Simon’s Rock Assault No Longer Being Investigated

Police have ended the investigation into an alleged assault at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. The student alleging the assault recently informed detectives that the student would no longer cooperate with the investigation. This information comes from a press release from the Berkshire County District Attorneys Office.

The student similarly refused to cooperate with a private investigator hired by the college. The student reported being knocked unconscious, dragged into a wooded area on campus and attacked on Friday, September 27.

An extensive investigation by Great Barrington Police and State Police Detectives assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office uncovered inconsistencies between the student’s allegations and the evidence collected during the course of the investigation. While these inconsistencies call into doubt that an attack occurred as alleged, police and prosecutors have determined there is insufficient evidence to charge the student with making a false report to law enforcement.

Investigators conducted numerous interviews, reviewed medical records, searched the grounds, and searched electronics. There was no surveillance video of the area available.

Multiple law enforcement agencies including Simon’s Rock Campus Safety, Great Barrington Police Department, State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, State Police Crime Scene Services Section, and forensic scientists assigned to the State Police Crime Lab devoted significant resources to investigating this matter given the disturbing nature of the report and the concerns over potential racial motivations for the attack.