ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, January 13, 1997 TAG: 9701130136
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHARLESTON, S.C.
SOURCE: Associated Press
THEY SAY they fully expected to be hazed. They did not expect their lives to be in danger. And, they say, the school broke its promise to them.
Two female Citadel cadets who said they endured freshman hazing that included having their clothes set afire announced Sunday they would not return to the military college.
``The school's promises to me and my family that knob life would be rough but safe were critical to me,'' Jeanie Mentavlos of Charlotte, N.C., said in a statement released by her attorney. ``Because The Citadel broke its promise, I cannot return.''
While a federal judge had offered to take steps to assure the women's safety ``it is apparent to me that while I might be physically safe on campus, I would not be welcome,'' Kim Messer of Clover said in a similar statement.
The FBI and state police were investigating allegations that, among other things, male cadets set the clothes of the women on fire, sexually harassed them and put cleanser in their mouths. Authorities were also looking into whether death threats were made against one woman. Eleven male cadets face disciplinary action.
``I never asked for special treatment at The Citadel,'' Messer said. ``I asked, and was promised, that I would be treated like any other Fourth Class cadet. In return, however, I received special treatment. Special treatment by way of criminal assaults, sadistic illegal hazing and disgusting incidents of sexual harassment.''
Mentavlos' brother, Michael, a senior cadet who helped bring the allegations to the attention of authorities, also announced Sunday he will complete his degree requirements elsewhere.
Two other female cadets who enrolled last summer, and who have not made any hazing allegations, returned to campus.
The women were among the first four admitted to the college after the school dropped its all-male admissions policy, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that a similar all-male policy at Virginia Military Institute was unconstitutional.
Citadel spokesman Terry Leedom said the school would have no comment on the departure of the women until today. Cadets returned to their barracks Sunday.
A federal judge met privately with the families of the two female cadets Thursday and said he was prepared to provide ``reasonable measures'' to protect the women's safety.
And since the hazing allegations, The Citadel has put panic buttons in the women's rooms and will post adults to sleep in all barracks. It also plans to launch an investigation of the Fourth Class system, in which freshmen cadets must take orders from upperclassmen.
``No amount of security measures can now make hundreds of cadets, the alumni, the administration and Mr. Leedom accept me into the corps of cadets,'' Mentavlos said. ``Even as the daughter of a former Secret Service agent, I cannot imagine needing to have someone responsible for my safety on a 24-hour-a-day basis.''
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) Messer, Mentavlos. color.by CNB