Dean College Student Pleads Not Guilty to Massachusetts Assault Charges in Sneaker Beating
A teen from New York who attends Dean College in Franklin was recently arrested and charged with robbery and assault in Attleboro.
The juvenile pleaded not guilty to these serious college campus crimes in Wrentham District Court, the Boston Herald reports.

There are serious consequences if a young person is convicted. For a teen already in college, they could risk being suspended or completely kicked out of college. This can lead to a major hurdle in preparing for a future career or getting into another college or university.
In cases of robbery or other theft crimes in Massachusetts, police need to have substantial evidence to show the suspect stole from another. If they can't recover the stolen goods, that can be a big hit to their case.
In this case, 18-year-old Kirk Dudley of Staten Island faces up to 10 years in state prison if convicted of the charges. He was released on $2,000 cash bail and returned home, his Attleboro criminal defense attorney said.
The college has already expelled Dudley, who is accused of attacking a 19-year-old classmate. Dudley allegedly attacked the other teen, whom he thought had stolen a pair of sneakers. Eight other students are considered "suspects" by police in an ensuing fight. The college has expelled them, but the Herald isn't naming them.
The attack was caught on video tape, the newspaper reports. The sneakers were worth well over $200. The attack happened Dec. 2, but police didn't find out until nearly a week later, after a video allegedly showing the attack surfaced on the Internet.
According to the news article, the suspect verbally challenged the victim and then struck him several times with his fist. He then removed the expensive shoes from the alleged victim's feet and struck him with the shoes. Police believed the victim, who reportedly provided proof that he purchased the shoes in September.
The Massachusetts criminal lawyer says he plans to challenge the validity of that purchase and show that the shoes that were taken back from his client belonged to him.
As in any criminal case, there is much to be disputed. For one, the validity of the video will be key since police didn't find out about the alleged crime for a week. If the victim wanted to press charges, he should have reported the incident immediately. Determining whether the video was altered in any way could make a big difference in the case.
Prosecutors may also have problems showing that the property in question was stolen. Who owned the sneakers may be paramount to the case.










