It does not take much to trigger a mother’s protective nature. Drugs, murder, rape and other extremes may not always seem realistic, but they definitely cross her mind once a child leaves her safety.

For one SDSU student’s mother, rape became more than an unrealistic possibility.

“You worry about those things as a parent, and then when it actually happens …”

The mother trailed off.

In spring 2010, Chris Jones raped and robbed three female students on campus and was arrested April 20. “Janet Smith’s” daughter was the second victim.

Now, after Jones has been charged with three counts of rape and one count of kidnapping, and was sentenced to 80 years in state prison, Janet is ready to talk about the experience.

“Trisha Smith”, the victim, called her mother the night she was attacked.

“Unfortunately she called me in the middle of the night, so I did not hear the phone ring,” Janet said.

Janet saw she had a voice mail in the morning.

“I had a message that she had been robbed and assaulted 8212; she was obviously in tears,” Janet said.

Janet did not want to discuss specific details of what happened the night of the attack, and Trisha was not ready to comment.

“She was happy to be alive &- happy he didn’t kill her,” Janet said. “She just wanted to get on with her life.”

Trisha asked Janet to stay with her overnight after it happened.

When she was with Trisha, Janet couldn’t believe the comments she heard from the other women on the floor.

“The way that the girls talked 8212; it was like it was a joke,” Janet said.

She said she and Trisha overheard people saying things like “Why wouldn’t you fight back?” and “How could you do nothing?”

“These girls need some education about what it means to get raped and have a knife put to your throat,” Janet said.

While she felt disrespect from other women, Janet said she was very impressed with the SDSU men, especially with the Safe Walk Brigade, a group on Facebook created for “letting people know they have options to walk safe at night.” On the wall, men post their phone numbers so women know who they can call for an escort.

“The guys on campus 8212; they were great,” she said. “They came together and just wanted to protect the girls on campus.”

Janet had some issues with the security measures the university took. After the first attack, the university did not inform anyone about it.

“I was really, really disappointed when I got [on campus], and there were not any notifications,” Janet said. “I went to the restroom, and here’s all these different flyers [promoting different events on campus]. Well, what a good spot.”

Janet talked to SDSUPD officers, telling them her concerns, and flyers were put up the day after Trisha’s assault.

“I’m not trying to take credit for this, but [Officer Cora Olson] told me that me thinking about it is what got [the notifications] going,” Janet said. “I was very upset that this is not what happened after the first incident.”

Trisha told her mother that she would have taken more safety precautions had she fully realized what the situation was.

“… had the warnings about the attacks been up, she told me, “Mom, I wouldn’t have gone out alone that night,” Janet said.

Janet said she understands the reasoning for not publicizing rapes, but safety should be a priority.

“I think the university shouldn’t be as worried about the publicity of the situation as much as the safety of the students,” Janet said.

In April, Bob Otterson, executive assistant to the president, said university officials acted in way they thought served students best.

“University officials made decisions with the best information available at the time, and we will continue to keep the safety and well-being of our students and employees top-of-mind,” Otterson said at the time.

Now, Janet hopes future university investments will include more security cameras.

Overall, Janet was happy with how SDSUPD handled the situation.

Trisha now takes more precautions on campus and is more aware of the dangers that exist.

“She doesn’t like being outside alone at night and tries to avoid those situations,” Janet said. “… I’ve been told that the campus police will give escorts any time. Girls should be using those services.”

Trisha is still dealing with what happened in April and is in counseling now.

Janet said Trisha is handling everything well.

“I was really glad she wanted to stay in school,” she said. “I think a lot of it has been support from family. She knows me and her dad are here anytime she needs us.”

Janet said she and Trisha’s father have been with Trisha through everything, and they are recovering now, too.

“We’re doing alright,” she said. “It’s hard … After it’s happened, I think you tend to worry more. It’s hard to deal with that because you feel pretty helpless as a parent.”

