<p>I haven't seen a thread on this. Three Dartmouth students, two of whom are seniors, have been arrested for using cocaine, supposedly at SAE. The name of the student people suspect reported them has been posted on the internet. </p>
<p>My heart goes out to their parents.</p>
<p>Not informed about this incident, but I had a close colleague and friend who was an HYP graduate, top athlete, and top tier B-school MBA whose life (and family–wife and daughter) was destroyed by cocaine. Literally the most unlikely situation you would ever have expected. My advice to anyone with the impulse to give this a try is not to. In his particular case, there was a somewhat unrecognized alcohol problem that led down this path. </p>
<p>Hopefully this situation can be resolved with a minimum of damage to all concerned.</p>
<p>How dangerous - frightening in fact.</p>
<p>Sorry, the source I originally learned this from made an error. Two of the students were charged with cocaine use. One of those was charged with witness tampering. A third was charged with witness tampering, but NOT with cocaine use.</p>
<p>The time to modify my original message had expired, so I have to make this a separate post.</p>
<p><a href=“http://thedartmouth.com/2010/05/21/news/arrests[/url]”>http://thedartmouth.com/2010/05/21/news/arrests</a></p>
<p>And the one arrested for witness tampering was planning to attend UVa Law next fall. I think he’s got a serious problem. Even if UVa doesn’t revoke his acceptance, if the charge sticks he’ll have trouble getting admitted to the bar. </p>
<p><a href=“Dartmouth Alumni”>Dartmouth Alumni;
<p>
</p>
<p>Do you know what the motivation was to report them?</p>
<p>Not surprising. There’s a huge amount coming into the country. Where does it all go? Average, everyday people.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>…and future Presidents!</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>Honor code?
Concern for their safety?
Concern for the safety of others?
Concern about being arrested for just being there?</p>
<p>At least the parents know about the problem now and may be able to get their kids some help.</p>
<p>I wonder what this does to their diplomas.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>I guess that they could try subpoenaing the last three presidents in their defense. It probably wouldn’t go over well in NH.</p>
<p>I ask about the motivation to turn them in, because the ramifications are going to be life-changing for these young men.</p>
<p>I grew up in the 70s, when virtually everyone I knew used drugs at some point, including one of my best friends who was an occasional (social) cocaine user. Of all of the people I stayed in touch with, none to my knowledge ended up with a drug addiction/problem. (Not saying it doesn’t happen, just saying that occasional drug use doesn’t necessarily end up as a problem).</p>
<p>These young men may end up in jail, with a criminal record, (and no college diploma?)</p>
<p>If the person who turned them in sincerely cared about their health, a family intervention would have been more appropriate. The fraternity will most certainly lose its charter at Dartmouth over this, so it doesn’t seem like it would have been a fellow member who reported them to the police. Also, the use occurred in a private home, so the officers would have needed a warrant to enter, unless someone unwittingly let them in and the drugs were in plain view.</p>
<p>The Dartmouth student paper article linked above says that the person who reported the cocaine use was also a SAE brother. One of the articles also says that the police investigation is continuing and they expect to make more arrests. I suspect there’s a backstory to this – both the reporting of the cocaine use by a fraternity brother, and the police’s willingness to act very aggressively in a situation where they generally don’t do anything at all.</p>
<p>I know any number of people who have indulged in all sorts of drugs at some point over the years. None of whom are drug addicts or ever were. Just as most of us know any number of people who drink but are not alcoholics. While addiction is a terribly destructive thing, it simply isn’t realistic to assume that occasional casual use–even of cocaine, which is certainly highly addictive–is going to turn most people into addicts. Anymore than poker night with buddies is going to turn the average person into a gambling addict.</p>
<p>I agree with Bay: if the person who called the cops truly felt that the behavior of this trio was dangerous to themselves or others, an intervention among the brothers would have been infinitely better than calling in a police chief who has been so eager to get into Dartmouth fraternities to make arrests for underage drinking that recently his plan was evidently to send in undercover agents masquerading as students.</p>
<p>Given that they were apparently rather brazenly doing the coke in the house living room, I wonder if this had not been addressed with them before. It is hard to imagine being so self-righteous that one would call the cops on fraternity brothers for such a thing.</p>
<p>People break the law–and the one who reports it is the bad guy?</p>
<p>How about NOT doing illegal stuff? Not like they didn’t know it was illegal. . .</p>
<p>
I agree–it’s not inconceivable, but it would be odd. You have to assume there is more to the story, in terms of either a previous, unheeded intervention or some kind of provocation on the part of the suspects that elicited an “OK, you asked for it” response.</p>
<p>
With respect to this particular set of laws, and in the absence of any aggravating circumstances, I would say yes.</p>
<p>I cannot believe what people are saying. It’s not about the drug-user’s well being (unless you are their family, I suppose). I am very glad someone reported them. Maybe it will make other people think twice about doing it, and maybe there would be less of a drug culture on college campuses if more people did it. If I were ever in this position, I would absolutely report them to the police. Good for the guy who reported them.</p>
<p>Really shocked that this got police attention–most have been a slow night in Hanover unless they suspected dealing was going on too. I’d bet this gets reduced to a minor infraction with just a fine. Most people I knew in the 70’s at least tried coke. And that was in business school.</p>
<p>I guess many of those supporting the drug users are happy that the Lacrosse team didn’t say anything about George Huguely.</p>
<p>With all due respect to the 60s/80s, I can’t help but think that these students have been given so much in life. How hard would it be to keep your nose clean?</p>
<p>Doing drugs in the living room of a fraternity or sorority house puts the entire chapter at risk. It is possible that there were plenty of warnings internally through the fraternity. It is possible the chapter was on probation. It is possible that there was a huge risk to many due to the actions of a few. If the chapter was at risk of being kicked off campus, a brother may have been compelled to report what sounded like blatant open use. My guess is that the chapter was already on probation, and these students said to hell with it and were openly using anyway.</p>
<p>Well, your guess is as good as mine, but that sure wouldn’t be my guess. One of these guys was VP of the chapter, and on some fancy-shmancy College alumni-liaison committee. (See link in jonri’s post above.) I don’t think they considered themselves outlaws, or thought their behavior was outside community norms. Someone else obviously disagreed.</p>
<p>Someone said that the Hanover police chief has been itching to bust Dartmouth frat boys? What’s that about?</p>