The University of Mississippi chapter of the national Sigma Phi Epsilon has been shut down after three of its members stood accused of tying a noose around the neck of a statue commemorating James Meredith.

Meredith was the first black student to ever attend Ole Miss and his statue on campus was found in Feb. with a noose around its neck and a Confederate flag draped over it. According to the Associated Press, the names of the three suspects have not been released, but they were kicked out of the school's chapter. Based in Richmond, Va., the Sigma Phi Epsilon national organization has announced the school's chapter will be closed.

The FBI has been investigating and the school is still weighing disciplinary action, but the Lafayette Country District Attorney said there will be no criminal charges. Since the statue was not impaired or broken in any way, prosecutors could not even raise a vandalism charge.

Ole Miss' Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter had caused problems before, both with the school and with the national organization. This incident was just the latest in a string of underage drinking, hazing and other violations of school and fraternity rules.

"We are disappointed that a pattern of bad behavior and serious, inexcusable hazing occurred within the chapter," Sparky Reardon, Ole Miss dean of students, said in a statement to the AP. "Periodic reports from and meetings with local alumni and national headquarters led us to believe that the chapter was improving."

Brian Warren, Sigma Phi Epsilon CEO, agreed, stating repeated behavior such as this cannot go unpunished.

"Though it's always painful to close a chapter, these students' actions clearly illustrate a determination to perpetuate an experience based on risky and unconstructive behavior,"

he said in a statement.

When Meredith first walked onto campus in 1962, anti-integration protestors attacked authorities in a bloody battle that left two dead and countless injured. Ole Miss has been trying to shake the "Old South" image ever since, banning Confederate flags at football games, replacing their Colonel Reb mascot with a black bear and more.

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