Hazing in Alabama: A Comprehensive Guide for Marengo County Families Seeking Justice and Accountability

If Your Child Was Hazed at an Alabama or Out-of-State College, You Are Not Alone

We understand the fear, confusion, and anger that washes over a parent in Demopolis, Linden, or anywhere in Marengo County when you realize your child has been hurt while seeking belonging at college. That midnight phone call, the cryptic texts about “mandatory” events, the unexplained injuries or emotional withdrawal—these are the signs that something has gone terribly wrong in what should be a safe educational environment. Whether your student is at the University of Alabama, Auburn, a regional campus, or has traveled out of state to a school with a prominent Greek system, the betrayal when trust is broken by an organization promising “brotherhood” or “sisterhood” cuts deep. Hazing is not a rite of passage; it is abuse disguised as tradition, and it leaves lasting scars.

Right now, our firm is actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in the country, representing Leonel Bermudez in his $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston and the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter. This case involves allegations of extreme physical hazing—including forced consumption of food until vomiting, “waterboarding” with a hose, and brutal workouts that led to rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure—and demonstrates the level of institutional fight we are prepared to undertake. While this case is in Texas, the patterns are national. The same fraternities and sororities that operate in Texas have chapters across Alabama and the Southeast. The same insurance companies defend them. The same institutional playbooks for denial and delay are used everywhere. We are Texas-based hazing litigation specialists, but we serve families nationwide, including those in Marengo County, through consultation, case evaluation, and co-counsel arrangements with local attorneys. If hazing has impacted your family, you deserve a team that understands the depth of investigation required and has a proven record of holding powerful organizations accountable.

Immediate Help for Hazing Emergencies in Marengo County:

• If your child is in danger right now: Call 911 for medical emergencies. Then, call us at 1-888-ATTY-911.
• In the first 48 hours: Get medical attention and preserve evidence. Screenshot group chats (GroupMe, texts), photograph injuries, save any physical items, and write down everything your child tells you. Do not confront the organization, sign anything from the school or an insurance company, or post details on social media.
• Contact an experienced hazing attorney: Evidence disappears fast. We can help you navigate the crucial early steps. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.

What Hazing Really Looks Like in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

For parents in Marengo County, whose children may be the first in their family to attend a large university with Greek life, understanding modern hazing is critical. It is no longer just about silly pranks; it is a calculated series of abuses designed to assert control and force conformity, often digitally facilitated and deliberately hidden from authorities.

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership in any organization. Under this definition, which is mirrored in Alabama law and most university codes, “consent” is not a defense. The power imbalance between pledges and active members, and the intense desire to belong, means true voluntary consent does not exist in these scenarios.

Modern Hazing Methods: From Physical Brutality to Digital Coercion

1. Alcohol and Substance Hazing: The most common and deadly form. This includes forced chugging, drinking games with penalties, “family tree” or “Bible study” rituals where incorrect answers require drinking, and coerced consumption of dangerous amounts of liquor, often from a shared handle or bottle.
2. Physical Hazing: This ranges from “smokings” (extreme, punitive calisthenics) and paddling to sleep deprivation, exposure to extreme elements, and dangerous physical tests. The Leonel Bermudez case alleges workouts of 100+ push-ups and 500 squats, leading to life-threatening muscle breakdown.
3. Psychological and Humiliating Hazing: This includes verbal abuse, threats, social isolation, forced nudity or wearing degrading costumes, and being subjected to sexually suggestive acts or simulations. The “pledge fanny pack” in the UH case, filled with humiliating items, is a prime example.
4. Digital Hazing: This is the new frontier. Pledges are subjected to 24/7 monitoring via group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), required to share live locations, forced to post embarrassing content on social media, and given tasks communicated through digital channels at all hours of the night. This creates a constant state of anxiety and control.

These acts often occur off-campus at rented houses, Airbnb properties, or remote retreats to avoid university oversight. The organizations know exactly what they are doing and go to great lengths to hide it.

The Legal Landscape: Alabama Law and Your Family’s Rights

Hazing is not only a violation of university policy; it is a crime and a civil wrong. Understanding the legal framework is the first step toward accountability.

