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Thursday, March 27, 1997

Nine Corps advisers suspended after hazing allegation

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - Nine student advisers to the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets' elite freshman drill team have been suspended after three cadets said they were hazed and beaten last weekend.

School officials said a member of the Fish Drill Team on Monday filed a complaint saying he had been assaulted by a drill team adviser Saturday night in a Corps dormitory.

In all, three students - Matthew Dionne of Irving, Travis Alton of Tyler and Brendan O'Reilly of Novato, Calif. - complained of hazing and assault.

"The students said they were beaten in various modes, and there was possibly some cutting - self-inflicted, perhaps - in response to orders from their superiors," said university police director Bob Wiatt.

"That's what we have to sift through and sort out so we can get to the bottom of this."

The six sophomores, two juniors and one senior accused in the case were told to leave the Corps dormitory area immediately.

"They were all told to clear out of the Corps area for the night and move their things out," said Corps student commandant Steve Foster.

Cynthia Dionne, the mother of Matthew Dionne, said she is depending on Maj. Gen. Ted Hopgood, the officer who oversees the student military organization, and university investigators to find out what happened to the three 18-year-old students.

"I understand that the police and Gen. Hopgood are trying to be very open about this. And I'm depending on that," she told the Bryan-College Station Eagle.

The school, citing confidentiality rules, refused to identify the nine student advisers suspended Monday from the Corps.

No charges had been filed by Tuesday.

"At the end of our investigation, it will be presented to the appropriate prosecuting attorney and that office will make the decision as to whether criminal charges will be filed on any or all of the nine accused," he said.

Hazing is a misdemeanor offense under state law, but criminal charges could be filed in the case, depending on the outcome of the investigation.

The state law defines hazing as any intentional, knowing or reckless act, occurring on or off campus, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of being a member of a campus group.

Hopgood said that in addition to any legal action, the case will be referred to the school's Student Conflict Resolution Center for possible university disciplinary action.

"Texas A&M will not tolerate hazing within the corps or its associated organizations," Hopgood said. "I find it personally distasteful and far from the ideals that the corps and the university promote."

This is the fourth hazing incident to be investigated at Texas A&M this school year. A Corps unit was disbanded in January, and two fraternities were suspended from campus for hazing. Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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