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SMU suspends Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity

DALLAS, March 26 (UPI) -- Southern Methodist University suspended the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity from its campus after members allegedly assaulted a student, a school spokesman said.

The two-year suspension from the Dallas campus comes after Daniel Garcia, an SMU freshman and member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, said he was beaten for several hours at the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house in February, the Dallas Morning News reported Tuesday.

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Four students, all suspended Sigma Phi Epsilon members, face charges in the incident.

Jared Agnew, 18, Julian Ryles, 18, and Benjamin Bechtel, 19, were charged with misdemeanor assault. Ryles, Bechtel and Tanner Koch, 19, were also charged with unlawful restraint, Dallas County court records said.

Garcia was held by Sigma Phi Epsilon members for four hours, who kicked, punched and beat him while making racial comments and references to torture, his lawyer, Bob Bragalone, said.

School spokesman Kent Best said the fraternity was suspended "because of violations of the SMU Code of Conduct and university policies, as well as the standards and valued of the fraternity itself."

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