Summary: Courts are cracking down on those involved in hazing incidents, not allowing the brutal ritual that leads to the death and humiliation of members to be ignored anymore.
Dozens of fraternity members will be facing charges related to the death of a pledge during a hazing event. The grand jury recommended the charges after the pledge, Chun “Michael” Deng, died a day after sustaining the fatal brain injury.
Fraternity Pi Delta Psi of Baruch College rented a house in Tunkhannock Township in the Pocono Mountains 100 miles west of New York. The 30 members of the fraternity went there for the weekend with their four pledges in December of 2013.
It was at the house that college freshman was put through a gauntlet, blindfolded and wearing a 30 pound backpack. Deng was knocked unconscious during the run and then taken inside and changed before being taken for help.
The jury recommended third-degree murder charges for the fraternity and five of its members. Thirty-two members will face a range of other charges from aggravated assault to hazing. Deng suffered repeated severe trauma to his head, thighs, and torso.
The fraternity has been banned by the college and the national fraternity revoked this affiliation with the chapter. The members claim they called the fraternity’s national president Andy Meng after Deng was injured, who advised them to hide all fraternity materials. Meng then released a statement a week after the death, condemning the chapter stating the chapter had “violated the values and rules of our organization, including our strict no hazing policy.”
The District Attorney will be deciding in the next few days if the charges will be pursued. The family is being represented by Doug Fierberg.
Photo: pix11.com