The National Institute of Justice, which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice, reported research that found “one of six U.S. women … has experienced an attempted or completed rape,” and this is four times more likely for college age women.

“If I had some advice … it’s to stop and think a little bit,” Janet said. “Be aware that there are plenty of people out there who have been victims.”

Janet and Trisha Smith are false names used to protect the sources’ privacy.

Rebecca Diamond, a former SDSU student, pleaded guilty to false reporting and was sentenced with a $500 fine.

In December, she reported to the SDSU Police Department that she was sexually assaulted, and then later repealed the report. She appeared in court Jan. 10 and was sentenced with a $500 dollar fine.

Along with the fine, Diamond was sentenced to 90 days in jail with 85 days suspended.

Clyde Calhoon, Brookings County states attorney, said Diamond has served her five days, and the conditions on which the days are suspended are that she must “remain law-abiding” and “contribute 50 hours of community service.”

Diamond will have a restitution hearing Feb. 14.

“That’s when the court is going to determine what, if anything, she is going to pay for the unnecessary expense to the university,” Calhoon said.

In response to Diamond’s initial report, the university took action to inform students, faculty members and the community about the potential dangers on campus. These actions included posting flyers around campus, locking the doors to the residence halls, sending out electronic notifications and publishing news releases.

Bob Otterson, executive assistant to the president, said while less than $100 was spent on the flyers, there was a significant cost in other areas.

“I would say time is the biggest cost,” Otterson said. “When issues arise that demand our immediate attention, then other things don’t get done.”

Diamond was contacted several times and did not want to comment.

Four days after filing a sexual assault report on Dec. 2, an SDSU student told a university police officer that the assault did not occur.

The student’s name has not been released, and whether or not she will be charged is currently unknown.

“Any time that you give false information [to the police], you can be charged,” Brookings Sheriff Marty Stanwick said. “Now if she’s going to be charged on that, I don’t know.”

Bob Otterson, executive assistant to the president, said that “the police consider the investigation closed,” and that any potential charges are not up to the university.

“It really is a decision for the Brookings County States Attorney,” Otterson said.

The university sent an email to all students’ school e-mail accounts to notify them when the assault was reported and when it was repealed.

“After the first email, it was kind of scary,” said Brianna Pfeffer, a freshman health promotions major. “After the second, it was kind of ridiculous.”

Senior theater major Dan Amen, who is one of the creators of the SDSU Safe Walk Brigade, said he was pleased with how the university dealt with the situation.

“I was glad they got the information out about the guy right away,” Amen said.

The Safe Walk Brigade was created in response to the sexual assaults committed on campus last spring. On Facebook, the description of the group says it is for “letting people know they have options to walk safe at night.” On the wall, SDSU men post their phone numbers so women know who they can call for an escort.

Amen said the group has been active this semester.

“I know I still get called maybe once a month or so,” Amen said.

Amen said the group was created as an addition to the university’s safety provisions.

“Although this was an unfounded report, students and employees should continue practicing routine personal safety precautions,” said Marysz Rames, vice president for Student Affairs, in an email to students Dec. 7. “The University Police Department offers a 24-hour escort service throughout campus seven days a week.”

Kaitlin Gleason, a sophomore pre-nursing major, said she avoids walking alone.

“If I don’t find anyone to go with, I probably just won’t go,” Gleason said.

With the information that has been provided, many are upset with the student who created the false scare.

“Why would you make something up, especially with what happened last year?” said RaLeah Held, a sophomore pre-nursing major.

Danielle Schuch, a freshman pre-nursing major, agreed.

“It surprised me that somebody would make something up like that,” Schuch said. “Who thinks of that?”

Amen was bothered by the whole situation.

“I was pretty upset about it because one of my friends was one of the victims from the first round,” Amen said. “Then when I heard that this girl was making it up, I was even more pissed at her. I don’t understand why someone would do that, but then again I don’t know why someone would assault someone either.”

Stanwick said that although there is a possibility that the student will face charges, not all the facts are known.

“There might be some circumstances I’m not aware of,” Stanwick said. “There might be a valid reason.”

BROOKINGS, S.D. 8212; South Dakota State University officials this morning notified students and

employees that the University Police Department has closed its investigation of a reported sexual assault

made last Thursday night, Dec. 2.

At the conclusion of an interview with a university police investigator on Monday afternoon, the student

who filed the initial report told the officer that the alleged confrontation and physical contact did not

occur.

The Tuesday morning campus-wide electronic notices reminded students and employees to continue

practicing routine personal safety precautions, even in light of an unfounded report.

Christopher L. Jones, the man responsible for three violent sexual assaults, was sentenced Nov. 9 to 80 concurrent years in state penitentiary for three second-degree rapes and one kidnapping that occurred in Brookings last spring.

The 202 days Jones served in the Brookings County Jail will count toward his sentence. He will be eligible for parole in approximately 51 years.

“He is a narcissistic, violent animal who has no remorse for what he has done,” said Clyde Calhoon, Brookings County states attorney, at the sentencing. “A violent animal like that needs to be put in a cage; the defendant needs to be put in a cage.”

Jones’ attorney Rick Ribstein said he disagreed with Calhoon’s statement, and that Jones was not the “animal” Calhoon portrayed him to be.

“[Jones] is remorseful and feels bad about what he has done … he asks these young women for their forgiveness,” Ribstein said.

Jones later stood and apologized to the courtroom.

“In the past several months, I have had a lot of time to sit and think about my decisions… I would like to apologize for showing a lack of respect to [the victims], and invading their personal space both physically and emotionally,” Jones said in his apology. “… I have younger sisters, and I am ashamed and embarrassed of what I did.”

In Jones’ final statement he said he “sincerely apologized,” and he knew “words don’t heal all wounds” but he hopes that one day they could forgive him.

The first victim will receive $872.41 in restitution, the second will receive $829.19, and the third will receive $1,043.60. He will also pay $104 in court fees for each count.

According to Ribstein, Jones wrote letters of apology to each of the three women he attacked.

Ribstein also made other arguments in the defense’s favor.

“[Jones] did cooperate from the beginning, and I think the court should take that into consideration,” Ribstein said. “He is a bright, young individual and has caused no problems since his arrest and has had no prior convictions.”

Jones was ordered to undergo a psychosexual evaluation and was not found to have any redeeming qualities or characteristics, according to Calhoon.

The evaluation found Jones to be in the 95th percentile of being at the risk of re-offending and in the 81st percentile in regards to having violent characteristics. He is also a borderline schizophrenic and a psychopath, Calhoon said.

“Put that together with a man that is the 95th percentile of committing a crime again and you have an individual that is very, very dangerous,” Calhoon said in court. “In my 36 years as a prosecutor … I can’t remember any investigation that left me as cold as this one did. I don’t believe the defendant has any compassion or remorse whatsoever …”

The crimes Jones committed were spread out over three weeks last spring. The first two occurred on campus near Hilton M. Briggs Library and in the parking lot near Young and Caldwell residence halls on March 29 and April 7, respectively. The third and final incident, which involved the kidnapping, happened off campus early morning April 20. Jones was arrested later that same day. During all three assaults, Jones was armed with a knife and demanded money from the women.

“What he did to these three young ladies will affect them for the rest of their lives,” Calhoon said as he asked the court to take that into consideration when sentencing.

“This man put the community of Brookings in fear and continued to do so until he was apprehended,” Calhoon said. “The continuum of crimes became more and more violent on the ladies assaulted, and this defendant did not stop. We stopped it.”

Jones pleaded guilty to the rapes and kidnapping on Sept. 30. In exchange for Jones’ four guilty pleas, the two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of attempted robbery, as well as the additional rape charges that were originally brought against him were dismissed.

Jones has no connection to the university and had recently moved from Omaha, Neb., to Brookings at the time of his arrest, and was living with his girlfriend.

#1.1655932:2266018574.jpg:Chris Jones:Chris Jones:File Photo

If you see a monkey suit anywhere, let Aramark know. Their’s is missing.

Aramark’s Jam program lost its mascot during an early orientation session this past summer, and it has not been seen since.

Jam Rewards is a program implemented on college campuses to rewards students for eating on campus. As students use their meal plans they can be entered into sweepstakes and drawings for cash prizes as well as other things like gift cards and music downloads.

Sarah Bunde, marketing manager of Aramark, said after an orientation session, Amy Warren, director of operations, took off the suit and put it in a durable blue-gray bag in Java City located in The Union. That was the last time JaMonkey was seen.

“That blue-gray bag was huge,” said Andrew LaFrance, former Java City employee. “It looked like a body bag.”

An unlocked door may have been a part of JaMonkey’s disappearance.

“The [Java City] door was not always securely locked this summer,” Bunde said.

LaFrance said after Java City closed someone could have snooped around, seen the unlocked door and taken the suit.

“After Aramark told us about the missing suit, I checked and didn’t notice anything else missing,” he said. “I even counted the tea bags.”

Aramark did not suspect foul play regarding JaMonkey, at first.

Bunde said because of the flooding and construction this summer, they were not sure if the suit had been lost in the shuffle or if theft was involved. After checking all of the possible locations JaMonkey could have been, Aramark came to the conclusion that it was a stolen.

“We have not been very aggressive with the search,” Bunde said. “We were hoping the honor system would pull through.”

Aramark sent flyers to all of the SDSU dining location managers, such as the C-Store, The Market, Larson Commons and Medary Commons.

“Fifteen minutes after a flyer was put up at the C-Store, [the flyer] was gone,” Bunde said.

While various theories of what happened to JaMonkey have surfaced, LaFrance has a few ideas of his own, and thinks the suit is long gone.

Lafrance said he thinks someone either took the suit as a joke to show friends, sold it on eBay or wanted to take something back from Aramark because of how much money students are forced to spend on food.

“I think it is in someone’s garage,” said Chase Bennett, a sophomore computer science major. “I think someone stole it to use as a prank.”

If anyone has any information about JaMonkey, please call 605-929-8112.

There is a $100 reward.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month is being focused on at SDSU throughout October. Campus Women’s Coalition is hosting various events for it.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the SDSU Campus Women’s Coalition is setting up an event in hopes to bring awareness across campus.

The project will feature 13 mannequins, or silent witnesses, placed on Main Avenue in Brookings and each have a different domestic abuse story written on them.

This idea originated in Minneapolis, Minn., in early 1990s. There were 26 women, each having their own personal story, and a 27th woman to represent all of the untold stories of domestic abuse.

The women marched to St. Paul, Minn., carrying a wooden cutout of a female figure with plaques on their chests. The plaques contained the women’s individual stories on them.

The Campus Women’s Coalition will be holding their Domestic Violence Awareness event from Oct. 12-15 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

“I think it’s important for young women to learn about domestic violence because I think that it’s an issue that more people have experience with than we would like to believe,” said Christine Garst-Santos, advisor of the Campus Women’s Coalition. “It’s Important for women to know that there are resources there for them and that they are not alone.”

Domestic violence can be identified as a variety of things. It can range from physical abuse to psychological abuse. A victim can be frightened, hurt, injured and in some instances killed from the abuse.

“This sounds like an event that everyone on campus would be interested in,” freshman Megan Merwin said. “I think it’s an important topic that everyone should know about.”

Young women can get information at this event about what are okay behaviors in a relationship versus what are red-flag behaviors that could lead to future domestic violence.

“Domestic violence should not happen to anybody, but unfortunately it does8212;and it will continue to happen if people continue to remain silent,” said Molly Miles, president of Women’s Coalition. “While women are often the victims of domestic violence, we think it is equally important that men also learn about domestic and intimate violence.”

The Campus Women’s Coalition stresses the importance for all members of society, both male and female to become informed about domestic violence.

“It’s about building social intolerance toward domestic violence, and in order to do that we think everyone needs to be involved,” Miles said.

The type of events and awareness The Women’s Coalition is involved with holds great significance for college age women just emerging into the world and finding out who it is they want to be.

“It’s important to learn about domestic violence because I think college is a time when people are experiencing their first long-term relationship,” Garst-Santos said. “We want to get out information about healthy relationships. Sometimes people feel silly saying my boyfriend did this or this. Hopefully we’ll get the information out there and they can always call the domestic violence shelter.”

There will be members of the coalition at the event as well as volunteers from the Domestic Violence Shelter. Both groups will be available for information about relationship warnings that lead to domestic abuse. Individuals may also talk to both groups about a personal experience and get advice about what to do.

People can reach help through the National Domestic Violence Hot line (1-800-799-SAFE [7233] or TTY 1-800-787-3224). Help is available to callers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There is also local help through the Brookings Domestic Abuse Shelter at 1-888-643-5400.

The trial for the man charged for last spring’s rapes, robberies and kidnapping begins Oct. 4. at 1:30 p.m. at the Brookings County Courthouse.

Chris L. Jones pleaded not guilty to five counts of second-degree rape, two counts of first-degree robbery, one count of kidnapping and attempted robbery in connection to three sexual assaults that occurred in Brookings.

The sexual assaults, two of which occurred on SDSU’s campus, began March 29 and ended April 21 with the arrest of Jones.

Jones had no connection to the university at the time of his arrest and had recently moved from Omaha, Neb., to Brookings. He was living with his girlfriend.

After three violent sexual assaults occurred in Brookings last spring, two on campus and one off, students breathe a sigh of relief after an arrest was made but remain cautious.

Lindsey Reid, a senior math major said after hearing of the assaults she now thinks twice before walking alone at night.

“I still feel safe at SDSU but before the assaults I would walk home at midnight by myself and now I would probably rather have someone with me,” Reid said.

Chris L. Jones, a 21-year-old Brookings man, was arrested on April 20 facing charges of rape, robbery and kidnapping in connection with three reported sexual assaults in the Brookings community in late March and April.

Brookings Police Chief Jeff Miller called Jones a “serial rapist” at the time of his arrest and said that he had become more emboldened with every assault he committed.

Miller said, Jones, who is not a student, confessed to the two on-campus assaults and the off-campus kidnapping, rape and robbery that occurred April 20.

“I feel safe on campus because even when it was going on (before the arrest) a lot of the guys on campus were really supportive with walking girls,” said Alicia Davidson, a sophomore general studies major. “The rape whistles that the dorms gave out were also kind of reassuring.”

The two campus assaults of a sexual nature occurred on March 29 and April 7, both shortly after midnight. The first incident happened near the Hilton M. Briggs Library, while the second was in a parking lot near Young and Caldwell residence halls.

“I was relieved when they arrested (Jones) because it seemed like it wasn’t stopping,” Reid said.

Some campus women believe that although independence is important, “common sense” is as well.

“I don’t usually walk alone at night anyway even before it happened,” said Elizabeth Bosworth a junior biology and chemistry major. “It’s generally not a good idea to walk in the dark on a college campus anyway.”

Jones is being charged with one felony count of kidnapping, five counts of second-degree rape, two counts of first-degree robbery, and one count of attempted robbery.

He faces a possible life sentence on the kidnapping charge, and maximum penalties that include multiple years in prison and more than $100,000 in fines.

Even after the serious incidents occurred, some campus women say SDSU still feels safe.

“I feel safe, I wasn’t even that concerned for my safety when it was going on,” said Casi Huizenga, a junior mechanical engineering major. “I guess I just always kind of feel pretty calm about it and don’t freak out about that kind of stuff.”

Jones’ next court appearance will be Oct. 3 at 1:30 p.m. at the Brookings County Court House.