Mather Junior Denied Probation

The Mather House junior arrested for assault and battery was denied pre-trial probation yesterday during his third hearing at the Cambridge District Court.

Christopher “Kai” Wu ’09 is charged with two counts of “assault and battery,” and two counts of “assault and battery on a police officer” for pushing his girlfriend and hitting an officer at the Tri-House winter formal on Dec. 16.

Wu is also charged with “malicious destruction of property” for breaking the window of a police cruiser upon arrival at Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) headquarters.

Wu was “visibly intoxicated,” according to the HUPD report.

In an e-mail obtained by The Crimson that Wu sent to friends before the hearing, he asked for their support and offered to provide or pay for rides to the courthouse.

“It would mean a lot to me if you could come,” he wrote. “Having my family and friends attend the last meeting made a great positive impact on the judge.”

Wu, who served as vice-chair of the College Events Board and as treasurer of the Mather House Committee, was backed yesterday by about 15 friends and family members.

“He’s a good guy; he’s not a dangerous guy,” said Ryan C. Hackett ’09, Wu’s former roommate.

The night of his arrest, Resident Dean of Mather House Laura Schlosberg told Wu he was “officially trespassed from all Harvard property” and disallowed from attending classes until further notice, according to the report.

She could not immediately be reached for comment.

Had Wu been granted pre-trial probation, his case would have been dismissed pending adherence to court requirements.

Wu’s next hearing is currently scheduled for March 31.

If he pleads not guilty, the case will go to trial where he could face a maximum sentence of two years in prison, according to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.

Wu’s lawyer Randolph Gioia, however, remains optimistic about his client’s future.

“He just wants to put this behind him and continue his life at Harvard,” Gioia said.

Secretary to the Administrative Board Jay L. Ellison declined to comment.

—Staff writer Sophie M. Alexander can be reached at salexand@fas.harvard.edu.