No plea deal for PU student beating

Lawyer cites results of polygraph test, witness reports

By: Nick Norlen
   A Princeton University student and his friend who were charged with aggravated assault in the beating of another student rejected plea deals from the Mercer County prosecutor last week, their attorneys said.
   University student Nicholas Hermandorfer and his friend, Adam Fassnacht, were arrested June 1 after police responded to the report of an assault in the university’s Dillon Courtyard, police said.
   The victim was treated for a broken nose, a broken cheekbone and a broken orbital socket after he was transported to the University Medical Center at Princeton, police said.
   Murray Gendzel, the attorney for Mr. Hermandorfer, said the plea deal, which would have resulted in probation, was rejected after his client passed a privately administered polygraph test and after a private investigation revealed witnesses who said Mr. Hermandorfer was not involved in the incident.
   "Based upon that, we did turn down the plea deal," he said. "Because my client is innocent."
   Robert Lytle, the attorney for Mr. Fassnacht, who does not attend Princeton University, said that his client did not accept the plea deal, but noted that it is being left open by the prosecutor’s office.
   He declined further comment.
   In terms of the time frame for a trial, Mr. Gendzel said the "ball is really in the hands of the Mercer County prosecutor."