Alabama’s Hazing Laws

Alabama has statutes addressing hazing. While the specific penalties may differ from Texas law, the core principle is the same: hazing that causes injury or death is a serious offense. Alabama Code § 16-1-23 makes it unlawful to engage in hazing at any educational institution. The law defines hazing as subjecting a student to indignity, humiliation, intimidation, physical abuse, or danger as a condition for membership in an organization. Criminal penalties can apply. Furthermore, Alabama’s legal system allows for civil lawsuits—known as tort claims—where victims can seek compensation for their injuries from those responsible.

Civil Liability: Who Can Be Held Accountable?

A civil lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate for medical bills, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other losses. It also serves to hold institutions accountable and force change. In a hazing case, multiple parties may share liability:

• The Individual Perpetrators: The students who planned, carried out, or actively participated in the hazing.
• The Local Chapter: The fraternity or sorority chapter itself, if it is a recognized entity that authorized or permitted the conduct.
• The National Organization: The fraternity or sorority’s national headquarters can be liable if it was negligent in supervising the chapter, failed to enforce its own anti-hazing policies, or had prior knowledge of dangerous traditions. National organizations often have deeper insurance pockets.
• The University or College: Schools have a legal duty to protect their students. They can be liable if they knew or should have known about a pattern of hazing and failed to take reasonable steps to stop it, or if they negligently supervised recognized student organizations.
• Third Parties: Property owners where hazing occurred, or individuals who provided alcohol to minors, may also bear responsibility.

The Federal Overlay: Title IX and the Clery Act

Even in Alabama, federal laws come into play. If hazing involves sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based discrimination, it may trigger Title IX obligations for the school to investigate and address the hostile environment. The Clery Act requires colleges to report certain crimes, including assaults, which often accompany hazing incidents. The recently enacted Stop Campus Hazing Act will soon require more transparent reporting of hazing incidents nationwide, increasing pressure on institutions.

National Hazing Cases: The Patterns That Repeat in Alabama

The tragic stories from other states are not distant news; they are blueprints for the types of cases we see and the arguments we must make. These cases show how courts and juries view hazing and what families can seek in accountability.

Deadly Alcohol Hazing: A Preventable Pattern

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): A bid-acceptance night with catastrophic drinking led to fatal falls. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. The case resulted in massive criminal charges, civil settlements, and Pennsylvania’s Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): A “Bible study” drinking game claimed his life. The case led to Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act, strengthening felony hazing penalties.
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Forced to drink a bottle of alcohol during a “Big/Little” night, he died of alcohol poisoning. His family reached a $10 million settlement, and the chapter president was held personally liable for $6.5 million.

Physical and Ritualized Violence

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): During a “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat, he was blindfolded, weighted down, and repeatedly tackled, suffering fatal brain trauma. The national fraternity was criminally convicted.
• Danny Santulli (University of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Coerced into drinking an excessive amount of alcohol, he suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage, requiring 24/7 care for life. His family settled with numerous defendants.

What This Means for Marengo County Families: These cases prove that hazing deaths and life-altering injuries are foreseeable by national organizations and universities. When the same dangerous “traditions”—forced drinking games, violent physical tests, off-campus retreats—recur, it demonstrates a pattern of knowledge and a failure to prevent harm. This “pattern evidence” is powerful in court, showing that what happened to your child was not an isolated accident but part of a known, preventable risk.

Hazing at Universities Where Marengo County Students Study

Marengo County families send their children to a variety of institutions, from Alabama’s flagship universities to regional schools and out-of-state colleges with strong Greek systems. Understanding the landscape at these schools is crucial.

The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) and Auburn University

As the two largest universities in the state, UA and Auburn have extensive, deeply rooted Greek life systems. They also have documented histories of hazing incidents. Both schools publish annual hazing violation reports, listing organizations sanctioned for behaviors ranging from alcohol misuse to physical abuse and endangerment. These reports, required by the Alabama law, are a starting point for proving a chapter’s or national organization’s prior knowledge of problems. Incidents at these schools often follow the national pattern: forced drinking at bid acceptance or “Big/Little” events, pledge duties that escalate into sleep deprivation and physical exhaustion, and activities held off-campus to evade oversight.

