ORLANDO, Fla. — A University of Central Florida fraternity accused of condoning sexual misconduct should be found "not in violation," according to a recommendation by a university panel Thursday.
A student conduct hearing was held after a controversial video was released allegedly showing Sigma Nu fraternity members chanting "rape."
A woman who recorded the video said one of the fraternity members in the video raped her friend.
UCF police believe that her friend was raped last October by a Sigma Nu fraternity brother, but did not come forward until February.
PDF: UCF Statement of Hearing Determination
The video was recorded in July, but went public this week.
In a statement released Thursday, members of the panel said they did not find evidence of the charge against the group, saying that members of the fraternity didn't condone or encourage the chanting.
The panel said the chanting appeared to be the act of one person and not the group, and said fraternity members attempted to calm down the individual who made the remarks.
“The appalling behavior seen in this video is not how responsible men act. While offensive speech may be allowable, it is inappropriate in every sense. That’s why we’re working with the national fraternity office to help change the culture that led to this behavior,” a university reprentative said in a statement, following the panel's decison.
UCF police said they turned over the rape investigation to the State Attorney's Office.
"You always hear allegations for everything going on. So it's kind of really hard to know the truth," UCF student Alyssa Balcomv said.
According to a UCF police report, the victim woke up naked in the Sigma Nu fraternity house last Oct. 3.
She told officers that she spotted a condom next to her, but did not know what happened.
The man who police believe might be responsible has not been arrested or charged.
Students on campus said they want answers.
"The Internet makes it so easy to put momentum behind something like that, and, like, ruin a person's entire life before you actually know what happened," UCF student Gina Gravino said.
It is unclear what evidence detectives have, because a big chunk of the report has been redacted.
"The length of time that the State Attorney's Office has had this case indicates to me they are taking a good, hard look at it, but the evidence may not be there to bring successful prosecution," WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said.
UCF officials had several options had the fraternity been found in violation, including giving the fraternity a warning, suspension, educational sanctions or possibly ending the fraternity chapter on campus.
The panel’s recommendation will be forwarded to the university’s director of Student Rights and Responsibilities, who will issue the decision in the case, school representatives said.
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