Judicial records released, show student suspended 1 year for sexual misconduct
Three university policies defined

By Megan Lewis, Herald Staff

The results of Jermaine Butler's student disciplinary hearing were released by the Office of Judicial Affairs on Monday in accordance with the recent attorney general opinion that said such records are open to the public.

Butler, formerly a freshman undecided major of Memphis, Tenn., was arrested and charged with rape following an incident Nov. 18 in Twin Towers with a female freshman of Kays Hall.

The county prosecutor dropped the charge sometime in January, and Butler was not criminally prosecuted for rape.

However, Butler did have a student disciplinary hearing at Arkansas State University, but university officials denied the release of the hearing's outcome until the attorney general opinion said the records were open to the public.

The Herald requested Butler's records Feb. 5 to find out the university policy violations Butler committed and what action the university took against him in response to these violations.

The university cited three policy violations committed by Butler in the Twin Towers incident, according to a document summarizing the judicial hearing sent to The Herald on Monday by Roger Lee, dean of students.

The policy violations, as listed in the Student Handbook, were: disorderly conduct, physical assault or harassment, and "arrest for violation of local, state, or federal law and/or conduct that adversely affects the student's suitability as a member of the university community."

Disorderly conduct includes "acts against the public peace, order, safety, and/or lewd, indecent, obscene conduct or expression on or off the campus."

Physical assault may include rape or sexual assault, and harassment may include sexual harassment or verbal abuse.

This regulation also includes the "threat of physical harm of any person or self, and/or conduct that threatens or endangers the health, safety, or welfare of any such person."

ASU imposed three sanctions on Butler for these violations.

Butler was suspended from ASU for one year and is eligible for enrollment for the Spring 2002 semester.

If and when Butler returns to ASU after the suspension, he will be placed on probated expulsion for the remainder of his career at ASU. This means if he is found in violation of any regulation of a sexual nature then he will be expelled from the university.

During Butler's one-year suspension he is not allowed on any ASU-Jonesboro property nor can he attend any ASU functions. Violation of this sanction will result in an arrest for trespassing.

The Office of Judicial Affairs also released the records of another student, and the outcome of that student's hearing was reported in The Herald on Tuesday.