Other Alabama Institutions

Schools like the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Jacksonville State University, the University of Montevallo, and others also have active Greek communities where hazing risks exist. Smaller campuses do not guarantee safety; in fact, less scrutiny can sometimes allow abusive practices to fester.

Out-of-State Schools

Many Alabama students attend universities in neighboring states like Mississippi (Ole Miss, Mississippi State), Georgia (UGA, Georgia), Tennessee, or prestigious private schools across the South and nation. The same national fraternities and sororities—Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta, and others—operate at these schools, bringing with them their national histories and risk patterns.

How a Hazing Case Proceeds

If your child is hazed at an Alabama school, initial reports typically go to the university’s Office of Student Conduct or Dean of Students. This internal process is administrative, not criminal or civil. It may result in chapter probation or suspension. A university’s internal discipline does not preclude you from filing a civil lawsuit. In fact, the evidence gathered in the campus process can be valuable. Simultaneously, severe incidents may be investigated by local police (Tuscaloosa PD, Auburn PD, etc.) for potential criminal charges. A civil lawsuit, which our firm specializes in, is a separate action filed in state or federal court to secure compensation and accountability from all responsible parties.

Fraternities and Sororities: National Histories and Local Risk

National organizations are not anonymous collectives; they are sophisticated entities with insurance, lawyers, and public relations strategies. Their histories matter because they show what they knew and when they knew it.

Key Organizations with Documented Nationwide Hazing Patterns:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): Involved in the Stone Foltz death at Bowling Green ($10M settlement) and multiple other fatalities. Known for high-risk “Big/Little” alcohol hazing traditions.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Has faced lawsuits and suspensions across the country, including cases involving traumatic brain injury at the University of Alabama and severe chemical burns at Texas A&M.
• Phi Delta Theta: The Max Gruver death at LSU led to felony hazing legislation in Louisiana.
• Pi Kappa Phi: The Andrew Coffey death at Florida State and the active Bermudez case at the University of Houston highlight recurring risks.
• Kappa Sigma, Beta Theta Pi, Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI): All have multiple high-profile hazing deaths and injury cases in their national histories.

When a chapter at the University of Alabama, Auburn, or any other school engages in hazing, the national organization cannot plausibly claim ignorance. Their own risk management manuals are written precisely because of this history. A successful lawsuit demonstrates how the national organization failed to adequately supervise, train, or enforce its policies against a local chapter repeating these well-known dangerous practices.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Taking on a fraternity, sorority, or university requires a meticulous, evidence-driven approach. This is where our experience and resources make a critical difference for families in Marengo County.

Critical Evidence Collection

• Digital Evidence: This is paramount. We work to preserve and recover group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), social media posts, photos, and videos. Even deleted messages can often be retrieved through digital forensics.
• Medical Records: Documentation from ER visits, hospitalizations, and follow-up care is essential to prove the extent of physical and psychological injury, including conditions like PTSD, depression, or anxiety.
• University Records: Through discovery, we obtain the chapter’s prior disciplinary history, the national organization’s communications with the chapter, and the university’s own investigation files.
• Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and bystanders can provide crucial accounts of what happened and the organization’s culture.

Understanding Damages: What Can Be Recovered

A civil lawsuit seeks to make the victim and their family whole, as much as possible, and to punish egregious conduct. Recoverable damages include:

• Economic Damages: All medical expenses (past and future), lost wages, costs for psychological counseling, and diminished future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life, and PTSD.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the unspeakable event of a hazing death, families can seek compensation for funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound grief and loss of companionship.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of particularly reckless or malicious conduct, courts may award punitive damages to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.

Our Strategic Advantage

Our lead attorney, Ralph Manginello, has over 25 years of complex litigation experience, including taking on billion-dollar corporations in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. Associate attorney Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him) brings invaluable insider knowledge from his years as an insurance defense attorney at a national firm; he knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims and build their defense. This combination—trial-tested aggression against large institutions and insider knowledge of insurance strategies—is what families need when facing well-funded opponents.

Practical Guides for Marengo County Parents and Students

For Parents: Warning Signs and Action Steps

Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries (bruises, burns, limping).
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, drastic weight change.
• Secretive behavior about organization activities, sudden anxiety when the phone buzzes.
• Personality changes: withdrawal, depression, irritability.
• Constant requests for money with vague explanations.

