McLovin

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"Jaxson" Goes to College

Feb 7, 2024, 7:53 AM

https://www.wyff4.com/article/sc-lawsuit-college-of-charleston-hazing-fraternity/46664351

For Obed® and Lakebum1®

A Greenville, South Carolina, family has filed a lawsuit against the College of Charleston over accusations of hazing by one of its fraternities.

Jaxson Lovelace was a pledge of the Iota Epsilon chapter of Sigma Chi at the College of Charleston in the Spring of 2023.

It was there, the lawsuit claims, that Lovelace suffered physical, emotional, and verbal abuse.

"They use this code of silence to keep people quiet and they use it as a weapon," attorney Cori Stewart said.

The 25-page lawsuit detailed the journey of Lovelace and what he allegedly went through as a pledge.

The lawsuit accused members of the fraternity of making him drink large amounts of alcohol and that they pressured him into doing drugs.

The lawsuit would go on to say Lovelace was told from the beginning that "loose lips sink ships."

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"The code of brotherhood is you don't tell or there will be consequences. You will either be kicked out, blackballed, there will be physical consequences, there will be punishments levied," attorney Jennifer Bernett said.

If Lovelace refused to do anything that the brothers asked, the lawsuit said fraternity members would throw beer cans and bottles at him, shoot a cap gun inches away from his ears, and even physically abuse Lovelace by kicking his stomach, back and sides.

In a statement to WYFF News 4, officials with the College of Charleston said:

The College of Charleston does not condone any form of hazing by any student or student organization. This behavior runs contrary to our institutional values and violates our policies. We take all such allegations seriously, thoroughly investigate each and take disciplinary action when appropriate.

The college initiated an investigation in February 2023 after it was made aware of allegations of hazing by members of the Iota Epsilon chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. This investigation, which was conducted in cooperation with the fraternity's national headquarters, resulted in a cease-and-desist order being issued against the chapter and other disciplinary actions, per the college’s student code of conduct. In accordance with FERPA, the college cannot comment on individual actions.

The allegations and organizational sanctions in this case were reported publicly on the College of Charleston's website in accordance with the requirements of the State of South Carolina Tucker Hipps Act.

The college does not comment on the specifics of pending litigation.

The National Sigma Chi Organization also commented:

"Sigma Chi International Fraternity has a zero-tolerance policy for any member found to be engaged in behavior that constitutes hazing and we are firmly committed to holding accountable those members who violate fraternity policy or our stated values system. As a matter of policy, we do not comment on active litigation," Sigma Chi International Fraternity Executive Director, Michael Church said.

However, it's a pattern Stewart and Burnett said needs to end.

"It takes people like Jaxson and the support of this family of course to be brave and step outside the mold and bring attention to it," Stewart said.

According to the university, the fraternity returned to operation in January 2024 under a remedial plan.

As for Lovelace, he dropped out of the College of Charleston later that same semester in 2023.

His father released the following statement:

"Every parent wants their child to have a rewarding and enriching experience when they start college. For Jaxson, we wanted him to meet life-long best friends, possibly meet his wife, learn essential life skills, get a great education, and have the time of his life.

Jaxson started college with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement for his college "adventure." Jaxson is naturally introverted, but is very sociable when he gets to know you. His personality was very light and funny, with a kind heart and no edge to it. He was a normal, all-American boy full of initiative, energy, and confidence.

After his pledge period ended, the energetic, considerate, and confident kid was gone. He was almost unrecognizable, both in appearance and personality. The hazing Jaxson endured was damaging and abusive.

The fraternity experience could be an opportunity to make loyal and life-long friends and grow as a young man. Instead, Jaxson experienced physical and mental abuse, humiliation, threats of physical violence, intimidation and became completely isolated. There is no place for this behavior in a healthy organization. Our family is committed to doing what we can to affect change for other young men like Jaxson."

The lawsuit is seeking $10 million of punitive damages. To read the full lawsuit, click here.

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1. Jaxson is weak.

B. Did Jaxson and his parents REALLY not know anything about fraternities before he pledged one? They're not Animal House level anymore, but is it still possible for anybody to believe that you can join a fraternity and not receive even MILD hazing? Obviously, kicking and physical abuse isn't gonna fly, but throwing beer cans at people or decorating passed out idiots with Sharpies or blasting rommmates with fire extinguishers is pretty standard college fare, fraternity or not.

1β. $10M in damages? That would extrapolate to more than the GDP of the entire planet if every person who ever got hazed got $10M. They didn't kill him or cripple him.

4. Helicopter parents are the worst.

Iota. Fraternities are dumb.

Λ. See 1

"Jaxson" Goes to College

Never have comprehended

Bruvers fre LYF#!***

Weak Jaxson

Re: "Jaxson" Goes to College

Yep and mom and pop flying in is going to

So Jaxson is in the transfer portal?

"Mom, they shot a cap gun inches away from my ears!"

They do, no cap.***

Re: "Jaxson" Goes to College

Pops comments sound like a Taylor Swift song.

Re: "Jaxson" Goes to College

A couple things:

Imagine how much Crass could get from El Cid

You don't typically sue for someone fulfilling your fantasies.***

Know year was the best. Greatest 10 months of my life.

The $10m in punitive damages is a joke.

You're not wrong***

lol

TLDR; what happened, did he get his poop pushed in?

Re: "Jaxson" Goes to College

C of C is wide ### open

Jaxson wouldn't have made it on my middle school bus***

Maybe if Jaxson had an...Iota of testosterone, things wouldn't have turned out

Also, this guy basically has to move out of the Southeast now, right?

Yes. I had the exact same thought.

Jaxson having his weekly HR team meeting

Jaxson needs to read

"They use this code of silence to keep people quiet"

Needed the cone of silence. It worked much better.

Omertà

I refuse to believe a college student would say "loose lips sink ships."

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