UGa SAE may have drunk self to death
 

http://www.redandblack.com/vnews/dis.../43d45d7b379c1

News
Student found dead in Russell Hall dorm

By DANÉE ATTEBURY
Published , January 23, 2006, 06:00:01 AM EDT


A 19-year-old University student died of alcohol-related causes Sunday morning in his Russell Hall dorm room.

Lewis Rockwell Fish, a freshman from Atlanta, was pronounced dead by the Athens-Clarke County coroner at 10:30 a.m., according to police.

A male friend staying with Fish in his dorm room called police at 8:36 a.m. to report that Fish was ill, University Police Chief Jimmy Williamson said at a press conference Sunday evening.

When police and paramedics arrived, Fish already was dead, Williamson said.

He said the friend with Fish was not a University student, and he declined to say whether the friend had been drinking.

Darryl Willie, a graduate resident at Russell Hall, said Fish had “choked.”

Williamson said it appears the death was alcohol-related and there is no indication of foul play. An autopsy is planned for Monday, he said, and results will be available in six to eight weeks.

Williamson said Fish had not been drinking at a bar or restaurant but declined to comment on how he had obtained alcohol, saying he did not want to compromise the investigation.

He also said he was not prepared to say whether anyone would be charged in connection with Fish’s death.

There was no indication that Fish could have been saved had police been called sooner, Williamson added.

Fish was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, a fraternity on Pulaski Street. Williamson said Fish’s drinking was not fraternity-related but would not say whether Fish had been at the fraternity house before he died.

Tyler Stephens, president of SAE, said the fraternity did not have a party Saturday. The fraternity held a special meeting Sunday night to discuss Fish’s death, but Stephens would not comment on the details of the meeting.

“We’re just grieving right now about his loss,” he said. Stephens said the fraternity is planning a memorial but had no specific plans right now.

The fraternity also holds alcohol education programs twice a semester, he said.

Will Adgate, a freshman from Jonesboro who also lives in Russell Hall, said Fish was very charismatic and friendly.

“I was shocked. I still am,” he said of Fish’s death.

Fish’s roommate, Cliff Williamson, was away for the weekend, and said he did not know enough about the situation to comment.

William Smethurst, headmaster of Fish’s high school, The Ben Franklin Academy, called Fish “a wonderful student.”

“He had much promise as a scholar and a professional,” Smethurst said.

Fish’s family declined to comment to The Red & Black.

Rodney Bennett, vice president for student affairs, said at the press conference the University needs help from the community to prevent underage drinking.

“Our greatest fear at the University of Georgia has been realized,” he said.

Bennett said banning alcohol on campus was not the answer. The University should focus on educating students about responsible drinking, he said.

Though Fish had not been in trouble with police before, Wes Allen, a freshman from Alpharetta who lives in Russell Hall, said Fish generally “partied pretty hard.”

Students busted for underage possession are sent to the Athens-Clarke County jail, according to a new University police arrest policy enacted January 1st.

I bet guys in that house would be pissed about you posting their business around here. You've never met a single person from that house, it must take real balls to post stuff against their fraternity on the internet to a group of people who are going to agree with you 110%.

why is this in risk management--hazing??? the original post even stated that the fraternity didnt have a party, and that he might not have even been at the house that night. so therefore no hazing. i think its ridiculous to post this on here to make that chapter look bad when they are trying to grieve the loss of a brother. the chapter doesnt seem at fault at all here. the chapter, school and his friends will be in my thoughts and prayers though. i hope all brothers are doing ok.

Just to let you know, the majority of people on GC do NOT agree with hoosier.

But please, carry on. :) You too heather. (Oh, and this is in RM because hoosier subscribes to the Hank Nuwer theory - any time a Greek college student dies or is injured it can be classified as "hazing related.")

This violates the GC terms of service, as John, the administrator, has specifically said that we are not to post whole articles. Mr. hoosier has done this several times.

Amazingly enough, on the news they have been making it a point to say this was NOT fraternity related despite his involvement in the fraternity.

Yep. DeltAlum, please delete this damn trash

Definitely, a few ill-named "moderators" do not agree. I wonder how many of these "moderators" would be elected if there was a fair vote.

Now that is libelous and untrue

Maybe we should have a "media" forum...or a "media" subforum of several forums (Risk Management, Community Service, etc.). That's where we can post links to articles involving fraternities and sororities, whether they are reporting something positive or not.

Personally, I like getting links to news articles, as it keeps me aware of what's going on that affects our students. (I am not commenting on Hoosier's intentions or techniques...please do not take this as support or defense of Hoosier. I remain neutral.). While this article states that there was no fraternity party before he died, he was still a member of a fraternity, and we could still have discussion on how we as a community can deal with these things. I'm always looking for "real life examples" to use when talking with my students.

