Florida A&M band members charged with manslaughter

[joeybee12]

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Prosecutors are charging 12 former Florida A&M University band members with manslaughter in the 2011 hazing death of a drum major.

Robert Champion died as a result of a hazing ritual, largely due to a culture that Florida A&M's administration and band leaders failed to end, writes Mike Fish. Story

Ten of the band members had been charged last May with felony hazing for the death of 26-year-old Robert Champion, but prosecutors said Monday they are raising the charges to manslaughter. They also have charged two additional defendants with manslaughter.

Champion died in Orlando in November of 2011 after he collapsed following what prosecutors say was a savage beating during a hazing ritual. The incident allegedly happened on a bus parked in a hotel parking lot after Florida A&M played Bethune-Cookman in their annual rivalry football game.

Authorities say Champion had bruises on his chest, arms, shoulder and back and died of internal bleeding. Witnesses told emergency dispatchers that the drum major was vomiting before he was found unresponsive aboard the bus.


http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/9016312/florida-rattlers-former-band-members-charged-manslaughter-hazing-case

[MineralMan]

1. Good. They can face a jury.

That was an ugly, ugly thing and more typical of the kind of stuff that happens than most of us know.

[reformist2]

2. Has anyone ever suggested a ZERO TOLERANCE policy on hazing?!

And for every death we hear about, there are probably a dozen hospitalizations due to injury or alcohol poisoning. I'd even propose a reward for whistleblowing, giving some incentive to a newbie who might not otherwise want to rat out his supposed "friends."