Pleading not guilty at his arraignment yesterday, UCSB soccer player Eric Frimpong will now stand trial on Nov. 15 for charges of rape and sexual assault.

During the arraignment in front of Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Brian Hill, Frimpong’s lawyer, Robert Sanger, filed a demurrer – a document requesting the dismissal of certain charges. Acknowledging Sanger’s citation of Supreme Court precedents, Hill agreed to exclude charges affiliated with aggravating factors.

At the arraignment, District Attorney Mary Barron sought to reissue protection orders for the alleged victims, whom she referred to as Jane Doe One and Jane Doe Two. According to Barron, the original protection order, which required Frimpong to remain 100 yards away from the Jane Does, has not only expired, but was violated twice on the UCSB campus. Frimpong and Jane Doe One have a class in the same building, 15 minutes apart.

Although the school notified Frimpong of his potential proximity to his accuser, he has a second class in the same area. According to law enforcement, Jane Doe One has seen Frimpong around her classroom twice, although she does not believe that he is waiting for her. Sanger said he believes the alleged victim sees Frimpong, while he does not see her and argued that neither student has a greater claim to the facilities at UCSB.

However, Hill said Frimpong should have heeded the school’s warnings.

“Knowledge that she will be present is tantamount to intent,” Hill said. “You need to be very wary of violating the No Contact Order.”

Hill reinstated the protection order for both of the alleged victims.

Additionally, Barron said she estimated the case would last approximately eight trial days over the course of two weeks with additional time for jury selection.

Frimpong was arrested on Feb. 17 for allegedly raping a woman at a beach facing the 6500 block of Del Playa Drive. A week after his arrest, a second woman came forward to police and accused the soccer player of sexual battery, alleging that Frimpong had assaulted her on the beach below I.V.’s cliffs.

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