University of Virginia Library

Three Students Injured In
Gang Mugging Encounter

By Bill Nachman
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Three University students were
mugged by a group of four men last
Thursday night, as they were sitting in a
field near Staunton with their dates.

The students are first year-men Robert
Barnett and Trigg Brown, and fifth
year-man Dan Cutler.

Boondocking

Mr. Barnett said that the trio and their
dates were having a party in a field at
Verona, which is just north of Staunton,
when three men arrived about 11 p.m. in
a white Camaro. The three came up to
the group and talked with them for a
brief while. "They were not carrying any
evident weapons on their persons then,"
said Mr. Barnett, "and as best I could tell
they were not drunk or obscene."

"They returned about twenty minutes
later with another gay," said Mr. Barnett. "This
time they were brandishing long pipes which
appeared to be of lead, but only three of them
actually attacked us; the fourth man stood over
by the Camaro blocking the license plates."

Dates Not Molested

According to both Mr. Barnett and the
Sheriff's Office in Staunton, none of the dates
were molested in any way whatsoever. "They
ran toward the cars when the molesters came
and tried to catch the license number of the
Camaro," said Mr. Barnett, "but to no avail, as
the fourth member of the group blocked their
view."

Injuries

Though the girls, all students at Mary
Baldwin College in Staunton, were not injured,
the boys were. Mr. Brown, a first year student
in Architecture, received a gash over his right
ear and numerous blows to his body. Mr.
Barnett, a first year College student, was badly
beaten on his head and upper body. Mr. Cutler.
a fifth-year student in the College, was the least
injured of the group as he was held to the
ground and repeatedly kicked in the body.

"We were physically bigger than they were,"
said Mr. Barnett, "but remember that they
carried the weapons not Trigg [Brown] Dan
[Cutler] and myself. "All of us are very
pleased that they didn't try to go for the girls,
and that we are around now to relate this to
you."

After the muggers left the field, the boys
drove immediately to Staunton, where they
received treatment and reported their story to
the police. Mr. Barnett was not questioned at
the hospital with the others due to the extent
of his injuries. He received 20 facial stitches and
compresses for one eye, which had been badly
swollen during the preceding fracas. Mr. Brown
bad four stitches taken over his ear and received
ice packs and other treatments for severe body
bruises. Mr. Cutler also received compresses for
his body bruises.

Report Lost

Upon entry to the Staunton hospital the
boys called the sheriff's office in Staunton.
After some two hours of treatment and
questioning, the students drove the girls back to
Mary Baldwin and returned to Charlottesville.

However, the initial report became lost, and
by chance one of the girls called the sheriff
Friday afternoon to check about the report.
The facts were then retold to the authorities,
who reassured the boys that they were pretty
sure who the group was and that they would
use all means to apprehend them. A friend of
the boys found out about the incident and
called his father, George Cochran, a member of
the State Supreme Court. Mr. Cochran called
the Staunton police to reinform them of what
happened, but he is not going to be involved
with the prosecution.

Two Charged

Detective George Stephenson of the
Staunton force said that one juvenile and one
adult have each been charged with two counts
of felonious assault, one adult has charges
pending, and one adult had all charges dropped.

The next meeting of the Augusta Grand
Jury will be on November 23, but Detective
Stephenson was not sure if the case would
come up at that time or at a later sitting.