Thursday 4/17/14

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Singing against sex trafficking

Women’s tennis team close to beating school record

Songs against Slavery visits Wharton Center

Senior Christina Brown Danyelle Morrow/The State News

statenews.com | 4/17/14 | @thesnews

sports, pG. 5

Michigan State University’s independent voice

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se x u a l a ss a u l t

alleged victim of student found in violation of msu policy speaks out

HUNT R BE HUNTED

By Geoff Preston gpreston@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn

Move-in weekend on campus typically is a time filled with teary goodbyes and the promise of a new start in college. For one female student, that time last fall carried a far different range of emotions. One night in late August 2013, she was escorted out of her residence hall by eight police officers after she reported being sexually assaulted the night before. The student, who spoke to The State News on the condition of anonymity, claims she was drugged while in a male student’s room and that he proceeded to have sex with her while she was incapacitated. Following an investigation initiated by MSU’s Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives, or I3, the male student was found in violation of the school’s sexual harassment policy and was “permanently dismissed” from the university, according to documents from the investigation. I3 investigations operate on a system of evidence that requires a “preponderance of evidence,” rather than evidence that would find someone guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Although he appealed the ruling twice, university officials upheld the ruling. His attorneys are bringing a civil lawsuit against the university, alleging that officials violated his right to due process. I ngha m Cou nt y Ci rc u it Court judge Clinton Canady III will allow him to return to MSU during the proceedings. For the complainant, her alleged attacker’s return to campus reinstates a feeling of fear. “It’s completely ridiculous,” she said. “For the weeks he is here, it may not affect the university, but it affects me.” On the night of Aug. 23, 2013, she alleges she and the student met at a party when he began to “act flirtatious” toward her. According to documents from the I3 investigation, she told officials that he began ask-

Photos by Julia Nagy/The State News

Criminal justice sophomore Nick Toepfer, left, and his brother, sociology and criminal justice sophomore Spencer, “limber up” before battling zombies Tuesday at Beaumont Tower during Spartans vs. Zombies. “Don’t trust anyone the first day and get big Nerf guns,” Nick said.

Students fight to survive the onslaught of “undead” in Spartans vs. Zombies By Sierra Lay slay@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn

N

o preference freshman Patrick Murray felt a surge of bloodlust as he was walking out of Mason Hall. He had spotted a member of the human resistance across Physics Road, the soon-to-be victim’s status indicated by the orange bandana on her arm. Determined, Murray made use of a CATA bus which was coming down the road in a stroke of luck. He ran along the sidewalk in tandem with the speed of the bus, closing in on the human. As the bus disappeared, the human turned, giving Murray the opportunity he had been waiting for. He dashed toward her and tagged her, infecting her with the zombie virus. It’s not an episode of “The Walking Dead,” but rather a battle found at MSU.

Studio art sophomore Emily Parks holds her Nerf guns at the ready Tuesday at Beaumont Tower during Spartans vs. Zombies. After the initial clash at Beaumont, Sparty later joined the zombies to attack the humans.

See pg. 6 for profiles of several Spartans vs. Zombies participants

See ZOMBIES on page 2 u

See ASSAULT on page 2 u

crime

g r ee k s

Student who shook stop sign after Big Ten Championship sentenced to 45 days in jail

Fraternity rebuilds burned medieval boat

By Erin Gray egray@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn

Former MSU student Poom Boonsin was sentenced to serve 45 days in jail after shaking a stop sign in Cedar Village during the post-Big Ten Championship Game civil disturbance this past December. Boonsin was arrested following the disturbance and cited with disorderly conduct for remaining within 300 feet of a fire, according to court documents. On the night of the disturbance, Boonsin told The State News he was studying in his dorm room when he and his friends saw crowds of people heading to Cedar Village Apartments. He told police he saw a student holding up a sign reading “burn the couch” during the Fox Sports broadcast of

the game, according to a police report. “We decided to check it out,” Boonsin told The State News. When he got to the intersection of Waters Edge and Cedar streets, Boonsin told police he began shaking a nearby stop sign. He told The State News that he “got caught up” in the excitement of the crowd. He said his friends tried to stop him and pulled him away. Other students followed Boonsin’s lead and ripped the stop sign out of the ground. Boonsin was there for 30 minutes before deciding to leave because the crowd was getting out of control. “I felt awful about it,” Boonsin said. “I worried the whole night about getting in trouble for it.” A few days later, Boonsin said a police officer approached him while he was studying for his final exams. The officer informed Boonsin that the Ing-

ham County prosecuting attorney intended to press charges against him for disorderly conduct and that it would be best if he cooperated. “I felt awful, like my world had ended,” Boonsin said. East Lansing City Attorney Tom Yeadon declined to comment on the case. Although he was sentenced Monday, Boonsin said he could still be exonerated because he is eligible to have his record cleared under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act. The act gives offenders between the ages of 17 and 20 the right to enter a probationary period instead of serving jail time if they pleaded guilty to a lesser crime. During the disturbance, East Lansing police Capt. Jeff Murphy said police were conSee JAIL on page 2 u

By Olivia Dimmer odimmer@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn

History senior Alan Wolfe spent his entire spring break handcrafting a medievalstyle wooden boat. Hoping to start a Viking and Nordic culture club, Wolfe bought most of the materials himself and sawed, nailed, floattested and mounted a flag on top of his prized vessel. But one week ago, an unknown suspect set fire to his boat and stole away into the night. Wolfe was woken suddenly from his bed by a loud banging on his door from the East Lansing Fire and Police Departments. His boat was burned to ash, and the flames had barely missed the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity house he lives in with his brothers. But the loss of his boat did not deter him — instead, he

Erin Hampton/The State News

History senior and Delta Kappa Epsilon brother Alan Wolfe builds a new boat for his fraternity Wednesday at the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity house, after the first one was burned.

regrouped. With the help of his fraternity brothers, he set out to rebuild his ship. “The smart thing to do would be just let it go and forget about it,” Wolfe said. “But that’s not what we do around here.”

Police confirmed the arson took place between 1 and 1:30 a.m. on April 10 in the front yard of the Delta Kappa Epsilon house. East Lansing Fire Inspector Don See BOAT on page 2 u


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Thursday 4/17/14 by The State News - Issuu