Okla. student who led racist chant meets black leaders

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY

A former University of Oklahoma fraternity member caught on video leading a racist chant said Wednesday he’s deeply sorry for his role in the incident and upset and embarrassed that he failed to stop it.

Flanked by several black Oklahoma City community leaders, including pastors and civil-rights activists, Levi Pettit publicly apologized after a meeting he had with civic leaders at a Baptist church on the city’s predominantly black northeast side.

“Some have wondered why I hadn’t spoken out publicly. The truth is I have had a mix of pain, shame, sorrow and fear over the consequences of my actions,” said Pettit, whose voice quivered slightly as he spoke. “I did not want to apologize to the press or to the whole country until I first came to apologize to those most directly impacted.”

Pettit, who is from the Dallas area, and several other members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at the university were caught on video engaging in the chant that referenced lynching and used a racial slur to describe how African-Americans would never become members.

Pettit answered a few questions from reporters but declined to say who taught him the chant or where he learned it.

“The truth is what was said in that chant is disgusting ... and after meeting with these people, I’ve learned these words should never be repeated,” Pettit said.