Alexander Broughton had never heard of "butt-chugging."
That's what the 20-year-old UT logistics major claimed Tuesday in the wake of the media frenzy surrounding the Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) fraternity and the loss of its charter.
The fraternity was kicked off campus Friday after underage members participated in a "Tour de Franzia" party, where they competed in teams to rapidly polish off boxes of wine.
Broughton has accepted responsibility for excessive alcohol consumption that led to his hospitalization with a BAC above .4 but denies the alleged use of an alcohol enema.
"I made a bad choice regarding drinking," Broughton said. "The scandalous accusations surrounding that event never happened and I completely deny them. The inaccurate reporting this past week has caused me to question institutions that most of us accept as truthful."
He appeared with his fraternity brothers and his attorney, Dan McGehee, in an afternoon press conference in front of the Torchbearer.
"This entire media frenzy has been caused by the people I am standing before today," McGehee said to the local media outlets present. "Shame on you for having reported lies and incorrect information about my client."
Broughton said that neither he nor any of his brothers have ever engaged in "butt-chugging."
"At this point my intent is to clear my name, my fraternity's name and to punish those individuals and institutions responsible for the lies that have been spread around the world," Broughton said.
McGehee, who is also the fraternity advisor and a PIKE alumnus, said he was at the hospital on the morning after the incident. He specifically asked Broughton if he had been "butt-chugging."
"He looked at me like I had lost my mind, and said 'What is that?,'" McGehee said. "That is the first time he had heard of 'butt-chugging.'"
McGehee said that he would be pursuing legal action on behalf of his client. When asked by reporters on-scene about the events of the night of Sept. 21, Broughton provided few details.
"It's a long story," Broughton said.