The Complete Guide to Fraternity & Sorority Hazing for Lee County, Texas Families: Laws, Lawsuits, and Your Legal Rights

If Your Child Was Hazed at a Texas University, You’re Not Alone—And You Have Rights

We’ve seen it too many times. A promising student from a family right here in Lee County accepts a bid to join a fraternity, sorority, Corps program, or campus organization. What begins as excitement about finding community and tradition turns into something darker: forced drinking, sleep deprivation, humiliating acts, physical punishment, and in the worst cases, hospitalization or death. The student feels trapped—afraid to quit, ashamed to tell their parents, confused about whether what’s happening is “normal” or hazing. Meanwhile, the organization pressures them to keep quiet, telling them “everyone before you did this” and “this is what it takes to belong.”

Right now, across Texas, we’re seeing exactly how dangerous this culture can become. Our firm is currently representing Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter, its national headquarters, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. The details are shocking: Bermudez was subjected to forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, then made to immediately sprint; he endured 100+ push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion; he was sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding”; and he carried a degrading “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, and other humiliating items. The result? Rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown), acute kidney failure, brown urine, and a four-day hospitalization—with ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.

This isn’t happening in some distant state. It happened at the University of Houston, just hours from Lee County families. And it could happen to any student from Lee County attending Texas A&M, UT Austin, Baylor, SMU, or any of Texas’s 96 campuses with Greek life.

What This Guide Offers Lee County Families

This comprehensive guide provides exactly what parents in Lee County and across Texas need:

• Understanding modern hazing: What it really looks like in 2025—beyond the stereotypes
• Texas law explained: Your rights under Texas Education Code Chapter 37 and federal laws
• University-specific realities: What’s happening at UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, and Baylor
• National patterns that matter: How fraternity/sorority histories in other states affect Texas liability
• Practical action steps: What to do immediately if you suspect hazing
• Legal pathways: How experienced Texas hazing attorneys build cases against powerful institutions

This is general educational information, not legal advice for your specific situation. Every case depends on its unique facts. If hazing has affected your family, contact us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a confidential case evaluation.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCES

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

Call 911 for medical emergencies

Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)

We provide immediate help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™

In the first 48 hours:

• Get medical attention immediately, even if the student insists they’re “fine”
• Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted:
  • Screenshot group chats, texts, DMs immediately
  • Photograph injuries from multiple angles
  • Save physical items (clothing, receipts, objects)
• Write down everything while memory is fresh (who, what, when, where)
• Do NOT:
  • Confront the fraternity/sorority
  • Sign anything from the university or insurance company
  • Post details on public social media
  • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” evidence

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours:

• Evidence disappears fast (deleted group chats, destroyed paddles, coached witnesses)
• Universities move quickly to control the narrative
• We can help preserve evidence and protect your child’s rights
• Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate consultation

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like in Texas

A Modern Definition That Lee County Parents Need

Hazing isn’t just “boys will be boys” or “harmless tradition.” Under Texas law and in reality, hazing is any forced, coerced, or strongly pressured action tied to joining, keeping membership, or gaining status in a group, where the behavior endangers physical or mental health, humiliates, or exploits.

The critical legal principle for Lee County families to understand: “I agreed to it” does not make it legal or safe. When there’s peer pressure, power imbalance, and fear of exclusion, Texas courts recognize that “consent” isn’t truly voluntary.

The Five Main Categories of Hazing Today

1. Alcohol and Substance Hazing
This remains the most common—and most deadly—form of hazing. It includes:

• Forced or coerced drinking (“chug this or you’re out”)
• Drinking games with punishment for wrong answers
• “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor as gifts
• Pressure to consume unknown or mixed substances
• The result we see too often: Alcohol poisoning leading to hospitalization, brain damage, or death

2. Physical Hazing
Beyond the stereotypical paddling, modern physical hazing includes:

• Extreme calisthenics (“smokings”) far beyond normal conditioning
• Sleep deprivation through all-night “study sessions” or 3 AM wake-up calls
• Food/water deprivation as punishment
• Exposure to extreme cold/heat without proper clothing
• Forced exercise leading to rhabdomyolysis (as in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case)

3. Sexualized and Humiliating Hazing
Some of the most psychologically damaging forms include:

• Forced nudity or partial nudity
• Simulated sexual acts or positions
• Degrading costumes or role-playing
• Acts with racial, sexist, or homophobic overtones
• Public shaming in meetings or on social media

4. Psychological Hazing
This insidious form leaves no physical marks but causes deep harm:

• Verbal abuse, yelling, threats
• Isolation from non-member friends and family
• Manipulation through “confession” exercises
• Creating constant anxiety about “messing up”

5. Digital/Online Hazing
The newest frontier that Lee County parents might not recognize:

• Group chat dares and “challenges”
• Pressure to create compromising TikToks or Instagram content
• 24/7 messaging demands with immediate response required
• Location tracking through Find My Friends or Snapchat Maps
• Public humiliation via shared screenshots or videos

Where Hazing Happens Across Texas Campuses

While fraternities and sororities receive most attention, hazing occurs in many organizations that Lee County students join:

