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Pictured here are the two Phi Gamma Delta houses located on Cloverhurst Court.

Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, whose house is pictured here, is cooperating with the police investigation.

Possible rape focus of ACC investigation

Hospital gathers kit evidence

By: JULIA SEVY

Posted: 4/25/08

Athens-Clarke County police are investigating a report that a female student from Georgia College & State University was possibly raped while attending a University fraternity party last weekend.

The GCSU woman attended a party at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house at Cloverhurst Court the night of April 19. She told investigators she had no memory of anything that happened to her after 10 p.m.

ACC Police Captain Clarence Holeman told The Red & Black in a telephone interview Thursday ACC police "have a plan going," but said he did not want to reveal specific details of the investigation.

"So far, it's an alleged rape," Holeman said, according to an Athens Banner-Herald report Thursday.

A female student who attended the party told The Red & Black it was an open party and males who were not brothers of Phi Gamma Delta were able to enter. She said there were members of other fraternities and non-Greek males present.

The student, who declined to speak for attribution, said there was "extremely strong" hunch punch made of ice cream, lime sherbert and "a lot of vodka" served from a tiki stand. The hunch punch was easily attainable, she said. She said she did not see anyone checking IDs. She saw two police officers at the fraternity house, but she said the officers were in the room with the band for most of the time.

According to the Milledgeville Police Department's incident report, the woman attended the party with two friends, who said they lost track of her around 10 p.m.

The alleged victim said she woke up on a couch at the fraternity house around 11 a.m. the next day and was missing her underwear. She later discovered bruises on her hips and knees, according to the report.

After the woman returned to Milledgeville, she told her roommate what had happened to her. Her roommate, according to the report, advised the woman to go to the hospital and took her to Oconee Regional Medical Center. The hospital completed a Georgia Bureau of Investigation sexual assault kit on the woman, and Milledgeville police obtained the clothing she wore at the time of the incident for further investigation, according to the report.

Kyle Meloney, president of Phi Gamma Delta, told The Red & Black in a phone interview Thursday the brothers of the fraternity will continue to cooperate with the authorities.

"The brothers of Phi Gamma Delta take very seriously the allegations that have been made," he said. "The alleged behavior is contrary to the values of our fraternity and our members. We have cooperated to this point and will continue to cooperate with the appropriate authorities that are investigating the allegations."

He also said as the investigation grows, he will be able to say more about the fraternity's efforts.

The evidence collected by Milledgeville police was turned over to ACC police for further investigation.