Frat Brothers Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Hazing

Parents Forum
1

<p>From CNN:
"TALLAHASSEE, Florida (AP) -- Two fraternity brothers who paddled a pledge with wooden canes received a two-year prison term each Monday from a judge who said she wanted to send a message with the state's first prosecution under a felony hazing law.</p>

<p>Florida A&M University students Michael Morton, 23, of Fort Lauderdale, and Jason Harris, 25, of Jacksonville, were led from the courtroom in handcuffs, as was Harris' lawyer, Richard Keith Alan II, who was charged with indirect criminal contempt.</p>

<p>The students were charged with hazing Marcus Jones, 20, of Decatur, Georgia, who suffered a broken ear drum and severe bruising to his buttocks after he was punched and struck with wooden canes.</p>

<p>Morton was accused of paddling Jones while Harris urged the pledge to take the paddling and revived him when he passed out.</p>

<p>Circuit Judge Kathleen Dekker said that one year might have been sufficient to punish Morton and Harris but that she added a second year to make sure that their sentences serve as a deterrent.</p>

<p>A jury in December convicted both under the new law, which makes it a felony to participate in hazing that results in serious bodily injury...."<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/01/29/florida.hazing.ap/index.html"&gt;http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/01/29/florida.hazing.ap/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Based on the below story on the Tallahassee Democrat's web site today, seems there's a lot of need for deterrents in Florida.</p>

<p>"FSU, TCC students charged with hazing</p>

<p>By TaMaryn Waters
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER </p>

<p>The four students were arrested after 31 pledges of the Florida State chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity were found in a crawl space under an off-campus house on Bonnie Drive early Saturday morning, authorities said.</p>

<p>Maj. Jim Russell of the Florida State University Police Department said they received a complaint of possible hazing, so an FSU patrol officer went to the area in an unmarked car.</p>

<p>"(The officer) heard what seemed like screaming from the back of the house," Russell said, reading from the probable-cause affidavit. </p>

<p>The FSU officer called the Tallahassee Police Department for assistance. Russell said officers approached the home and "several men fled on foot."</p>

<p>Police were able to capture four men. Upon further investigation, 31 pledges were found wearing sweat pants and white T-shirts with profanity and vulgarity written on them.</p>

<p>Russell said officers reported it was 30 degrees outside during the time of the arrests...." <a href="http://tdo.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070129/BREAKINGNEWS/701290334%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://tdo.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070129/BREAKINGNEWS/701290334&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

2

<p>I just don't understand. Both fraternities' websites claim that they do not haze. </p>

<p>The Sigma Phi Epsilon thing must be a big mistake. I'm sure they were just helping the 31 pledges become "Balanced Men".</p>

3

<p>As a fraternity member, this behavior disgusts me, and I think the sentences were appropriate. I hope that similar behaviors which are becoming increasingly common on athletic teams will be treated similarly. </p>

<p>Fraternity chapters (not the international organizations) will eventually haze themselves to extinction. Unfortunately, the regional and campus differences as to what is considered "normal" treatment of new members means that some areas of the country will continue to deal with this problem while others Greek Communities can focus on other things. The end of drastic hazing came very early on my alma mater's campus, and it's easy to see the results - the All Fraternity GPA is .2 of a point higher than the All-men's GPA, Greeks are overrepresented (in proportion to their % of the student body) on all campus organizations except the school paper, and no less than 7 of 19 chapters won their organization's top chapter award at their respective most recent Inter/national conventions.</p>

4

<p>I have to say, things were pretty wild during my husband's college days as a SigEp; but he has been pretty impressed with the Balanced Man program. I would hope this is an isolated incident and proper steps taken to make sure it doesn't happen again. </p>

<p>(Reporting also seems a bit sketchy. Two of the men arrested were from FSU and the others from a nearby community college. Were they all actives?)</p>

