The Police Clear Phi Psi
Posted on January 12th, 2015 in Uncategorized | 22 Comments »
According to a University of Virginia press release (discussed here in the Cavalier Daily), the Charlottesville police have released the results of their investigation:
“The reinstatement resulted after consultation with Charlottesville Police Department officials, who told the University that their investigation has not revealed any substantive basis to confirm that the allegations raised in the Rolling Stone article occurred at Phi Kappa Psi,” according to the release.
Which is to say: While you can’t prove a negative…Jackie’s story is false.
To anyone who’s followed this case and isn’t invested in the campus rape advocacy world, this is not a surprise—but nonetheless, it’s important to hear this from the cops. Certainly the statement makes it harder (though not impossible) for the lingering “we believe Jackie” devotees to keep lingering.
Let’s see what happens next. Will Teresa Sullivan apologize to the fraternity? Will lawsuits follow?
(I’m inclined to say no and no, but you never know.)
22 Responses
1/12/2023 11:07 am
I know some sane UVA alums and Phi Psi brothers read this blog. Show me a Kickstarter for the libel suit and I will donate.
1/12/2023 11:52 am
What school did Sullivan go to where she learned to shoot first, investigate later?
1/12/2023 12:22 pm
MU78 - I’m poking gentle fun at you here:
What school? Why pretty much any school in modern-day America. Exhibit ‘A': The professors at Harvard, who in their own minds are the smartest people in the world, and who are only now learning that they should have investigated ObamaCare first, and only then if everything was kosher, indorsed it, and not the other way around.
It’s truly frightening that we have people like this ‘pretending’ to teach our children… Then again, pretty much everyone knows how corrupt the system is and yet nobody seems to want to get off of their ass and try to do something about it, so all the whining about stuff like this seems kind of bogus. (Note: I’m not suggesting that you are one of those people.)
1/12/2023 4:05 pm
They will say the cops are corrupt. Seems the popular slam today.
1/12/2023 6:19 pm
False Rape Report Filed at University of Missouri – St. Louis
“In December, a female University of Missouri-St. Louis student reported a rape at the hands of a man in a ski mask, who she said forced her into the back seat of a parked car near campus.
“This report lead to a released statement by the UMSL police for students to be aware of the crime and included safety tips to employ while on campus.
“However, now it is the girl has reportedly “changed her story,” saying the rape never happened. From the St. Louis Post Dispatch:
“Following a thorough investigation, which included the reporting party meeting with and informing the police investigator that the incident did not occur, the UMSL Police Department has determined that the incident (in a Dec. 18 warning to students) was unfounded.”
(at College Insurrection website)
Maybe Rolling Stone wants to do a story on this one as well, since they’re pretty much the go-to guys for fake rape allegations this season?
1/12/2023 6:40 pm
I supported Sullivan in her battle with Helen Dragas, but this is simply too much. Who really knows why, but Sullivan seems content to play politics far too much, even for a university president. Her behaviour in this matter has been disgraceful and hasn’t helped the University one bit.
1/12/2023 7:26 pm
The NYT still has the same reporter, Jennifer Steinhauer, covering the hoax that she fell so hard for:
http://www.unz.com/isteve/nyts-uva-walkback-three-strikes-and-steinhauers-not-out/
The NYT has never mentioned the name “Haven Monahan.”
1/13/2015 4:19 am
I am indeed a UVa Phi Psi alumnus. Sullivan’s conduct has been shameful — and yes, I supported her in the Dragas fight, which Sullivan ought to have learned something about transparency and truthfulness and taking a measured approach. Sadly, she did not.
Now…I am glad we are in the clear…but with hindsight of several decades after college and having a daughter of my own, the treatment of young women at the hands of “older” college men is definitely a problem. But hysterical (and yes, I’m using it as a specifically “female” response…) shrieking and ginned-up “outrage” is not going to help.
1/13/2015 4:20 am
…as for the possibility of a suit: No. Can’t see where anybody wins in that one.
