Two FAMU faculty members who were investigated for possible
ties to a hazing incident have submitted their resignations.
Anthony E. Simons III (pictured left), assistant professor
of music for euphonium and tuba, and Diron T. Holloway (pictured right), associate professor of
music and director of clarinets and saxophones, stepped down last week after receiving
official notices stating that they would be terminated effective April 26. They
both chose to resign before that date.
"Technically, they didn't have much ground to fight it
(because of Florida labor laws), but they continue to deny the allegations,"
attorney Mutaqee Akbar told the Tallahassee Democrat.
FAMU placed Simons and Holloway on administrative leave with
pay on March 28. According to the written notice sent to the faculty members,
that administrative action occurred due to “allegations of misconduct and/or
incompetence involving reports and allegations of hazing within the Department
of Music and the Marching ‘100.’”
The Associated Press reported that “State Attorney Willie
Meggs' office declined to prosecute because of uncertainty by the witnesses
over when the hazing happened. There's only a two-year statute of limitations
for misdemeanor hazing. It's three years for felony hazing, but that requires
proof of great bodily harm, which wasn't present in this case.”
Tallahassee Police Department Officer Shane Porter, who investigated the
alleged hazing incident, said a Tallahassee Democrat article about the case
might have negatively affected his attempts to contact suspects and witnesses.