• Fraternities and Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, multicultural)
• Corps of Cadets / ROTC at Texas A&M and other military-style programs
• Athletic Teams (football, basketball, baseball, cheer, swimming)
• Spirit Squads and Tradition Clubs (like Texas Cowboys at UT)
• Marching Bands and Performance Groups
• Some Academic, Service, and Cultural Organizations

The common thread across all these groups? Social status, tradition, and secrecy keep these practices alive even when everyone “knows” hazing is illegal.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: What Lee County Families Must Know

Texas Education Code Chapter 37: Your Legal Foundation

Texas has specific anti-hazing provisions in the Education Code that protect your child. Here’s what Lee County parents need to understand:

§ 37.151: Definition of Hazing
Hazing means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, by one person alone or with others, directed against a student, that:

• Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, AND
• Occurs for the purpose of pledging, initiation into, affiliation with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization whose members include students.

In plain English for Lee County families: If someone makes your child do something dangerous, harmful, or degrading to join or stay in a group, and they meant to do it or were reckless about the risk, that’s hazing under Texas law.

Key points for your case:

• Can happen on or off campus (location doesn’t matter)
• Can be mental or physical harm
• Intent: Doesn’t have to be malicious; “reckless” is enough (knew the risk and did it anyway)
• “Consent is not a defense” (Texas Education Code § 37.155): Even if your child said “yes,” it’s still hazing

§ 37.152: Criminal Penalties

• Class B Misdemeanor: Hazing that doesn’t cause serious injury (up to 180 days jail, fine up to $2,000)
• Class A Misdemeanor: If hazing causes injury requiring medical treatment
• State Jail Felony: If hazing causes serious bodily injury or death

Additional criminal provisions:

• Failing to report hazing if you’re a member/officer and knew about it: misdemeanor
• Retaliating against someone who reports hazing: misdemeanor

§ 37.153: Organizational Liability
Fraternities, sororities, clubs, and teams can be criminally prosecuted if:

• The organization authorized or encouraged the hazing, OR
• An officer or member acting in official capacity knew about hazing and failed to report it

Penalties for organizations:

• Fine up to $10,000 per violation
• University can revoke recognition and ban the org from campus

Why this matters for your case: Both individuals AND the organization can be held accountable—criminally and civilly.

§ 37.154: Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting
A person who in good faith reports a hazing incident to university or law enforcement is immune from civil or criminal liability that might otherwise result from the report.

Practical implication for Lee County students: Many university policies provide amnesty for students who call 911 in medical emergencies, even if they were drinking underage or involved in the hazing themselves.

§ 37.156: University Reporting Requirements
Texas colleges and universities must:

• Provide hazing prevention education
• Publish hazing policies
• Maintain and publish annual reports of hazing violations and disciplinary actions

Why this matters for your investigation: These reports create public records of which organizations have prior violations—critical evidence for showing patterns in civil cases.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Understanding the Difference

Criminal Cases

• Brought by: The state (district attorney’s office)
• Goal: Punishment (jail, fines, probation)
• Typical charges in hazing cases:
  • Hazing offenses
  • Furnishing alcohol to minors
  • Assault, battery
  • Manslaughter in fatal cases

Civil Cases

• Brought by: Victims or surviving families
• Goal: Compensation and accountability
• Focus on:
  • Negligence and gross negligence
  • Wrongful death
  • Negligent hiring/supervision
  • Premises liability
  • Emotional distress

Critical point for Lee County families: Both types can run side-by-side, and a criminal conviction is not required to pursue a civil case. Many families pursue civil cases even when prosecutors decline to bring criminal charges.

Federal Laws That Overlay Texas Cases

Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024)

• Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently
• Strengthens hazing education and prevention
• Maintains public hazing data (phased in by around 2026)
• Impact for Texas families: More transparency about which organizations have violations

Title IX

• Triggered when hazing involves sexual harassment, sexual assault, or gender-based hostility
• Creates additional reporting and response obligations for universities
• Can provide additional legal claims beyond state law

Clery Act

• Requires reporting certain crimes and maintaining safety statistics
• Hazing incidents often overlap with assault or alcohol/drug crimes that must be reported
• Provides another avenue for holding universities accountable for underreporting

Who Can Be Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

1. Individual Students

• Those who planned, supplied alcohol, carried out acts, or helped cover up
• Often includes pledge educators, chapter presidents, risk managers

2. Local Chapter/Organization

• The fraternity/sorority or club itself (if incorporated)
• Housing corporations that own chapter houses

3. National Fraternity/Sorority

• Headquarters that set policies, receive dues, and supervise chapters
• Liability often hinges on what they knew or should have known from prior incidents
• Key evidence: Prior complaints from other chapters, internal memos about hazing risks

4. University or Governing Board

• The school or regents under negligence or civil-rights theories
• Key questions: Prior warnings, policy enforcement, deliberate indifference
• Note: Public universities (UH, Texas A&M, UT) have some sovereign immunity, but exceptions exist

5. Third Parties

• Landlords/owners of houses or event spaces
• Bars or alcohol providers under dram shop laws
• Security companies or event organizers

Important for Lee County families: Every case is fact-specific. Not every party is liable in every situation. Experienced hazing attorneys investigate to identify all potentially responsible parties.

