Student Arrested for Rape

Return to main article:

Joshua M. Elster '00, of Kirkland House and Tucson, was arrested by Harvard police January 31, taken to Middlesex County Jail, and arraigned February 2 on three counts of rape and two counts of assault and battery of an undergraduate woman. Elster pleaded innocent to the charges. He posted $10,000 cash bail next day. District court judge George R. Sprague '60, IOP '72, ordered Elster to stay away from the alleged victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, and from the Harvard campus. Elster is represented by Kenneth F. D'Arcy '58.

Read more articles by Tara B. Purohit
Related topics

You might also like

Ronny Chieng Tells Harvard to ‘Destroy AI’ as Graduates Cheer

The comedian and The Daily Show host gave the keynote address for Class Day 2026.

Phi Beta Kappa Speakers Call Out a ‘Deeply Troubling’ Moment

Former Harvard President Lawrence Bacow and poet Meghan O’Rourke urge graduates to focus on character and “radical attention.”

‘Effort Still Matters’ in AI Age, Garber Tells Harvard Graduates

In his Baccalaureate address, the University president urged a mindful—yet open—approach to the technology.

Most popular

An animal’s journey from grief to love shows how much humans need each other, too.

Harvard’s Class of 2029 Reflects Shifts in Racial Makeup After Affirmative Action Ends

International students continue to enroll amid political uncertainty; mandatory SATs lead to a drop in applications.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Explore More From Current Issue

Black and white photo of Joseph Murray in a white lab coat sitting in an office.

Nobel Prize recipient Joseph E. Murray dedicated much of his career to organ transplant surgery.

Star-filled night sky with the Milky Way arching over a rocky silhouette.

There’s a growing movement to curb light pollution. It starts on your front porch.

A woman with long hair stands confidently with crossed arms next to a pickup truck.

In her memoir All That's Unseen, Emilee Hackney explores religion, friendship, and home.