In hazing, four plead guilty, get probation

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

— Four men who had been charged with felony battery over a fraternity hazing that critically injured an Arkansas Tech University student have each pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor.

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The men pleaded guilty Monday in Pope County Circuit Court to a violation of the state’s hazing law.

Judge William Pearson sentenced each to 90 days of probation, a $200 fine and court costs.

Convicted were Cliffaluion Deonte Bradley, 22, of Russellville; Stephen Bender, 25, of Little Rock; Calvin Williams, 26, of Conway; and Klyantel Summons, 22, of Little Rock.

The hazing prompted Arkansas Tech to sever ties with its Kappa Alpha Psi chapter last year.

Deshawn Scoggins was beaten so severely with wooden paddles and wooden canes April 21 in the garage of an off-campus residence that doctors had to put him in a medically induced coma for about a week, according to an affidavit filed with the original criminal charges.

Scoggins, who was 23 at the time, told investigators that the beating was part of the pledging process for Kappa Alpha Psi.

Scoggins was enrolled at Arkansas Tech during the fall 2012 semester but had not enrolled there for the current semester as of Tuesday, university spokesman Sam Strasner said in an e-mail.

Of the defendants, only Bradley was an Arkansas Tech student, Strasner has said.

Bradley had been a backup tight end for the university’s football program. He was initially suspended from all extracurricular activities.

Bradley has not enrolled at Arkansas Tech this semester, either, Strasner said.

Asked about Bradley’s status on the football team, Strasner first said, “Deonte Bradley did not appear in a football game for Arkansas Tech in 2012.” Strasner also said Bradley was not on the fall 2012 team roster.

Prosecuting Attorney David Gibbons was out of his office and unavailable for comment Tuesday on the negotiated plea. A phone listing could not be found for defense attorney Marion Humphrey.

The Associated Press reported that Humphrey said he was grateful for the cooperation of the prosecuting attorney’s office, but that he said his clients were “taking the rap” for something that involved more than a dozen people.

Arkansas, Pages 14 on 01/09/2013