AUSTIN, Texas — A former University of Texas at Austin international exchange student is suing an off-campus fraternity for injuries he received after allegedly being beaten at a party last year.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon Texas’ Rho chapter was shut down on the U.T. campus in 2017 over health and safety concerns, and the school confirms they’re not registered or affiliated with them in any way. But after being asked to leave a private party there on March 3, 223, an exchange student from Australia says he was attacked by a group of four or five members, resulting in medical bills his attorney says have exceeded $350,000, according to the lawsuit.
He was waiting for his date to get back from the bathroom.
“It seems really extreme for them to just jump some guy,” University of Texas at Austin sophomore Tanner Ray said. “Most people seem pretty cool that I’ve met. Like, I’ve never seen violence like that. But there is a culture known around UT for exclusivity.”
Attorney Clay Rawlings says his client, who we’re not identifying for privacy reasons, took a date to a Sigma Alpha Epsilon Texas Rho party last March. Rawlings says his client was told it was a private event, and though he agreed to leave, was allegedly beaten by four drunk individuals on his way out.
“Obviously we live in an imperfect world, people make mistakes,” Rawlings said. “But when it’s four on one, and you beat them like this, that’s yeah, I mean, it’s inexcusable.”
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He had to call an ambulance with his nose and leg badly broken. Rawlings says to date, his client has undergone four surgeries and racked up more than $350,000 in medical bills, with more surgeries expected in the future.
“… he can’t engage in sports or things like that, that’s all closed to him,” Rawlings said. “And they said, try as they might, they can’t give him back a normal knee.”
We reached out to Sigma Alpha Epsilon but did not hear back. The university wouldn’t comment either, since the group was kicked off campus in 2017 and isn’t affiliated with the school.
“I think it’s a little convenient that they’re not going to stick up for students who were harmed by an organization that is – whether or not it’s officially or legally related or affiliated with the school.” Junior Alexander Zavala said.
Zavala says regardless, he wants to see more transparency from his university and accountability from those responsible.
“I had no idea that this incident occurred or there was a lawsuit, and I think it’s incredibly disappointing,” Zavala said.
Rawlings says there was a delay because the defendants tried to move the case to federal court since it involved an international student. But that’s a privilege exclusive to his client, who insisted on it remaining in Texas courts.
“Through their rep, they’ve been unwilling to take responsibility for anything whatsoever,” Rawlings said. “And I suspect when I get them in front of 12 Texans true and fair, they are going to find out what the cost of doing this really will be.”
Now that the lawsuit is back in Texas courts, Rawlings tells me he expects a jury to be assigned within the next year due to a backlog of pandemic cases.
The student is seeking over $1 million in damages.
