The Comprehensive Guide to Hazing in Alabama: What Calhoun County Families Must Know

If you’re a parent in Calhoun County, Alabama, and you’ve just received a call from your child at college—a call filled with fear, confusion, or the sounds of an injury—you are not alone. Hazing is not a relic of the past or something that only happens “somewhere else.” It is a present and severe danger on campuses across the nation, including those where our Alabama students enroll. What begins as a desire for belonging can quickly spiral into a nightmare of forced drinking, physical abuse, and psychological torment, often concealed behind a veil of “tradition” and secrecy. For families in Anniston, Oxford, Jacksonville, and across Calhoun County, understanding this threat is the first step toward protecting your student and seeking accountability.

Right now, our firm is leading one of the most serious hazing cases in the country. We represent Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity, and its now-shuttered Beta Nu chapter. The details are horrific: a “pledge fanny pack” filled with humiliating items, forced overconsumption of food leading to vomiting, extreme workouts, and being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.” Our client developed rhabdomyolysis—severe muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure, passing brown urine and requiring a four-day hospitalization. This active litigation demonstrates the level of institutional fight we are prepared to lead. While this case is in Texas, the same national fraternities, the same cover-up tactics, and the same devastating injuries occur everywhere, including at universities popular with Alabama students.

This guide is written specifically for parents and families in Calhoun County. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, the legal frameworks that apply in Alabama and nationally, and the proven path toward accountability and recovery. You will learn about the campuses your children attend, the organizations behind the letters, and the critical steps to take if you suspect abuse.

Immediate Help for a Hazing Emergency

If you are in crisis right now, here is what to do:

• Call 911 if your child is injured, intoxicated, or in immediate danger.
• Contact Attorney911 Immediately: Call 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We provide immediate guidance for legal emergencies.
• First 48-Hour Checklist:
  • Seek Medical Attention: Go to the ER or urgent care immediately. Tell the doctors the injuries are related to hazing.
  • Preserve Evidence: Take screenshots of ALL group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, texts), social media posts, and emails. Photograph injuries from multiple angles. Do not delete anything.
  • Document Everything: Write down a timeline of events with names, dates, locations, and what happened while memories are fresh.
  • Do NOT: Confront the fraternity/sorority, sign anything from the university or an insurance company, or post details on social media.

What Hazing Really Looks Like in 2025

Hazing has evolved far beyond the stereotypical “prank.” It is a calculated system of coercion and control designed to test loyalty through humiliation, endurance, and fear. For Alabama students, it can happen in fraternities, sororities, athletic teams, spirit groups, marching bands, military organizations like ROTC, and even academic clubs.

The Three Tiers of Modern Hazing

1. Subtle Hazing: Often dismissed as “harmless,” this establishes power imbalance.

• Mandatory Servitude: Being on call 24/7 as a designated driver, cleaning members’ rooms, or running personal errands.
• Social Control: Being told who you can socialize with, being given a derogatory nickname, or having to ask permission for daily activities.
• Deception: Swearing to secrecy, lying to parents and university officials about activities.

2. Harassment Hazing: Causes emotional and physical discomfort.

• Sleep Deprivation: Mandatory late-night or 3 AM “meetings,” “study sessions,” or tasks.
• Verbal Abuse: Yelling, screaming, insults, and threats from older members.
• Forced Consumption: Eating excessive amounts of bland food (milk, bread, hot dogs) or unpleasant substances until vomiting.
• Strenuous Exercise: “Smokings” or punitive calisthenics—hundreds of push-ups, wall-sits until collapse—disguised as “conditioning.”

3. Violent Hazing: Carries a high risk of severe injury or death.

• Forced Alcohol Consumption: The most common cause of hazing deaths. This includes “family tree” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor, and lineups where pledges must drink rapidly.
• Physical Beatings: Paddling, punching, kicking, or “tackle” rituals.
• Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, or sexual assault.
• Dangerous Environments: Being locked in a trunk, abandoned in a remote location, or exposed to extreme cold/heat.
• Psychological Torture: Threats of violence, intimidation, or coerced illegal acts.

The Digital Frontier of Hazing

Today, much of the coordination and abuse happens online, creating a digital evidence trail that can be critical for a case.

• 24/7 Group Chat Control: Platforms like GroupMe and Discord are used to issue constant demands, monitor compliance, and humiliate pledges publicly.
• Social Media Humiliation: Pledges may be forced to post embarrassing content on TikTok or Instagram as a “challenge.”
• Location Tracking: Being forced to share real-time location via apps like Find My Friends.
• Evidence Destruction: Members rapidly delete incriminating messages after an incident. This is why immediate screenshots are vital.

Hazing Law & Liability: Alabama and Federal Frameworks

Understanding the legal landscape is crucial. Liability can extend to the individuals who committed the acts, the local chapter, the national organization, and sometimes the university itself.