One thought I had was regarding the comment that he "partied pretty hard." My related discussion question is: Do our members feel as though they know how to help (or intervene) someone who they are concerned about partying too much? In other words, are we giving them opportunities to learn how to appropriately share their concerns with their fellow students? (Sometimes I think we don't teach those skills as well as we could...)

My $.02
PsychTau

This article (or rather, a link, in accordance with the terms of service) could just have easily been posted in Greek Life.

I believe we discussed having something like what you are talking about and the consensus was....that's what the fraternal news listserv is for.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/met...metathens.html
Autopsy: Alcohol, drugs killed UGA student

By KELLY SIMMONS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/01/06

A toxic mix of alcohol and drugs, including cocaine and heroin, killed a 19-year-old University of Georgia student who was found dead in his residence hall 10 days ago, an autopsy shows.

UGA Police released the results of the autopsy Wednesday and also announced they would seek criminal charges against seven people in connection with the events surrounding the death of Lewis Rockwell Fish, a first-year student from Atlanta.

Thomas Stuart Carpenter, a Georgia College & State University student who was with Fish in the hours before he died, will be charged with possession of heroin, a felony, UGA police Chief Jimmy Williamson said.

UGA students Mark Eric Olsen, Michael Ian Crocker, Jordan Dugan Redella, and Grayson Hall Gordon, all of Atlanta, will be charged with possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor, Williamson said.

Olsen, Crocker and Redella will be charged with furnishing alcohol to a person under age 21 and underage possession of alcohol, both misdemeanors., Williamson said.

Redella and Gordon will be charged with possession of fraudulent identification, a misdemeanor. Redella also will be charged with using fraudulent identification to purchase alcoholic beverages, a misdemeanors, Williamson said.

William Chapin Cowan, a Gainesville State College student, will be charged with possession of marijuana, underage possession of alcohol and furnishing alcohol to persons under age 21, Williamson said.

Gene Whitner Milner III, a former UGA student who is not enrolled this semester, will be charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug-related objects. According to Athens-Clarke County property records, Milner and his dad Gene W. Milner of Atlanta, own the Riverhill Drive house that Fish visited the night before his death.

.....

In an interview with the UGA student newspaper, published last week, Carpenter said he and Fish spent Saturday night and early Sunday partying together in FishÕs dorm room, at the Riverhill Drive house and at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house, where Fish was a member.

Why doesnt everyone climb off your Big White Horses and figure, this is Risk Management because of an Alcohol situation that envolves a Member of a Greek Organization.

Ergo, it looks bad for Said GLO and all of the rest.:rolleyes:

Talk about "PETTY CRAP"!

It is good to know what goes on behind rose colored glasses at other Schools and how in the long run it can affect all of us!

Olsen, Croker, and Gordon are SAEs, according to today's paper. They are all faced with misdemeanor marijuana charges.

right because that's the real issue here

Fish ODed on coke because his friends toked up. :rolleyes:

Maybe.

Being the father of a highly adictive child, the culture in which they live, the friends they keep and their surroundings can be either very helpful or harmful.

It's too easy to simply write off the possibility that the use and amount of drugs available (maybe even at the SAE House) didn't have anything to do with this man's use and even the OD. There's no way for us to know.

I am an SAE at Texas and know many SAE's from UGA. For you to even mention the possibility of these drugs being found at the SAE house is extremely tasteless and wrong. That house was investigated and they found nothing. You are treading on hot water with that, and I am sure that members, alumni, and the like would be pretty damn upset that this kind of insinuation is being thrown around on the internet. That kid was obviously f----d up, he was doing heroin for Gods sake. Sure, there are plenty of people that drink and blow some coke every now and then, im guilty myself, but don't even try to pass some possibility that someone within the house was providing this dumbass with heroin and coke, or that it could easily be found or produced withing the compines of their house.

this is definately a risk management issue. risk management is not just throwing 'proper parties' and having noone die after frat parties at your house. It's about managing risk, such as alcohol and drugs, and how they affect your chapter and members. its about alcohol and drug education within a chapter and holding brothers and sisters accountable and looking out for one another.

i really hope that some of this kids brothers were trying to reach out to him and help him because a kid in his dorm knew he partied hard. i would hope his brothers could see it and would try to help him. the optimist in me knows they had to have been trying.

if you are doing heroin, chances are you are not going to keep it a secret with the exception of a few of your friends. i have talked to some of my friends that are sae's at georgia and they all said that he would have had his badge removed if they new that he was doing heroin.

That's not really what I was saying. I'm saying that marijauna is not addictive. And that if you do coke, heroin, etc. its not because you smoked pot. They arrested those kids b/c all drugs are lumped into one category by the DEA, which is wrong.

A. Watch your language. You're violating the terms of service which you signed when you joined GC. Play that game in other forums, but not in this one.

B. I didn't accuse anything, but said "maybe" even in the house. If drugs were present, it wouldn't be the first time for a fraternity and won't be the last. The comment was generic.

C. Where there's smoke, there is often fire. Chapter members where charged with some minor offenses. That does NOT mean that there is a problem at the house -- it also doesn't mean there isn't.

D. You should try thinking before you write. You just admitted to breaking the law in a public forum that anyone can read.

I'm happy to talk about any risk management issue -- which this is.

I understand. I think my daughter would say, though, that being around the culture can lead from use of one drug to use of another -- addictive or not.

Couldn't you say that about a lot of things? Like sex and rock & roll?

-Rudey
--Get it? Sex, drugs, and rock & roll!

Got it.

Sure you could. That's the point. Simply because one thing isn't physically addictive doesn't mean it won't have adverse effects on other people.

While there have been many studies Pro and Con, it is still beleived that one drug can lead to another.

So for a Brother SAE from another Chapter to say that He has talked to Brothers from another Chapter does not mean it was not true, with a maybe or could be happening within the confines of a building called the house.

Fact: It happened.

Fact: The Young Man is Dead.

Rudey, My Man are You getting More Sex because You listen to Rock and Roll?:D

Oh My!

A. Play what game? what are you talking about? I have said nothing that violates any law, so I can really say whatever I want. You cannot violate my use of free speech, as I have said nothing that promotes violence or can cause harm or alarm to anyone. I am 21 years old and can speak however I choose. The fact that you morons would allow a 14 year old to be on a Greek Life website is ridiculous.

B. That house has been cleared of any wrongdoing, which was established a while ago. For you to insinuate anything is pretty low. Rumors get started easily and you are fueling the fire by saying anything about SAE involvement.

C. I did not admit to breaking any law, maybe YOU should read a little better. I said that there were people that drank and blew coke, I said I was guilty myself, I didn't say I did one or the other or both. Do I care that anyone can see this board? No. I have a double major in political science and legal studies, I nobody can do anything to me for saying that I drank or did drugs. I could walk up to a cop and say "hey I blew coke last week." and he couldn't do anything about it. Maybe you should get a better hold of the legal system before you accuse me of breaking the law.

D. You have a kid? what are you 40? why are you on here? that is really creepy if you asked me. I've got news for you bud. anyone that still lives in their glorious fraternity days when they are middle aged has some serious issues.

E. Just because you are around drugs does not mean that you are going to start doing them. Pot smokers don't just decide that they are gong start doing coke and heroin.

(a) Free speech is not absolute in this site. The mod can and has deleted or edited people's post. For instance, I've deleted a lot of your posts over at the news forum.

(b) By being a member of this website, you have agreed to the term and condition, which will be enforced by the Mods and John. That is absolute. If your speech is deemed in violation of the term and condition, by a mod or John, you will either be warned, your post deleted or edited, or be outright banned by John himself.

That is all. By the way, calling people names is not a proper way a 21 years old conduct himself. Especially one who is a "True Gentleman".

Well, I think for you to moderate what people can and cannot think and type is a **cking joke. (there is that better?) At what point did the right to think freely and have opinionated views become a problem? Its not a problem, simple as that. What is ridiculous is that you would allow 13/14 year old kids on here. I have not called anyone a name to my knowledge or said anything to harm anyone.

That is all. By the way, being a thirty year old and asserting your internet muscle on a Greek Life website is just plain sad. You AREN'T IN A FRATERNITY ANY MORE, MOVE ON, ITS OK......

Oh, thanks for pointing out that you know what the TG is, maybe next post you can type it out for me.

Since when is greekchat run by a government entity? That's the only way freedom of speech would be a proper defense for you, saetex.

Last time I checked, both DeltAlum and moe.ron were still members of their fraternities. You're the one who is looking like an idiot here. Greek membership is for life. Who the hell do you think donates money to keep your fraternity running and to build your house? Who runs the fraternity? Not undergrads, thank God.

You're a piece of work.

"That is all. By the way, being a thirty year old and asserting your internet muscle on a Greek Life website is just plain sad. You AREN'T IN A FRATERNITY ANY MORE, MOVE ON, ITS OK......"(saetex).

I am afraid sir are totally in the wrong.

