recovering victim of auburn brawl at σφε files suit

Last week, a party at the local Sigma Phi Epsilon at Auburn University turned ugly. A trio of football players were reportedly turned away from the door by a Sig Ep brother trying to keep the event to its invited guests only, but the snubbed party-goers returned later with others, including further members of the football team. A brawl at the door and front yard of the house ensued; it remains unclear ten days later exactly who instigated the physical altercation, or who was involved—with the notable exception of Taylor Jones.

Mr Jones was hospitalized after the brawl with a serious head injury, though his condition has finally been upgraded and he appears to be recovering. Now Jones's family has filed a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of their son, and signed a complaint for assault in the second degree, against one Zachary Quillen, whom Jones's father claims to have cold-cocked his son from behind. Said the Jones's attorney: "Taylor, who had been invited over there by someone with a group of friends, was asked to leave by some other people that he did not know, and as he was leaving he had some words with a group of folks that included a group of Sig Eps. . . . And he was walking away and that’s when he was struck from behind by Mr. Quillen."

IFC President Bradford Stewart would not comment on any forthcoming repurcussions for Sig Ep, only allowing that "this is being approached as an individual incident, it was a single member of their fraternity. It’s hard to hold an entire fraternity accountable for the actions of one member."

Or, as Eric "Otter" Stratton once put it so well:

But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Greg - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!

Of course, the law may not agree. Jones is also suing the local and national Sigma Phi Epsilon for failing to provide adequate security at the party, leading to his injury.

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