Back in March, it was reported that police were investigating the Penn State chapter of the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity for “private Facebook pages where members posted photographs of nude, unconscious women, drug sales and hazing.” It wasn’t a good look. At the time, one of the main arguments for it being harmless fun was that, like, only 144 bros had access to it so no one even knew they had those pictures and stuff, bro. But… that’s a weak argument.
And it looks even weaker now, since the so-called “whistleblower” on this whole thing, former pledge James Vivenzio, has sued Penn State and Kappa Delta Rho. For their part, PSU fully denies any of these claims, but here they are, like the one where the frat allegedly stole pledges’ prescriptions and sold them, used their meal plans, and did the whole sexual assault thing:
There’s the one where they allegedly literally targeted and drugged freshmen so they could sexually assault them:
And as nice as it is to see the term “‘bro’ culture” in an official legal document – which is the case here – the rest of the lawsuit sn’t so great. For example, about that now well-known secret Facebook page:
KDR members also maintained a members-only Facebook page that featured numerous photos – as well as running commentary from fraternity members – of pledges and other students passed out from over-consumption of alcohol and sprawled on sofas, on the floor or in a wide open “Port-a-potty”; female students unconscious and naked and, in one case, passed out after losing control of her bowel; female students apparently in the act of being sexually assaulted while heavily intoxicated; and various hazing activities such as branding the buttocks of two pledges with a hot clothes hangar.
According to the lawsuit, Vivenzio met with a Penn State official and told him everything. Here’s how he says that went:
In April 2014, one year before Plaintiff Vivenzio disclosed KDR’s secret Facebook page to local police, he met with a senior investigator from the Penn State Office of Student Conduct at his home in Virginia and shared print outs of group text messages and provided information about the Facebook site that was clear evidence of the unlawful and dangerous hazing activities at KDR and acts of sexual harassment and abuse at the fraternity. Plaintiff also told the Penn State investigator that he had evidence relating to sexual assault at KDR and could provide access to both the group text messages and the Facebook site. This was the same Facebook site that Plaintiff later shared with local police prompting its criminal investigation.
During the meeting with Plaintiff Vivenzio and his parents at their home in Virginia, Plaintiff Vivenzio pledged his continued cooperation with the Penn State official to ensure that these activities were stopped and implored the Penn State official to gain access to the Facebook page so he could see for himself the atrocities taking place on a daily basis at KDR.
After the meeting, the Penn State official vowed to promptly and thoroughly investigate these activities at KDR. However, despite these assurances, the University did absolutely nothing
At least according to the lawsuit, the “bro culture” went all the way to the top. You can check out the full complaint here. It’s mostly technical facts with claims of horrible assaults and sexual abuses sprinkled in. WE ARE!
via PhillyMag
19 Responses
how is josh innes #1???
It’s Penn State … you weren’t expecting any class, were you?
This has what to do with Philly sports?
FRATERNITY DOES STUPID SHIT, film at 11……….
A lowly PSU grad….
for broadening his horizons and stealing from Philly mag instead of his usual warmed-over deadspin.
I can’t wait for the wip Steven singer bubble bath next Friday!!!!
Get a nose-job Ms. Piggy.
are enough to make da cuz’s sowf filly bro act seem tolerable.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Zzzzzzzz
Was this the “incoming”? If it was it’s very disappointing.
Good to know that Penn State has learned nothing when it comes to dealing with whistleblowers
Yeah but, FTK!!!!
What a bunch of crap. Every freshman who flunked out had some excuse, usually blaming drinking.
What crap.
Isn’t it about time that the Federal government steps in and hits this college where it hurts?Even after Sandusky, they have learned nothing and continue to hide real crimes and allow them to continue freely.
Destroying evidence or concealing of crime (same law in most cases)
Accessory to the crime of raype (damn block on the word) (which was allowed to continue to expose more victims)
Obstruction of justice
Again?
Really?
Penn State is apparently a haven for sex offenders to hide in plain sight and the state is doing nothing. I think it’s time for the Federal Gov’t to step in, this is bullshit.
If you think that this is the only university or only fraternity where things like this go on you’re either incredibly dumb or incredibly naive. “Bro Culture” is a problem across the country. Also, you want that bastion of honesty and truth the federal government to step in? To do what? Give them pointers on how to do a better job with cover ups? Between this, the Oklahoma racist song and countless other incidents involving frats across the country shouldn’t you be a little more concerned abouts frats themselves? But you’re right, better to rail against a huge faceless organization than individuals actually committing these crimes. It’s just easier that way….
The complainant took his evidence to college officials first – to the admin in charge of hazing abuse. He promised him action…and then…
Institutional cover-up mode triggered.
Your Mother didn’t make any claim that PSU was the only college at which these abuses take place. His/her point was that in light of the public relations fiasco that just occurred and is fresh in the world’s memory, college apparatchik would be more attentive to whistleblowers. As to the feds stepping in, in this case there is no need to because PA law was violated so there is enough on a state level to nail these as$holes. (I do agree that the higher you go up in government the means and resources to cover-up dramatically improve.)
The complaint itemizes numerous instances in which the offending fraternity was cited, suspended, charged with criminality at other universities. I didn’t read the entire document because it really is too much to bear. It seems like those who made it through hell week store up all the pain and anger at what was done to them and then take it out on the new pledges. All to attain the status of being a “bro”. All the while in violation of their own fraternity’s anti-hazing policy, not to mention PSU’s.
It’s no wonder they are required to ingest a concoction of urine, cat food, alcohol and nausea inducing substances, the entire concept is vomitous.
Now that the police are involved, will they attempt to identify the women who are being assaulted while unconscious?
Why wasn’t my reply posted? Said awaiting moderation then removed. Seriously? With the filth that’s on these comments you remove an actually halfway intelligent back and forth?
I love to pile on State Penn but this is a bullshit story and typical of this generation of pussy millennials.
“Hey it happens other places too, so Penn State shouldn’t be held accountable.”
Fucking idiots.
Comments are closed.