DATE: Friday, September 19, 1997            TAG: 9709190836

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A7   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 

DATELINE: CHARLESTON, S.C.                  LENGTH:   28 lines

SECOND WOMAN SUES CITADEL, SAYING CADETS HAZED HER

A woman who left The Citadel sued six male cadets Thursday, accusing them of allowing her to be assaulted, sexually harassed and denied food and sleep.

Former Citadel cadet Kim Messer and her parents are seeking unspecified damages from the cadets, who, the lawsuit said, were responsible because of their ranks in the company to which she was assigned last fall.

Messer and Jeanie Mentavlos left the formerly all-male state military college in January, alleging they were hazed and harassed.

Earlier this month, Mentavlos sued in federal court, alleging that male cadets made her the object of pornography, and sexually harassed her in violation of her civil rights.

In Messer's state court lawsuit, she alleges she suffered injuries including stress fractures to her pelvis, bruises, abrasions, first-degree burns, deprivation of food, deprivation of sleep, nervousness and humiliation.

The lawsuit also alleges that the cadets broke Citadel training rules and cost Messer's family money for tuition, books, uniforms and other supplies.

The school disciplined 14 male cadets as a result of the women's accusations. State investigators and the FBI also were called in, but a local prosecutor said there were no grounds to bring charges.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu