Lawsuit Filed in Auburn Case

Auburn U. fraternity, student facing lawsuits filed by Jones' family

The parents of Taylor Jones are filing a lawsuit against the local and national chapters of Sigma Phi Epsilon, as well as a Auburn University freshman student, following an altercation at the fraternity house that put their son in the ICU.

In addition to the personal injury lawsuit, Jones' father signed a warrant charging Zachary Quillen, 18, with assault in the second degree.

This crime is a Class C felony punishable by a minimum of one year and one day in prison and a maximum of 10 years in prison.

Those involved have been reluctant to offer information about what this means for Sigma Phi Epsilon, but Paul Kittle, director of Greek Life, said in an e-mail, "Other than continuing to hope that Mr. Jones has a full recovery, with criminal charges and civil litigation pending, as well as restrictions under (the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act), we decline to make further comment."

The criminal case against Quillen will be prosecuted by Lee County District Attorney Nick Abbett, who is responsible for prosecuting all felonies in Lee County.

"(The case will) be presented to a grand jury, if the grand jury returns an indictment, then it'll be set for trial," Abbett said.

Wes McCollum, one of the attorneys working for the Jones family, said they are suing the fraternity's local and national chapter for failing to provide adequate security for those involved. The suit against Quillen is for injuring their son. The lawsuit is being filed on behalf of Jones in the name of his father, Michael Jones.

McCollum said this is because Jones is a minor, and because his family and legal representatives do not want to aggravate his condition.

"We alleged in the lawsuit that Taylor, who had been invited over there by someone with a group of friends, was asked to leave by some other people that he did not know, and as he was leaving he had some words with a group of folks that included a group of Sig Eps," McCollum said. "And he was walking away and that's when he was struck from behind by Mr. Quillen."
McCollum also said the Jones family is limited to seeking financial compensation from the fraternity.

"But we're also hoping that it results in some change that can benefit everybody," McCollum added.

Interfraternity Council President Bradford Stewart would not comment on the future of Sigma Phi Epsilon.

"This is being approached as an individual incident, it was a single member of their fraternity," Stewart said. "It's hard to hold an entire fraternity accountable for the actions of one member."
When there is an allegation against a fraternity, the organization goes to a referral committee comprised of the IFC president, IFC vice-president, risk-management and the IFC adviser, Stewart said.

The referral committee then reviews the case to decide whether there is enough evidence to pursue it. Serious cases go to the IFC court.

"IFC court would make recommendations for sanctions, those recommendations would go to the University's committee on fraternities and sororities," Stewart said.

The president-appointed University committee has the power to overrule the disciplinary action handed down by the IFC court.

"It was definitely an unfortunate accident, but we just gotta hope for the best and what's gonna happen is gonna happen," Stewart said.

The attorneys representing the Jones family will move the case forward, exchanging information with the defense, but McCollum said they will have to be conscious of the criminal case still ongoing.
http://www.theplainsman.com

Auburn Freshman Injured in Fight at Sig Ep House

Auburn student in ICU after fight at fraternity
Associated Press

AUBURN - An 18-year-old Auburn University student injured during a fight in the parking lot of a fraternity house remained in intensive care in Columbus, Ga., officials said Tuesday.

Auburn police and university officials have not released the student's name, but friends say Taylor Jones of Montgomery was injured in the fight between 1 and 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

Police Capt. Tom Stofer said the victim was involved in a fight at the Sigma Phi Epsilon house and no weapon other than fists was used. Stofer said the incident is under investigation.

University spokesman Deedie Dowdle said Tuesday that the student is improving and his recovery is their "first and foremost" concern.

A spokeswoman at The Medical Center confirmed an 18-year-old man named Taylor Jones was in "unsatisfactory condition" at the hospital.

A message left with spokeswoman Marion Scott later Tuesday was not immediately returned.

Hunter Robinson, a childhood friend of Jones, said the fight took place after the AU freshman tried to attend a party at the fraternity house.

Jones led the protest in support of head football coach Tommy Tuberville in December after the university announced that he had resigned but there's no indication that was related to the weekend fight.

School officials have not commented on the cause of the fight.

The fraternity's faculty adviser, Dr. John Cottier, said the fraternity was also looking into the incident and has met with the university and national organization. He said a member of the fraternity was involved."It's an unfortunate situation," Cottier said.

Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity temporarily suspended

You have to hate it when this happens...

Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity temporarily suspended
By ALAN EDRINN

Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity has been temporarily suspended by NIU Judicial Affairs after police responded to the house Sunday for a fight in progress.

Police responded to the Sigma Phi Epsilon house, 924 Greenbriar Road, Sunday around 2 a.m. The incident started when a car pulled into the driveway to turn around, said Lt. Jim Kayes of the DeKalb Police Department.

The car passengers were allegedly surrounded by people congregating outside the house, and one of the passengers reported being struck in the incident. The victim did not press charges, and no arrests were made.

“We take incidents of this nature seriously and, as a result, Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity has been temporarily suspended until a judicial hearing can be conducted,” said Brian Hemphill, vice president of student affairs, in a statement Thursday.

“This means the fraternity may not participate in any campus activity until this case is adjudicated. Their conduct does not represent the principles of Greek letter organizations. There’s no room for conduct like what is alleged within the NIU community.”

Anyone from NIU have another side to this story? Could alcohol possibly have been involved?

Northern Star Online: Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity temporarily suspended

UNM Suspends Three of Six Fraternities

University of New Mexico frats suspended after allegations
Albuquerque Tribune
By Maggie Shepard

Three of the University of New Mexico's six fraternities have been placed on emergency suspension in the span of a week, meaning they can't participate in the annual rush week or other social activities.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon was suspended Aug. 14 after UNM police arrested a member on charges he had sex with several underage girls.

Phi Delta Theta was suspended on Aug. 17 after parents of a 16-year-old girl told university officials they found her passed out drunk at the fraternity house.

Kappa Sigma was suspended on Aug. 21 after an investigation into an early morning fight led UNM police to believe alcohol - which isn't allowed in any fraternity, sorority or student housing - was involved.

In response to the suspensions, which Dean of Student Affairs Randy Boeglin called an unprecedented number, the university is creating a Greek Life Task Force to examine how to more positively shape the future of fraternities and sororities on campus.

Boeglin said university President David Schmidly asked him to create the task force.

"First, we will deal with these incidents," Boeglin said. "And second, and more importantly, we will work to establish a new positive context for Greek life."

Boeglin said the week's incidents don't indicate the fraternity system on campus is out of control.

"I think this is a question not of chapters' holding the wrong types of events, (but of) individual chapter members' making very poor choices in terms of their decision-making, which chapters have to bear responsibility for," Boeglin said. "These look to be highly dubious decisions by individuals."

At least two individual fraternity members are being investigated by the university on code-of-conduct violation allegations.

Boeglin said that number could increase as investigations into the three incidents continue.

The fraternities will be scheduled for a hearing before a committee to decide if the emergency suspension should be lifted or kept in place.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon was suspended in 2005 after police were called to investigate another sexual misconduct allegation. The fraternity's emergency suspension was later lifted.

Boeglin said about 500 UNM students are registered with some sort of fraternity or sorority. Five fraternities and four sororities have houses on or off campus. Several other organizations operate as fraternities and sororities but do not have housing for members.

University of New Mexico frats suspended after allegations