Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Consequences
Fraud possible charge in hoax rally investigation
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By Wendy Weinhold
Independent-Mail
March 14, 2005
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
CLEMSON — Clemson University officials are investigating a student for possible violations of the student code of conduct after an anti-war rally held Saturday on Bowman Field turned out to be a hoax.
Clemson sophomore Andrew R. Davis, 20, of Surfside Beach denied Monday that he was in the wrong when he used the alias "John Smith" to organize the rally by a group called Clemson Liberals Against War, or C.L.A.W.
"I stand by everything I did, and people are going to see this as a good thing or a bad thing," Mr. Davis said. "I took everything I did out of the so-called liberal play book. ? I always see it as the ends justify the means."
Mr. Davis said the event was properly registered and he revealed his use of an alias when questioned by university officials before the rally. But Clemson spokeswoman Robin Denny said the registration documents offered no indication that "John Smith" was not an actual person.
Ms. Denny said the university would revise its event policies to ensure verification of event sponsors.
According to Clemson judicial services office associate director Bill Price, Mr. Davis could face fraud charges based on student code of conduct policies. No university charges had been filed Monday against Mr. Davis, Mr. Price said. Because the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act guards a student’s rights, any charges or sanctions would be handled privately.
Mr. Davis could face "the entire spectrum" of university sanctions, from a warning to expulsion, if charged and found guilty, Mr. Price said.
Witnesses said Mr. Davis wore a black mask during the rally but removed it once someone shouted his name. State statutes prohibit anyone older than 16 from wearing a mask to conceal his or her identity in public.
Mr. Price said that should Mr. Davis be found to have committed a crime by wearing the mask, the investigation and charges would be handled by the university police and would be public information.
Mr. Davis is editor-in-chief of The Tiger Town Observer, a self-described conservative monthly campus journal. He said he had not intended to remove his mask at the rally but planned to give a reporter from a competing campus newspaper "the scoop" to reveal the truth.
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By Wendy Weinhold
Independent-Mail
March 14, 2005
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
CLEMSON — Clemson University officials are investigating a student for possible violations of the student code of conduct after an anti-war rally held Saturday on Bowman Field turned out to be a hoax.
Clemson sophomore Andrew R. Davis, 20, of Surfside Beach denied Monday that he was in the wrong when he used the alias "John Smith" to organize the rally by a group called Clemson Liberals Against War, or C.L.A.W.
"I stand by everything I did, and people are going to see this as a good thing or a bad thing," Mr. Davis said. "I took everything I did out of the so-called liberal play book. ? I always see it as the ends justify the means."
Mr. Davis said the event was properly registered and he revealed his use of an alias when questioned by university officials before the rally. But Clemson spokeswoman Robin Denny said the registration documents offered no indication that "John Smith" was not an actual person.
Ms. Denny said the university would revise its event policies to ensure verification of event sponsors.
According to Clemson judicial services office associate director Bill Price, Mr. Davis could face fraud charges based on student code of conduct policies. No university charges had been filed Monday against Mr. Davis, Mr. Price said. Because the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act guards a student’s rights, any charges or sanctions would be handled privately.
Mr. Davis could face "the entire spectrum" of university sanctions, from a warning to expulsion, if charged and found guilty, Mr. Price said.
Witnesses said Mr. Davis wore a black mask during the rally but removed it once someone shouted his name. State statutes prohibit anyone older than 16 from wearing a mask to conceal his or her identity in public.
Mr. Price said that should Mr. Davis be found to have committed a crime by wearing the mask, the investigation and charges would be handled by the university police and would be public information.
Mr. Davis is editor-in-chief of The Tiger Town Observer, a self-described conservative monthly campus journal. He said he had not intended to remove his mask at the rally but planned to give a reporter from a competing campus newspaper "the scoop" to reveal the truth.
