woman. The other two men were arrested for violating a trespass warning and were released pending warrant authorization. They have not yet been arraigned, Brown said.

Raynel White remains jailed on a $125,000 cash bond and a pretrial conference in the sexual assault case is scheduled for July 21. Shanel White remains free on a personal recognizance bond, Brown said.

Heidi Fenton covers police and courts for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at heidifenton@annarbor.com or 734-623-4673. You also can follow her on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.

Comments

EyeHeartA2

Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 11:47 p.m.

"The other two men were arrested for violating a trespass warning " ...and there is the other side of the trespass argument.

trespass

Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 10:33 p.m.

I don't know if the witness intimidation charge is justified in this case, however, in the case of rape allegations against a UM football player in 2009, the University Police did not charge a person who threatened to rape the victim himself if she pressed charges against his friend. The University police seem to be very selective in who they charge with this crime.

Matt Cooper

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 12:06 a.m.

How can you possibly question the justification of the new charges of witness intimidation when all that is mentioned about the new charges is "The charges stem from an encounter the two had in a courtroom hallway before a hearing last week in Raynel White's sexual assault case, said university spokeswoman Diane Brown."?

Rob Pollard

Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 8:18 p.m.

"Managed to get in" - does that mean they broke in? Or just simply followed a student who opened the door and it was kept open for them? Were they visiting someone? Why were they there?

Ignatz

Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 10:16 p.m.

Often students will leave a door propped open for a friend's arrival, so they don't have to be bothered to let them in when they arrive. Some students are notoriously unconcerned with safety.

Enso

Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 6:31 p.m.

Guns! Guns! Give everyone guns and gun crime will be reduced! Drugs! Drugs! Give everyone drugs and drug crime will be reduced!

a2citizen

Sat, Jul 2, 2011 : 3:09 a.m.

Computers! Computers! Give everyone a computer and an internet connection. They will be too busy online to commit a crime.

Ricebrnr

Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 8:49 p.m.

Well I never said guns but that is a viable solution. Certainly if you gave everyone who wanted drugs, then they'd have no reason to steal to get it I suppose... You might be onto something.

Ricebrnr

Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 5:55 p.m.

In the court house maybe where the witness intimidation occurred...But where would the witness be most afraid of encountering these alleged criminals?

smokeblwr

Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 5:35 p.m.

Last time I was in the court hallway I had to turn my gun in to the security guards before walking through the metal detector. So I am not sure how arming the witness would have helped in this case.

Ricebrnr

Wed, Jun 29, 2011 : 5:20 p.m.

U of M and it's police force are comfortable with student safety on campus... Hard to intimidate a witness who can intimidate back. First rule of not being bullied...