CHARLOTTESVILLE — A police investigation has cleared a University of Virginia fraternity of any involvement in an alleged gang rape that was detailed in a Rolling Stone magazine story last year, with authorities saying there was “no basis to believe that an incident occurred” at the Phi Kappa Psi house.
U-Va. President Teresa A. Sullivan approved the full reinstatement of the fraternity chapter Monday after police detectives did not find “any substantive basis to confirm that the allegations raised in the article occurred at Phi Kappa Psi,” university officials said. The announcement came as classes here resumed for the spring semester and three days after Sullivan lifted a months-long freeze on campus Greek life.
The reinstatement also allows Phi Psi to join the ranks of fraternities and sororities now beginning recruitment activities, known as Rush, this week.
“We welcome Phi Kappa Psi, and we look forward to working with all fraternities and sororities in enhancing and promoting a safe environment for all,” Sullivan said in a statement.
Phi Psi was at the center of campus uproar in November after Rolling Stone published a 9,000-word article, written by Sabrina Rubin Erdely, that included a harrowing account of an alleged gang rape at the fraternity on Sept. 28, 2012. A U-Va. junior named Jackie told Rolling Stone, and later The Washington Post, that she was ambushed at a “date function” at Phi Psi a few weeks into her freshman year, with seven fraternity members holding her down and raping her in an upstairs bedroom while two others — including her date — watched and encouraged the attack.
I don’t know what happened with “Jackie” or with Rolling Stone but both of them really caused a firestorm at UVA. What is even more unfortunate is that UVA and Charlottesville were in the process of recovering from the murder of student Hannah Graham. I don’t know if “Jackie” needed attention or had an unpleasant experience elsewhere but she damaged a lot of other people.
At the very least, she needs to be expelled for an honor code violation. What she did or allowed to happen was not honorable. Then there are damages. If I were a member of Phi Kappa Psi, I would be looking for a lawyer to sue Miss Jackie. Her behavior was unacceptable, from all surface appearances. Members of Phi Psi were shunned, their house was vandalized and demonstrated on. Imagine trying to get a date if you were a Phi Psi. Yes, there were damages, if nothing else, to one’s reputation.
“Jackie” should be called upon to either substantiate her claim, or leave the school. Rolling Stone and Erdely should be sued for defamation.
I am going for something a little stiffer. Expulsion on an honors charge. This story was not an attention-seeking tale. There were definitely victims and substantial expense, probably going up into the millions.
It took this long???
“I don’t know what happened with “Jackie” or with Rolling Stone but both of them really caused a firestorm at UVA.”
You don’t know what happened? I do.
The woman, Jackie, is a minor villain. She told a false story for attention and to be the center of something. In her defense, she didn’t go so far as to file any false changes. In this incident, or I would assume, elsewhere. Which would be a more evil thing.
Then Rolling Stone did WHAT THEY DO. They published a story based on heresay, with no investigation behind it. That’s what they do. They’re akin to the National Enquirer – you say it, we pay you, we publish. They’ve done this again and again through time.
And then those with an appetite for rape stories chose to swallow the whole thing hook line and sinker.
Actually, I don’t think you do know, You might think you know or have an opinion.
I have an opinion also. I think that we have one mighty sick young woman who may or may not have been a victim of sexual assault at one time.
She needs to be expelled on an honors charge which used to include things like this. When I was first indoctrinated at the Women’s College of the Univeristy of Virginia, I distinctly remember being told that honor is either black or white. There are no shades of grey. What a funny thing to remember x number of years later. We were indoctrinated about honor. If you weren’t a lady of honor, you were gone. Most of the time it pertained to academic issues but bearing false witness against someone was also part of it. If you took something that didn’t belong to you, you were also gone.