Parents of students who died during hazing sue fraternity

The Associated Press
August 11, 2004

PLATTSBURGH, NY-- The parents of a Plattsburgh State freshman who died as a result of a hazing ritual has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Psi Epsilon Chi fraternity and 14 former members. The suit, filed in Saratoga County by Walter and Sue Jennings, does not name the university nor does it list a specific amount of damages being sought. The Jennings' 18-year-old son, Walter, died last year of water intoxication while pledging Psi Epsilon Chi, a fraternity that despite being banned from the college in 1998 continued to recruit new members. During a 10-day pledge cycle, Jennings and others were forced to drink alcohol and massive amounts of water through a funnel until they vomited. They were also put in a homemade sweat box, told when they could sleep, and were urinated on. The amount of water and alcohol the pledges were forced to consume increased during the hazing, and on the last day of the cycle, Jennings became non-responsive. He was taken to Plattsburgh's CVPH Medical Center where he died on March 13. Ten Plattsburgh State students and one alumnus were originally charged with more than 150 crimes, including criminally negligent homicide. All eventually accepted various plea agreements. The alumnus, William Katz of Plattsburgh, was sentenced to a year in Clinton County Jail, and the students were sentenced to community service, probation and were dismissed from the college.
(c) 2004 The Associated Press.