A University fraternity allegedly
involved in a hazing incident last fall
has settled a civil suit filed by former
pledge Roderick Perrymond.

The suit against the national and
University chapters of Phi Beta Sigma
was settled for an undisclosed amount
of money.

Perrymond, a former University
football player, was a Phi Beta Sigma
pledge in September 1996 when he was
treated at a local emergency room for
deep bruising and minor tearing of
blood vessels in his buttocks.

Perrymond told police he had been
paddled about 70 times by members of
the fraternity in an off-campus apart-
ment during an intake ceremony for
the fraternity.

In October 1996, the University
found the fraternity had violated the
University hazing policy and suspend-
ed them from campus for five years.

The University also found former
Phi Beta Sigma members Zatara
Howard, Kevin Welch and Thomas
Stevens guilty of disorderly conduct
and suspended them from campus until
winter quarter 1998.

Perrymond and his attorney, Troy
Gay, filed a civil suit Oct. 24, 1996, in
Athens-Clarke County Superior Court
against the national fraternity, the
University chapter and the three for-
mer members of the fraternity who
were involved in the paddling.

"I have no comment either publicly
or privately about the case," said
Lawrence Miller, national director of
Phi Beta Sigma when reached for com-
ment about the civil suit resolution.

Civil action against Howard, Welch
and Stevens is still pending.

Phi Beta Sigma can re-apply for
campus recognition in the fall of 1998
by appearing before an ad hoc commit-
tee and demonstrating how they will
prevent future hazings and reform
their membership intake process.

The fraternity could then return to
campus for spring semester 1999 under
a three-year probated suspension
which means any hazing violations
during this period would result in the
permanent expulsion of the organiza-
tion from campus.