Hate crime charges have been dropped for all but three of the 15 students at Salisbury University in Maryland who police said targeted a man and lured him to an off-campus apartment where they beat him,

Twelve of the 15 Salisbury University students accused of attacking and beating a man in Maryland because of his sexual orientation had their hate crime and first-degree assault charges dismissed, court records show.

First-degree assault charges were also dropped, though other charges for all 15 students suspected in the assault remain.

The three college fraternity students were charged with a hate crime are from Anne Arundel County, court records show.

Misdemeanor false imprisonment and second-degree assault charges remain for most of the defendants, and many trials are set for late January.

Twelve of those defendants had preliminary hearings this week, and court records show they are all only mainly facing misdemeanor assault and false imprisonment charges.