As reported by Michael McKinney in the July 21, 2010 edition of the Providence Journal, a sexual assault trial involving four URI students began. Two male students are charged with first degree sexual assault "by force and coercion." The alleged victim is a fellow URI student and the alleged incident occurred at a party in a residence hall on URI campus. In an interesting twist, a female URI student was also charged with first degree sexual assault in connection with this case, but her case has not yet gone to trial.
Both alcohol and marijuana were present at the party and the victim admitted to consuming several shots of vodka. It is unclear whether either of the defendants drank alcohol or smoked marijuana that night.