5

<p>Bigredmed - And, your fraternity accepted all who wanted to join?</p>

<p>I wonder what employers think of fraternity memberships these days. If I saw a resume that highlighted a fraternity membership I would have a hard time hiring that person even though my son is in a fraternity. It would speak volumes to me about that person's values, self-perception, independence, maturity and strength of character. I know Bigredmed you will not be happy with these comments but I am being honest. If you can't be your own person and you live and believe in a system that effectively rejects people based on social status, you cannot really relate to others well or provide the kind of independent thinking and tolerance that will be an asset in most work settings. I do hire and I would have a hard time getting past the lifestyle choice of a fraternity or the mindset that prompted the interest and persistent desire to join.</p>

6

<p>Oh, meant to say that hazing goes on in all but Bigredmed's (smile) fraternity in some form. Even having pledges clean the floor, be the designated driver at any hour, carry books, etc., is a form of hazing. Parents who believe the website information also believe that their students tell them everything (smile)!!</p>

7

<p>It's a good thing that there are employers who consciously DO hire Greek members as opposed to the nonGreeks to balance out the anti-Greek folks. I would much rather hire a GLO member who had multiple leadership offices. Greek members learn to work together within the New Member class. They are better team players and are more loyal to companies. Greek membership also speaks "volumes to me about that person's values, self-perception, independence, maturity and strength of character." Obviously I am hearing something else in the speech.</p>

<p>I moved to a city in the South upon college graduation due to my new H's job. I didn't know anyone and had only the typical job experience from summer employment. What got my foot in the door and ultimately my first job offers was NOT my diploma from my "tier one nationally ranked university", it was my membership in my sorority.</p>

8

<p>OMG, to quote the kids, that is precisely why Greek organizations are so discouraging. It's an old boys' network that perpetuates class and social comfort/security. Going back to how students become frat members - are we saying that rush is a good pre-screener for job performance and new hires re: paid positions? I think it is sad that your Ivy League diploma wasn't enough to get you in the door but wouldn't it feel better to know that your skills and competencies were what got you in the door over your social club membership? I don't mean to be harsh but geez, no wonder it is such a struggle to improve diversity.</p>

9

<p>Just today, there was a column in my alma mater's student newspaper in which a representative of the college's intrafraternity council talked about the efforts that had been made this year to increase the safety of the rush process (remember, this is just rush, not pledging). The conclusion was that the efforts had been a success. The reason for this conclusion was that only two kids ended up having to be treated at the local hospital this year, compared to 12 the year before.</p>

<p>How delightful! Kids are ending up in the hospital during rush. Heaven only knows what happens after they actually pledge!</p>

10

<p>
[quote]
As a fraternity member, this behavior disgusts me, and I think the sentences were appropriate. I hope that similar behaviors which are becoming increasingly common on athletic teams will be treated similarly. </p>

<p>Fraternity chapters (not the international organizations) will eventually haze themselves to extinction.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>This is a remarkable statement from a fraternity member. It should be applauded.</p>

<p>The issue is not that fraternities should be disbanded, but that they should eliminate every egregious behavior and endorse zero tolerance plans. When fraternities defend themselves --or through well meaning elders-- they ALWAYS present all the good they do. So, why not let them focus SOLELY on the "good" and FORCE them to abandon their practices that range from plain savagery to criminal misconduct. </p>

<p>In the meantime, while lip service is shared ad nauseam, students are dying at the hands of "leaders" who are barely a few months older than their victims. Unfortunately, if the frats refuse to see the writing on the wall, there isn't much to do than throwing the baby out with the bathwater.</p>

11

<p>"The conclusion was that the efforts had been a success. The reason for this conclusion was that only two kids ended up having to be treated at the local hospital this year, compared to 12 the year before."</p>

<p>Hope the effort wasn't directed to keep the kids out of the hospital. That COULD be dangerous!</p>

12

<p>I hadn't thought of that, mini. You make a very good point.</p>