Ex-ULL officer faces charge in hazing case 05/25/05

A former University of Louisiana at Lafayette police officer faces criminal charges for allegedly not acting on a hazing complaint by a former pledge for Sigma Nu -- a fraternity that was kicked off campus earlier this year in a hazing investigation.
After being informed of hazing by the pledge in December, officer Channing Credeur allegedly went to a bar where a fraternity member worked, told the man about the complaint and said he planned to do nothing about it, according to an affidavit filed by police.

Soon after that conversation, the pledge and his parents "started receiving death threats and were instructed not to say anything about what had taken place," according to the affidavit.

Credeur, 20, was booked Monday on one count of malfeasance in connection with failing the investigate the complaint of hazing, which is illegal in Louisiana. He was released on $2,000 bond.

The investigation began two weeks ago when the former pledge, who initially had told only Credeur, made an official complaint about the officer to the university, said UL-Lafayette spokeswoman Julie Simon-Dronet.

Credeur was a part-time student officer at the university but stepped down in January, Dronet said.

According to the affidavit, Credeur roomed with a friend of the pledge and was told about the hazing after the pledge went to the friend's house the day he decided to quit the fraternity.

The police affidavit stated that the pledge, whom was not identified, was covered in "dead animal remains" when he walked into his friend's house.

The affidavit does not specify what types of animals were involved but states that the pledge had been taken to a crawfish processing plant in St. Landry Parish.

Police did not detail any of the hazing incidents and declined to discuss any aspect of the case beyond what was stated in the affidavit.

Fraternity members involved in the hazing might also face charges.

St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Laura Balthazar said investigators plan to meet with the pledge today in connection with the incident at the crawfish plant.

"He is going to come in and give us a complete statement of what happened," Balthazar said. "Hazing will be investigated."

ULL Police declined to comment on whether any fraternity members are being investigated for criminal charges in connection with hazing on campus.

The UL-Lafayette Sigma Nu chapter was suspended from campus in February after an investigation of hazing incidents in December. The chapter is suspended until 2008.

2theadvocate.com: News - Ex-ULL officer faces charge in hazing case 05/25/05