Owner of hazing local's house arrested

[hoosier]

June 13, 2003

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- An attorney who serves as a spokesman for the Psi Epsilon Chi fraternity was arrested Friday afternoon.


Kevin Jones has insisted that he knew nothing about what was happening inside the fraternity house in Plattsburgh where a student was allegedly forced to drink so much water that he died. But WPTZ NewsChannel 5 reporter Kathy Reynolds said police charged Jones with two counts of conspiracy and criminal facilitation.

WPTZ NewsChannel 5 has learned that Jones was indicted by a grand jury Thursday, but the indictment was sealed and can't be opened until after Jones is arraigned.

Reynolds said that means Jones, who is a lawyer for the Department of Labor, will have to spend the night in jail.




Jones was arrested at his office in Albany, charged in connection with the hazing death of Dean Jennings (pictured, left), a Plattsburgh State University freshman who was pledging to Psi Epsilon Chi. Reynolds said Jones is an alumnus of that same fraternity.

In previous interviews with WPTZ NewsChannel 5, Jones said he had no knowledge of what was happening at the fraternity house on Broad Street and expressed shock at what the fraternity members allegedly did to Jennings.

"I feel disgusted to be associated with these individuals," Jones said.

Clinton County District Attorney Rich Cantwell said it was at the frat house that 11 members of Psi Epsilon Chi allegedly forced Jennings to drink alcohol -- and gallons of water -- until his brain swelled and he died. The grand jury handed up indictments against the fraternity brothers Thursday.

"(The indictments involved) 11 individuals that had 170 charges against them in city court," Cantwell said. "The scope of this investigation was very large."

Reynolds said six of the fraternity brothers face charges of criminally negligent homicide and that there were some new charges relating to the alleged hazing of Chris Han. Han was Jennings' friend that was also pledging Psi Epsilon Chi.

"I wanted to leave, but didn't want to say anything because I thought it was something everybody went through," Han said.

According to Reynolds, Cantwell has asked that the fraternity brothers be tried as a group, but the court will ultimately make that decision.

Reynolds said there's no word yet on exactly how Jones fits into the picture but that his corporation sold the fraternity house Thursday. Originally the corporation said the money from the sale would go to a scholarship fund and Reynolds said Jones told her that was still the case.

Reynolds said it's not known if there are any further indictments, but that the district attorney told her he intends to wipe out the entire Psi Epsilon Chi corporation. Reynolds said that might mean that the corporation itself may also be named in the indictment.