Today’s dismissal of the 11 counts will allow federal authorities the opportunity to review them to see if they should be prosecuted in federal court, said Tehama County Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Skilliman.

If not, he said, the Tehama County district attorney’s office still has the option of refiling the charges at a later date.

Endicott was arrested in 2006 in North Bend, Ore., on suspicion of molesting an 11-year-old Corning boy, and subsequently he was charged with molesting a number of other children. Endicott, who at one time was charged with 33 criminal counts, was represented by Redding defense attorney Eric Berg.

Even though Alpha Chi was able to recruit about a dozen new pledges this semester, the local sorority is still following through with its civil rights lawsuit against Chico State.

With a small group of Alpha Chi members in tow, attorney Eric Berg presented more arguments last week claiming that the sisters’ civil rights were violated after the university put the kibosh on their use of campus facilities.

The lawsuit stems from the sorority’s getting kicked off campus in August for bringing in new pledges after a fall recruitment ban imposed by Chico State President Paul Zingg.

Attorney Eric Berg, sporting a green suit and ponytail, stood before Butte County Superior Judge Thomas Kelly, explaining why a hearing for the Alpha Chi sorority scheduled for late February should be held sooner.

Berg contended that the sorority could suffer “irreparable injury” by not being able to set up tables on campus as classes were scheduled to resume earlier this week.

Alpha Chi, the oldest sorority at Chico State, was temporarily suspended from campus last semester for attempting to recruit pledges after President Paul Zingg ordered the establishment of 59 recommendations that members of the local Greek system must follow in order to maintain university recognition, including the halting of recruitment during the fall semester.

CHICO, Calif.—A sorority is challenging its ban from Chico State University for violating recruiting rules, saying the rules violate the members’ civil rights.

The Alpha Chi sorority lost its university recognition when it attempted to recruit new members at the beginning of the fall semester. The ban on fraternity and sorority rush practices was among 59 regulations established by the university after the hazing death of a student in February.

The sorority’s alumni association has hired a lawyer, who said Wednesday that the university has no right to enforce any such regulations.

Banning the women from recruiting on campus violates their freedom of speech and assembly under the First Amendment, attorney Eric Berg said. It also threatens the organization’s existence because it relies on financial support from new members, he said.