Lawsuit filed against Sigma Kappa Nu
Charges student with assault, fraternity with negligence
Robb Frederick
The Collegian
A lawsuit filed last week by
a Butler resident charged a
Behrend student with assault
and battery and the Sigma
Kappa Nu fraternity with
negligence, according to a
report in the Erie Morning
News Thursday, April 18.
The plaintiff, Robert R.
Mowry, HI, of Cabot, PA, filed
the charges last week in an
Erie County Court. The
charges stem from an incident
that allegedly occurred during a
New Year's Eve party held last
December at the fraternity's
house at 3801 Shannon Road.
Mowry claimed he was
attacked without provocation
by Harold. E. Donachy IV, a
member of Sigma Kappa Nu,
after paying to enter the party.
Sigma Kappa Nu President
Daniel Behanna, however,
offered a different account of
the evening's events in an
interview with The Collegian.
"This individual (Mowry)
was inebriated and had started
causing problems early in the
evening," Behanna said. "He
was walking around the house
in a pair of shorts and trying
to go into our jacuzzi."
According to Behanna, who
was present at the party but did
not witness the incident,
Mowry began a confrontation
with Donachy's younger
brother, after which the older
Donachy "struck him once in
the eye and knocked him
down."
Donachy could not be
reached for comment.
Behanna said that no
fraternity members were posted
at the house's door to collect
money from guests.
According to the suit,
Mowry allegedly suffered cuts,
bruises and lacerations to the
face and head, damage to the
central nervous system and
fractures and bruises to the
bones and muscles of his chest
and ribs.
In addition to the claims
against Donachy, Mowry has
charged the fraternity with
negligence. The party in
question was not a fraternity
sponsored event, however, so
the organization should not be
liable for any occurrences,
Behanna said.
Student Services officials,
however, are investigating the
accusations.
"We are certainly concerned
with finding out all the facts
(continued on page 3)
Scene of dispute: The Sigma Kappa Nu fraternity house was the site of
the alleged altercation that occurred on New Year's Eve.
Former Texas
mayor predicts
cultural crisis
Expects clashes
with elderly and
minorities
b Flo d J. Csir
The Collegian
"In the year 2050, will the
U.S. occupy in roughly the
same place, in terms of
leadership and relationship to
other nations, a position of
world power as we know it
today?" Henry Cisneros asked a
half-filled room of faculty,
students and local citizens.
The former mayor of San
Antonio discussed "America's
Challenge in a Changing
World" last Wednesday in the
Reed Lecture Hall.
When Cisneros posed the
question of U.S. status to the
audience, only 10 percent
raised their hands.
Audience responses
included: "constraints on
enterprise and business,"
"illiteracy," "growing gap
between the rich and poor,"
"trade and fiscal deficits," and
"complacency."
Setting the stage for
understanding America's
problems, the former mayor
(continued on page 7)
Mahoney,
Bates win
elections
b Mark Owens
The Collegian
David Mahoney was elected
by a two vote margin in last
week's Student Government
Association elections,
probably the closest race in
Bchrend's history, according to
SGA officials.
Out of 400 votes cast,
Mahoney received IRB votes
while his opponent,
Christopher J. Hilden, captured
186. The other 26 students did
not vote for that position.
Mahoney said next year
there are several issues that he
wants SGA to tackle, the
biggest being the
organization's visibility.
"One of the things we really
need to work on is letting