1/13/2015 5:25 am
If you want a good laugh or cry, be sure to check out Jezebel’s take on this. I wasn’t a fan of that site (and I’m very far left on a fait amount of issues) before this debacle but I would’ve thought they’d have stopped doubling down on this bullshit at this point. All they’re doing at this point is enabling a very sick woman who is clearly a danger to herself and others.
1/13/2015 6:35 am
Sullivan did the right thing. So did the current student leaders of Phi Psi and other fraternities on Grounds. Responsibility for this debacle lies solely with Rolling Stone.
1/13/2015 11:14 am
Anonymous UVa alumnus, thoughtful commentary for sure. Perhaps “reforms” of behavior on grounds should include cautionary advice about talking to journalists from Rolling Stone as well. Or is this evidence of just too much irony and latent suppression of free speech?
On another tack: I’m astonished at the near invisibility of the woman at the center of this ongoing narrative. That is the supposed victim in Sabrina Rubin Erdely’s RS article. I understand the reasons for it, including possible litigation mitigation, and purported mental fragility, so I guess this is not so much of a surprise. Improbably, it may be she, this main character in Erdely’s tale, who has the best grounds for a law suit against RS.
1/13/2015 2:20 pm
I take it Fraternity kids nowadays have never seen Animal House. Blutarski would never kneel under such aggression by the Administration.
1/13/2015 2:35 pm
Phi Psi was skewered by main stream media, their own friends and professors, and UVA’s administration. I completely understand why this fraternity accepted the new rules. I am sure they are sick of being in the public eye.
NBCNews is reporting that 3 other fraternities have refused to sign the new “agreement,” objecting to the legal liability placed on the fraternity members for their policing duties.
1/13/2015 7:21 pm
One of the odd things about this serial journalistic narrative, is that unlike a political tale (e.g. Watergate), there’s no guarantee that we’ll ever know the full story about UVa.
A narrative fascinating as this one has been would appear especially incomplete without some full exposition, however, it’s not obvious that mere outside readers deserve closure in the way that UVa students, be they virtuous or troubled, do.
1/13/2015 9:10 pm
NPR’s coverage was especially designed not to upset any true believers:
http://www.unz.com/isteve/npr-make-jackie-catfishing-haven-monahan-into-existence-as-b/
1/13/2015 10:45 pm
Matt,
We need more Brother Blutarskis. As it stands, it appears we’re cutting our own throats to appease the University.
It’s as if we were in the wrong.
- CS
1/14/2015 1:26 pm
Current Student,
Any word on whether Jackie has returned to campus for this semester?
1/14/2015 4:21 pm
Filmer,
I believe she withdrew. She isn’t listed in the school directory.
CS
1/15/2015 8:42 pm
The police report could not find “substantive basis” to confirm that the rape happened. This doesn’t “prove” it didnt happen. This only confirms what we already knew: That is almost impossible to prove a rape long after the fact, if the victim does not go to the police immediately. So this becomes a matter of “faith”: either you believe it happened or you dont. Nobody can prove either way. The sad thing is that if it did happen, then the perpetrators got away with it…
1/20/2015 1:41 pm
Ummmm, excuse me. It can be proved there was no party that night. It can be proved that there were no pledges that fall. It can be proved that there has never been such an initiation ritual. We can prove that she is a serial liar. We can prove that Rolling Stone botched the reporting, editing, and reaction phases of this story. We can prove that Sullivan punished all frats without just cause. Those aren’t matters of faith.
In the end, the radical feminists pushing their narrative are correct about one thing. This isn’t about “Jackie”. This is all about the bizarre notion that a woman who claims to be a victim is, by virtue of her claim alone, entitled to victimize all manner of innocent people. This is unprecedented and an affront to any who champion a morally decent, ethical society.
1/21/2015 3:38 pm
stan - It is the modern-day American version of the Salem witch trials. The only thing missing is whatever the modern-day equivalent is of proving your innocence by not drowning when they trussed you up like a turkey so you couldn’t swim…