State police officials bust Phi Psi party

and DWAYNE SYE State police broke up a party at Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house Friday night, arresting one brother and charging around 80 partygoers with liquor violations, according to Phi Psi members. Undercover officers from the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement entered the party at 3934 Spruce Street around 11:50 p.m. carding students and confiscating liquor, according to Phi Psi President Steven Cappiello. "There were 12 to 14 of them," the Engineering junior said. "They all had different attitudes. Some were cooperative, some were putting party-goers in handcuffs." LCE officials were not available for comment last night. One Phi Psi brother, who was collecting money at the door, was arrested and taken to 18th District headquarters of the Philadelphia Police, according to University Police reports. Cappiello would not reveal the brother's name and the police officers who filed the report could not be reached for comment yesterday. Cappiello said the brother, who was accused of selling liquor without a license, was kept in jail for nearly 20 hours. But fraternity members said the brother was falsely charged. "He was incarcerated like he was a mugger," College junior Jon Held, Phi Psi Social Chairperson said. "Muggers get out quicker than he got out." According to Cappiello, money was collected to cover the cost of the party, which was an official InterFraternity Council "bring your own booze" function. He said six people collected money at different times throughout the night. He added that the fraternity spent about $600 for the disc jockey, Euforia DJs, and rented lighting for the party. "I asked the LCE to take me in his place as [I am] president," Cappiello said, but the LCE refused his request. According to the president, University officials were extremely helpful with the situation. Barbara Cassel, executive assistant to Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson, aided Cappiello in the release of the arrested brother, he said. "Basically I let [Cappiello] know what resources are available," Cassel said. "We don't provide the legal support itself but we do make legal references where it's appropriate." Also, Cappiello said University Police transported the president and other members to the 18th District headquarters. According to University Police, several party-goers were cited for underage drinking. College freshman Johnny Doh said he and some visiting friends from Maryland attended the party and were among those given citations. He said they were about to leave the party, but were stopped at the door by undercover LCE agents. He said they were asked to go to the basement where individuals who could not show proof of being of legal drinking age were either given "tickets" or asked to take breathalyzer tests. "If you took the ticket you got a trial date and could decide how to plead, innocent or guilty," Doh said. "If you took the breathalyzer and failed, they implied it meant a $500 fine." Doh took the citation and is scheduled to appear in court on April 24. He added that his friends will have to return from Maryland for their court dates. Doh said he and his friends did not bring alcohol with them, but were served cans of Rolling Rock beer once inside. He added that he paid five dollars to get into the party. Held said that according to BYOB regulations, people who bring alcohol with them are asked for proof of age when they check their beer at the door. "They give us beer and we keep it cold," Held said. "In return, they are given a number of tickets equal to the amount of beer that has been brought. The only way I can see that people under the age of 21 got beer is their friends gave them tickets for it." Held added that brothers have questioned the conduct of the LCE during the raid. "I have gotten many complaints that [the LCE] harassed people," Held said. "I saw them pushing people. I thought they were using unnecessary force." But Doh said he thinks the situation was handled properly. "I guess it was kind of fair," Doh said. According to Cappiello, the agents confiscated alcohol from rooms which were off-limits to partygoers. "They basically took over our house and did whatever they wanted to," he said. "They had no warrant."

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