In a preliminary hearing held on Aug. 22, the Davidson County General Sessions Court found probable cause for the misdemeanor assault charge against Jack Petocz. Judge Lynda Jones ruled in favor of the prosecutors, saying that Petocz could face up to 11 months and 29 days in jail if found guilty in criminal court proceedings.
Petocz was expelled from Vanderbilt and arrested following his involvement in a sit-in protest inside Kirkland Hall on March 26. The assault charges against Petocz result from allegations that he pushed a Community Service Officer while entering the building along with other protestors. Petocz has also been accused of assaulting Dr. Dawn Turton, chief of staff for the university.
In blurred surveillance footage shared with students in a March 26 email, protestors were seen entering Kirkland Hall and knocking over a CSO officer. It is unclear in the video whether Petocz was the one to push the officer. There has been no publicly released evidence of Petocz’s alleged engagement with Turton.
Despite Petocz’s denial of the allegations in court, Jones said that he could face more time in jail if the state chooses to charge him with a Class E felony for aggravated criminal trespass.
In a statement to The Hustler, the university said that it hopes the city will consider all facts in this case. However, it also emphasized the difference between the university’s student accountability process and the city’s legal process.
“The sanctions Vanderbilt imposed for students who forcibly entered Kirkland Hall to protest were the result of conduct determined through our rigorous student accountability process to have violated our policies,” the statement reads. “Our Appellate Review Board, composed of students and faculty, upheld the sanctions after carefully reviewing the individual circumstances of each student’s appeal.”
The university stressed their focus on encouraging free expression and open dialogue but said that the safety of staff members must be a priority. The university did not comment on whether the expulsion status of all three students would be reevaluated.
“Vanderbilt will not tolerate mistreatment of our staff,” the university said. “The safety and well-being of our community is a top priority, and we will take corrective action when our policies are violated, or the safety and well-being of our community is compromised.”
VSG Vice President Ellie Kearns, a senior, attended the hearing on Aug. 22 and expressed frustration with the legal proceedings following the March protests.
“As a leading educational institution that continues to promote the phrase ‘dare to grow,’ Vanderbilt should be practicing restorative justice principles and ensuring proportionate punishments are issued to students when necessary,” Kearns said. “Instead, university officials are using their power to quell dissent, not only by expelling students from campus but also by bringing a criminal court case against the very people the administration is intended to serve.”
Two other students — Devron Burks and Sam Schulman — were arrested on assault charges during the protest, but their hearings were pushed back to Nov. 20.
Vanderbilt Divest Coalition did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