What to Do:

1. Prioritize Safety and Health: If injured or intoxicated, seek medical care immediately. Tell the doctor the context: “My child was hazed.”
2. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot all relevant group chats, text messages, and social media posts. Photograph injuries. Do not let them delete anything.
3. Document Everything: Write down a timeline with everything your child tells you—dates, times, locations, names.
4. Seek Legal Counsel Early: Contact us before reporting to the university or making any statements. We can help you navigate the process to protect your child’s rights and preserve legal claims.
5. Understand the University Process: You can report to the Dean of Students, but understand their primary interest is often institutional risk management, not your child’s justice. Do not sign any settlement or resolution agreements without an attorney’s review.

For Students: Your Rights and How to Stay Safe

• Trust Your Instincts: If it feels dangerous, humiliating, or wrong, it probably is hazing.
• You Have the Right to Leave: You can de-pledge or quit an organization at any time, for any reason. True brotherhood/sisterhood is not built on abuse.
• Know the Law: In Alabama, you cannot consent to hazing. You are the victim, not a willing participant.
• Report Safely: You can report anonymously through university hotlines or to the National Anti-Hazing Hotline at 1-888-NOT-HAZE. If there is a medical emergency, call 911; most schools have medical amnesty policies to protect those who call for help.
• Preserve Evidence: Take screenshots, photos, and notes. Tell a trusted friend or family member what is happening.

Critical Mistakes That Can Harm a Case

1. Deleting Digital Evidence: Group chats are the modern “smoking gun.” Preserve them.
2. Confronting the Organization Directly: This triggers their defense protocol, leading to evidence destruction and witness coaching.
3. Signing University Agreements Without Counsel: Universities may offer a quick, low-value resolution in exchange for waiving your right to sue.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense attorneys scour social media for inconsistencies or statements they can use against you.
5. Waiting Too Long: Statutes of limitations restrict the time to file a lawsuit. Memories fade, witnesses scatter, and evidence is lost.

About The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911: Why We Fight for Hazing Victims

We are not a high-volume personal injury firm. We are complex litigation specialists based in Houston, Texas, with a national reach and a deep commitment to holding powerful institutions accountable. For families in Marengo County facing the nightmare of hazing, we bring a unique and powerful combination of skills:

• Proven Institutional Litigation Experience: Ralph Manginello’s work on the BP Texas City explosion case proves we are not intimidated by billion-dollar defendants or their legions of lawyers. Universities and national fraternities are similar Goliaths.
• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Mr. Lupe Peña’s (he/him) background as a former insurance defense attorney is perhaps our greatest strategic asset. He knows how these insurers think, how they value claims, and the tactics they use to deny or minimize payouts. We know their playbook because we used to help write it.
• Comprehensive Investigative Resources: We have a network of experts—digital forensics specialists, medical experts, economists, and life-care planners—to build an unassailable case from the ground up.
• A Mission for Accountability: We take these cases not just for compensation, but to force change. A successful lawsuit can shut down dangerous chapters, reform national policies, and, most importantly, prevent the next family from suffering as yours has.

We serve families across the country. For clients in Alabama and other states outside Texas, we work as co-counsel with reputable local attorneys, bringing our specialized hazing and institutional litigation expertise to the team. This model allows us to provide the best of both worlds: local courtroom knowledge and our national-level, insurance-savvy hazing strategy.

Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If your child has been hazed at an Alabama university or any college nationwide, you do not have to navigate this alone. The institutions involved will have their lawyers; you deserve experienced advocates on your side.

We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to listen to your story, review any evidence you have, and explain your legal options clearly and honestly. We handle hazing cases on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no upfront costs to you—we only get paid if we successfully recover compensation for your family.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911 Today:

• Call our Legal Emergency Line: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
• Website: https://attorney911.com
• Email Ralph Manginello: ralph@atty911.com
• Email Lupe Peña (Se habla Español): lupe@atty911.com

Whether you’re in Demopolis, Sweet Water, Myrtlewood, or anywhere in Marengo County, we are here to help you seek justice, secure your child’s future care, and hold every responsible party accountable.

Legal Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. If you have been affected by hazing, please contact an attorney to discuss your specific situation. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements.