A Penn State student accused of attacking two women in their dorm rooms and another woman in a downtown apartment building was yesterday denied his request to be moved from prison to a psychiatric ward in a Pittsburgh hospital.

The attorney for David W. Cassada, 22, of 472 E. College Ave., asked the judge at a preliminary hearing yesterday to have Cassada taken out of Centre County Prison and sent to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hospital to undergo evaluation and treatment for alcoholism and mental illness.

Cassada was arrested Nov. 1 by the State College Police Department for allegedly attacking a young woman on Oct. 28 by throwing a blanket over her head and hitting her repeatedly in a stairwell. Penn State University Police then filed charges against Cassada for allegedly entering two separate dorm rooms and attacking the female residents inside on July 11.

District Judge Thomas Jordan denied the request to relocate Cassada after Centre County Assistant District Attorney Steve Sloane argued that there is no guarantee Cassada would remain in an inpatient facility. Sloane also said the alleged victims and their families were adamant about Cassada remaining in jail.

Cassada's attorney, William Stockey, argued that his client qualified for supervised release either in the hospital or in his mother's Pittsburgh residence under house arrest because he has no prior arrests or convictions. He said if Cassada is transferred out of prison, he would not return to Centre County except for court appearances.

Cassada sat quietly with his head down during yesterday's hour-long hearing as the three women took the witness stand.

The first woman, a 21-year-old Wagner College student, burst into tears and had trouble speaking.

The woman, a resident of Cooper Hall as a summer camp counselor, said an unknown man entered her room at about 4:30 a.m. July 11 and placed a cloth over her face before a struggle ensued. She said she initially thought the incident was a prank by another counselor and did not report the attack to the police until about 11 a.m.

She testified yesterday that she did not lock her door because the girls under her charge tended to be loud at night and she would get up to reprimand them.

The second woman, a 19-year-old Penn State student, was living in Haller Hall in July. She testified that her roommate left the room at some point after she fell asleep and left the door unlocked.

The freshman said she awoke at 5:18 a.m. to a man standing over her who put his hand over her mouth and told her that he would kill her if she struggled. Before the assailant left, he threw a sheet over her head, she said.

The third woman testified that she was attacked in a stairwell of the University Gateway apartments, 616 E. College Ave., at about 4 a.m. The woman said she is a sophomore at Penn State Delaware County and was visiting friends for the weekend when the assault occurred.

She testified that an unknown man threw a sheet over her head, pushed her into the stairwell and threw her to the ground. The assailant then hit her multiple times on the head, each time hitting her head against the concrete wall behind her, she said.

"After that, I knew it wasn't a joke or anything," she said.

She said she was treated for a concussion and multiple bruises at a Springfield hospital.

According to court documents, Cassada admitted to assaulting the third woman in University Gateway apartments. He claimed he mistook the woman for his friend and his only intent was to scare her.

He also admitted to assaulting the two women during the summer, according to court documents.

Stockey said his client does not have the mindset of a criminal.

"One feels a great sense of compassion for this individual," he said. "Thank God no one was seriously hurt."

Cassada's bail was originally set at $200,000, $50,000 and $75,000 for each incident. Jordan reduced the bail to $200,000 straight bail and unsecured amounts for the other two incidents.

Jordan bound the case over for trial on all charges on all three complaints, and Cassada was returned to Centre County Prison.