Alabama Hazing Law

Alabama has its own statutes addressing hazing. While specific penalties can vary, hazing is generally recognized as unlawful. Key principles under Alabama law and common law include:

• Criminal Liability: Individuals who engage in hazing can face criminal charges for assault, battery, providing alcohol to minors, or more serious charges like manslaughter if death results.
• Civil Liability: Victims can sue for damages based on theories of negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault, and battery. Organizations can be held liable for the acts of their members under certain conditions.
• Duty of Care: Universities and national fraternities have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm to students. Failure to act on known hazing patterns can constitute negligence.

It is critical to consult with an attorney to understand how these laws apply to your specific situation. As a comparison, in Texas (where our flagship Bermudez case is filed), hazing is specifically criminalized under Education Code Chapter 37, where consent is not a defense and serious injury can lead to felony charges.

Federal Laws That Apply on Every Campus

• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): This new federal law requires colleges receiving federal funds to publicly report hazing incidents and improve transparency, with full implementation by 2026.
• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment, sexual assault, or gender-based discrimination, the university has specific, mandatory obligations to investigate and address it under Title IX.
• The Clery Act: Requires universities to report crime statistics, including certain hazing-related assaults and alcohol offenses, in annual security reports.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Hazing Lawsuit?

A civil case seeks compensation and accountability from every responsible party.

1. Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, carried out, or encouraged the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: As an organization, it can be sued for creating a culture that allowed or encouraged hazing.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority: Headquarters often have deep pockets and insurance. They can be liable if they knew or should have known about a pattern of hazing and failed to intervene meaningfully. Our Texas case sues Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters for this reason.
4. The University: Schools may be liable for negligent supervision if they were aware of prior incidents and failed to take adequate corrective action. Public universities may have certain immunity defenses, but these are not absolute.
5. Third Parties: Property owners of off-campus houses, bars that overserved alcohol, or security companies that failed to act.

National Hazing Cases: The Patterns That Repeat

The tragic cases below are not anomalies; they are a blueprint of preventable failures. The same patterns occur repeatedly across different schools and organizations.

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died from traumatic brain injuries after a forced drinking “bid acceptance” night. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. Resulted in the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died of alcohol poisoning after a “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act, creating felony hazing penalties.
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Forced to drink a bottle of alcohol during a “Big/Little” event; died from alcohol poisoning. His family reached a $10 million settlement with the fraternity and university.
• Andrew Coffey (Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Died from alcohol poisoning at a “Big Brother” event, leading to a temporary suspension of all Greek life at FSU.
• Danny Santulli (Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced drinking. His family settled with 22 defendants, illustrating the wide net of liability.

What This Means for Alabama Families: These cases prove that hazing deaths and injuries are foreseeable. National organizations are often on notice of dangerous traditions. When a chapter at an Alabama school engages in similar conduct—forced drinking, physical brutality, cover-ups—it strengthens the argument that the national headquarters and university failed in their duty to prevent it.

Hazing Reality for Calhoun County Students: Alabama and Regional Campuses

Families in Calhoun County send their students to a variety of universities, from large in-state flagships to selective private schools across the Southeast. Greek life and organizational culture are prominent at many of these institutions.

Where Calhoun County Students May Enroll

• In Alabama: The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa), Auburn University, Jacksonville State University (in Calhoun County), the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Troy University, and the University of North Alabama all have active Greek communities and student organizations.
• Across the Southeast: Students also attend major Greek-life schools in neighboring states like the University of Georgia, University of Tennessee, University of Mississippi, and Clemson University.
• National Reach: Some students attend universities far from home, including institutions in Texas, where our firm is actively litigating.

The common thread is that wherever there are fraternities, sororities, teams, or tight-knit clubs, the risk of hazing exists. The national organizations involved in high-profile cases—Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Delta Theta, Pi Kappa Phi—have chapters on dozens of campuses, including those in Alabama.

Navigating a Hazing Report at Your Student’s University

Every school has its own process, but general steps include:

1. Immediate Reporting: Incidents can be reported to Campus Police, the Dean of Students Office, the Office of Student Conduct, or a Title IX Coordinator (if sexualized hazing is involved).
2. The “Internal Investigation”: The university will conduct its own review. This process is primarily focused on student discipline (suspension, expulsion, organizational sanctions) and is separate from a civil lawsuit for damages.
3. Potential Pitfalls: Universities have a strong interest in controlling the narrative and limiting liability. They may pressure families to accept internal resolutions that waive the right to sue. Never sign anything from the university without having an attorney review it.

Building a Powerful Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Recovery

At Attorney911, we approach hazing cases with the same intensity we bring to billion-dollar corporate litigation. Our strategy is data-driven, evidence-based, and designed to maximize accountability.

The Evidence That Wins Cases

We systematically collect and analyze:

• Digital Communications: Group chats, deleted messages recovered via forensics, social media posts, and emails that show planning, boasting, or cover-ups.
• Photographic & Video Evidence: Photos/videos of injuries, events, or locations shared by members.
• Medical Records: ER reports, hospitalization records, lab tests (like elevated creatine kinase for rhabdomyolysis), and psychological evaluations for PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
• Organizational Records: Through discovery, we obtain the national fraternity’s prior incident reports, risk management files, and communications with the local chapter to prove they knew of the risks.
• University Records: Prior disciplinary actions against the same chapter, proving a pattern the school knew about.
• Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and bystanders.

Types of Recoverable Damages

A civil lawsuit seeks to make the victim and family whole, both financially and through acknowledgment of harm.

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical bills, lost wages, costs of therapy, and diminished future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional suffering, humiliation, PTSD, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (for families): Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound loss of companionship, love, and guidance.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of especially reckless or malicious conduct, courts may award damages to punish the defendants and deter future behavior.

Our Unique Legal Advantages

Why choose a Texas-based firm for an Alabama-related case? Because hazing is a national problem fought against national organizations.

• Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers value claims, fight coverage, and use delay tactics. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
• Experience Against Institutional Giants: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by the deep pockets and aggressive defense teams of national fraternities and universities.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits. We can effectively advise clients navigating both systems.
• A Nationwide Practice Model: While based in Texas, we serve clients across the country. For Alabama cases, we work as co-counsel with local Alabama attorneys or serve as lead counsel on cases with connections to Texas (e.g., a national fraternity headquarters or insurance company based here). We also provide strategic consultation to families anywhere in the U.S.

A Practical Guide for Calhoun County Parents and Students

For Parents: Warning Signs and First Steps

Your child may be being hazed if they:

• Have unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Are perpetually exhausted or complain of severe sleep deprivation.
• Become secretive about their organization’s activities or seem emotionally withdrawn, anxious, or depressed.
• Are constantly on their phone, anxious about missing group chat messages.
• Have sudden academic or financial problems.

If you suspect hazing:

1. Talk to your child calmly and supportively. Assure them their safety is your only priority.
2. If they are injured, seek medical care immediately and have the cause documented.
3. Help them preserve evidence: Screenshot messages, photograph injuries.
4. Contact an attorney before reporting to the university or confronting the organization. We can help you navigate the process to protect your child’s rights and maximize evidence preservation.

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• You Have the Right to Be Safe: No tradition is worth your life or permanent health.
• “Consent” is Not a Defense: Even if you “agreed,” hazing is still illegal. The power imbalance and coercion undermine true consent.
• How to Exit Safely: If you feel in danger, leave. Contact a trusted adult, your RA, or campus police. You can resign your pledge or membership via email; you do not owe anyone an in-person explanation.
• Reporting Protections: Many schools and states have “Good Samaritan” or amnesty policies that protect those who call for help in an emergency, even if underage drinking was involved.

Critical Mistakes That Can Harm a Case

• Deleting Evidence: Do not delete texts or group chats, no matter how embarrassing.
• Confronting the Organization: This gives them a head start to destroy evidence and build a defense.
• Signing University Paperwork: Do not sign any “resolution,” “conduct agreement,” or release without an attorney’s review.
• Posting on Social Media: Defense attorneys monitor everything. Public posts can be twisted and used against you.
• Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses become hostile, and statutes of limitation impose strict deadlines.

Why Choose Attorney911 for Your Hazing Case

When your family is facing the trauma of hazing, you need advocates who combine relentless investigation with genuine compassion. At The Manginello Law Firm, PLLD (operating as Attorney911), we are Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

We are currently fighting for Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi. We see firsthand the institutional resistance and insurance defenses that families face. We apply this frontline experience to every case we evaluate.

For families in Calhoun County and across Alabama, we offer a clear path forward:

• Free, Confidential Consultation: We listen to your story, review any evidence you have, and explain your legal options with honesty and clarity.
• Co-Counsel Collaboration: We work seamlessly with local Alabama counsel to ensure your case benefits from both national hazing litigation expertise and local procedural knowledge.
• Contingency Fee Basis: You pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish and is available to assist Hispanic families.

Hazing thrives in silence. By taking action, you not only seek justice for your child but also help prevent the next tragedy.

Contact Us for a Free, Immediate Consultation

If hazing has impacted your family, you do not have to navigate this alone. Call us today to discuss your situation and learn how we can help.

Attorney911 | The Manginello Law Firm, PLLD
Call 24/7: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com | lupe@atty911.com
Se habla Español.

Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is fact-specific, and no outcome can be guaranteed. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.