I am older than 40 and am still very involved with MY Fraternity.

Maybe SAE doesnt beleive in being a Member for Life as many of ours do.

:confused:

I didn't say that you said anything against the law. I said that you had admitted to violating one.

There is no free speech issue. The First Amendment applies to the government restricting your free speech. This is a private bulletin board and you agreed to abide to the Terms of Service. I suggest you read them -- particularly the part regarding language and name calling. The fact is that you can be banned for not complying. I assume you have the opportunity to look up the First Amendment. You should do it. We've talked through this with a number of practicing attorneys who are alumni and members/moderators of Greek Chat.

Since we're comparing education, I don't have any majors, I have a degree in Communication with minors in Political Science, English and Speech.

Again, I made no insinuation about this chapter or the national fraternity -- simply a generic comment. It may be applied to any chapter of any Greek Letter Organization in the world -- including Delt chapters. That's unfortunate, but true.

By the way, a reading of the initial post would seem to indicate that the investigation is ongoing. I sincerely, hope that the chapter is in the clear, but until the investigation is over anything could turn up. I don't ever want to see any chapter in trouble.

When you say you are guilty of something, that's pretty much admitting you have done it. I wouldn't advise walking up to a cop and saying that you do illigal things. He/she might not be able to arrest you on the spot, but can certainly start an investigative process you might not be comfortable with.

In fact, I have three children. There are lots of parents on GC. I, like a number of other alumni who believe in the oath we took that says we are members of our organization for life are on this board. Many of us as moderators. Many of us are also former or present chapter, regional or national advisors and officers of our organizations. Few others find that "creepy." Some even value the results of our continuing experience.

In terms of being around drugs having a cause and effect on whether a person will do drugs themselves depends entirely on the person involved. It won't happen to everyone, but it will to some. Our middle daughter started out on grass and ended up on Cocaine. Thankfully, she realized what whe was doing to herself and got into Detox and got herself squared away and has been sober for over five years. I feel pretty close to this topic due to that experience.

The topic of this forum is Risk Management which covers a lot of ground. These things (not necessarily this forum) are important to the survival of the Greek System as we know it. It is a place for reporting, ideas and comments about real and potential problems. It is not for finger pointing. The problem is that type -- black and white on a computer -- is flat and often doesn't convey vocal characteristics and can be easily misinterpreted -- as is the case with my comment about chapters.

Finally, please read the top three threads in this forum, as well as the Terms of Service for the board itself. I am happy to see debate, and take part in it, but under the rules and using respectful language. Because of that, I left your posts in the thread -- otherwise, I would have simply deleted them.

If you can abide by the rules, you are most welcome to add to the thread.

You guys are all right, I feel like an ass. Honestly I had a little too much fun (probobly too much to drink) yesterday and was being an idiot. If you want to delete anything I said, please feel free because I was rather embarassed when I read it a little while ago. Sorry to everyone that I may have offended.

I do believe in being an SAE for life, and I value that very much, I really don't know what I was talking about. My father and all the rest of the men in my family were all Greek and they still value the experience and still donate whenever they can. Again, I sincerely apologize.

Grammar and spelling are not high points for many of our posters.

In this forum, at least, I simply want logical comments, posted within the guidelines of the board.

I think Risk Management is a really important topic and that there is a lot for us to learn and, hopefully, put that knowledge to use in our organizations.

I moderate several other forums as well, and am much less likely to delete in them because I'm not sure the topics are as dramatic and worrisome as things discussed in this one.

Some of these literally involve life and death. If not for our members, then for our chapters.

So clean up your replies. Fix the grammar and spelling.

you just posted that. i really do not care about grammar and spelling when i am posting on a discussion forum. i am not writing a term paper. i think it is more about the ideas than the spelling

Actually, I modified it to include your quote so my comment would have a better context. The edit button can be your friend.:)

Speaking of context, I wonder how these posts got out of their original order.

Very strange.

saetex, as You and others can see, there can and will be a flair of activity and spewing of words.

As far as Spelling, just tell them I am teaching You EarpSpeak!:D

Some want to be spelling bee teachers!:(

To be very honest with You, DeltaAlum is one of the Most Respected Mods on Site.

He is still a kid to Me though!:D

Right D A!:) ;)


saetex, You represent a very fine Fraternity that all of us respect on GC!

I wish. Sometimes I think I'll never be as old as I feel.

I would appreciate if you wouldn't call my friend a dumbass. Show a little respect, dipshit.

If you pay closer attention, you'll see that saetex was banned.

Still, if you're demanding respect from someone, you tend to lose credibility when you call him 'dipshit' in the process. :rolleyes: