Thirteen charged in hazing death of FAMU band member

[WoodysGirl]

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Thirteen people were charged Wednesday for their roles in the hazing death of a Florida A&M University drum major who was severely beaten in what appears to be one of the biggest college hazing cases ever.

The charges were announced more than five months after 26-year-old Robert Champion died aboard a chartered bus parked outside an Orlando hotel following a performance against a rival school. The case has exposed a harsh tradition among marching bands at some colleges around the U.S.

Champion was severely beaten by band members in November and had with bruises on his chest, arms, shoulder and back, authorities said. Witnesses told emergency dispatchers Champion was vomiting before he was found unresponsive aboard the bus.

State Attorney Lawson Lamar said 11 of the 13 people will face a hazing resulting in death charge, a third-degree felony. If convicted, they could face up to nearly six years in prison. The other two people will face a misdemeanor charges.

Read more: http://http://news.yahoo.com/13-cha...-hazing-death-famu-band-member-182053041.html

 

[vta]

A good sign the society you live in has lost it's mind?

"The testimony obtained to date does not support a charge of murder, in that it does not contain the elements of murder," Lamar said."

Yes. A witnessed beating and a dead human being has zero data to support that he was murdered. Outstanding.

 

[WV Cowboy]

Can anyone explain to me why people will choose to subject themselves to this type of abuse?

Whether it is the band, a club, a fraternity or soroity.

Why would anyone take part in this type of hazing or initiation?

I don't get it.

 

[vta]

Can anyone explain to me why people will choose to subject themselves to this type of abuse?

Whether it is the band, a club, a fraternity or soroity.

Why would anyone take part in this type of hazing or initiation?

I don't get it.

From what I read it seems he didn't. But that it was his being against that may have made it so brutal...

 

[jnday]

I didn't realize that hazing had become this big of a problem until recently. The Jackson State " Sonic Boom of the South" band has had several hazing injuries that could have resulted in death. HBO ran a special on the increasing problem with black southern bands and the hazing that is taking place. This incident is a shame. These bands are some of the best in the country and this only takes away from that. The problem has been kept secret from the general public. I live only a hour away from Jackson State and I only found out about the problems from the HBO special. This hazing needs to be brought in the public eye so that it will get the attention needed to be stopped.

 

[Phoenix]

I didn't realize that hazing had become this big of a problem until recently. The Jackson State " Sonic Boom of the South" band has had several hazing injuries that could have resulted in death. HBO ran a special on the increasing problem with black southern bands and the hazing that is taking place. This incident is a shame. These bands are some of the best in the country and this only takes away from that. The problem has been kept secret from the general public. I live only a hour away from Jackson State and I only found out about the problems from the HBO special. This hazing needs to be brought in the public eye so that it will get the attention needed to be stopped.

I didn't realize either, until this very thread. We certainly didn't have any of this crap going on in band when I was in college (and in band).

 

[Phoenix]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/02/justice/florida-famu-charges/index.html?eref=rss_us