THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 7, 1996 TAG: 9608070407
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A13 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: THE BALTIMORE SUN
DATELINE: ANNAPOLIS, MD. LENGTH: 27 lines
The U.S. Naval Academy announced Tuesday that it was expelling 15 midshipmen for drug offenses, the final toll of the worst drug scandal at the academy in more than 20 years.
Those implicated used LSD and marijuana, said Lt. Scott Allen, an academy spokesman. He said that 10 were members of this year's class, two were juniors and three were sophomores. Twelve of those who are to be expelled are men and three are women.
Besides those whose expulsions were announced Tuesday, five other midshipmen - four senior men and a sophomore woman - were court-martialed this spring for using and selling LSD and marijuana, and each received either suspended prison sentences or jail terms.
The expulsions must be approved by Navy Secretary John H. Dalton.
The drug scandal was part of a rash of wrongdoing during the past year that included a car theft ring, breaking and entering, and allegations of sexual misconduct. They spurred Adm. Charles R. Larson, the academy's superintendent, to order an unprecedented weeklong ``stand down'' so the midshipmen could focus on their performance. by CNB