National Hazing Case Patterns: What Texas Families Can Learn

Alcohol Poisoning & Death Pattern

Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017)

• Bid-acceptance event with extreme drinking
• Severe falls captured on chapter security cameras
• 19-year delay before calling 911
• Result: 18 fraternity members charged with over 1,000 criminal counts
• Impact: Pennsylvania enacted Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law
• Texas takeaway: Delay in calling 911 dramatically increases liability and supports punitive damages

Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017)

• “Bible study” drinking game: wrong answers = forced drinking
• Died from alcohol toxicity (BAC 0.495%)
• Result: Multiple criminal convictions; Louisiana enacted Max Gruver Act (felony hazing statute)
• Texas takeaway: “Games” that involve forced drinking are still hazing—and can be deadly

Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021)

• Pledge forced to drink nearly entire bottle of whiskey
• Died from alcohol poisoning
• Result: $10 million settlement ($7M from Pi Kappa Alpha national, ~$3M from BGSU)
• Texas takeaway: National fraternities pay significant settlements when patterns of similar conduct exist

Physical & Ritualized Hazing Pattern

Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013)

• Blindfolded, weighted with backpack, repeatedly tackled during “glass ceiling” ritual
• Fatal head injuries; delayed calling 911
• Result: Multiple convictions; national fraternity criminally convicted; banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years
• Texas takeaway: Off-campus “retreats” don’t eliminate liability; national organizations can face severe sanctions

Danny Santulli – University of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta (2021)

• Forced excessive drinking during “pledge dad reveal”
• Severe, permanent brain damage (cannot walk, talk, or see; requires 24/7 care)
• Result: Settlements with 22 defendants; multi-million dollar recovery
• Texas takeaway: Non-fatal injuries can result in lifetime care costs exceeding death cases

Athletic Program Hazing & Abuse

Northwestern University Football (2023–2025)

• Allegations of sexualized, racist hazing within football program
• Multiple lawsuits against university and staff
• Head coach fired, then settled wrongful-termination suit confidentially
• Texas takeaway: Hazing extends beyond Greek life to big-money athletic programs

What These Cases Mean for Lee County Families

Common threads across all major cases:

1. Forced drinking as central element
2. Humiliation and degradation as “bonding”
3. Delay or denial of medical care due to fear of consequences
4. Cover-up culture and destruction of evidence
5. Institutional knowledge of prior similar incidents

The financial reality for Texas families:

• Death cases: Settlements/verdicts from $1M to $14M
  • Stone Foltz: $10M total
  • David Bogenberger (Pi Kappa Alpha): $14M
  • Chad Meredith (Kappa Sigma): $12.6M jury verdict
• Severe injury cases: $375K to multi-million settlements
  • Joseph Snell (Omega Psi Phi): $375K verdict
  • Danny Santulli: Multi-million with 22 defendants
• Individual officer liability: Personal judgments up to $6.5M against chapter presidents

The legal reality: Reforms and substantial settlements often follow only after tragedy and litigation. Texas families facing hazing are operating in a landscape shaped by these national lessons.

Texas University Focus: Where Lee County Students Attend

Understanding Lee County’s Connection to Texas Campuses

Families in Lee County send their children to universities across Texas. Some attend nearby schools like Texas A&M University (approximately 90 minutes away) or University of Texas at Austin (about 2 hours away). Others choose University of Houston, Baylor University, Southern Methodist University, or other Texas campuses. Wherever your child attends, understanding that campus’s specific hazing landscape is critical.

Public Records: Fraternities, Sororities & Greek Organizations Connected to Lee County Families

At Attorney911, we maintain what we call the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—a comprehensive database tracking Greek organizations across Texas. This isn’t theoretical; it’s built from public records including IRS filings, university reports, and organizational databases. Here’s what exists in the public record for organizations that may be connected to Lee County families:

IRS B83 Texas-Registered Greek Organizations (Partial Listing)

• KAPPA SIGMA – MU CAMMA CHAPTER INC, EIN 133048786, 3007 Earl Rudder Fwy S, College Station, TX 77845-6681 (IRS B83 filing)
• GAMMA PHI BETA SORORITY INC, EIN 161675890, 115 Wild Wick Way, The Woodlands, TX 77382-1822 (IRS B83 filing, Zeta Rho HCB)
• PI KAPPA PHI DELTA OMEGA CHAPTER BUILDING CORPORATION, EIN 371768785, 4102 Eastshore St, Missouri City, TX 77459-1820 (IRS B83 filing)
• BETA NU PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY HOUSING CORPORATION INC, EIN 462267515, 10601 Big Horn Trl, Frisco, TX 75035-6629 (IRS B83 filing)
• ALPHA SIGMA PHI FRATERNITY INC, EIN 475370943, 5019 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77204-7005 (IRS B83 filing, Theta Delta chapter)
• CHI OMEGA FRATERNITY, EIN 740555581, 2711 Rio Grande St, Austin, TX 78705-4018 (IRS B83 filing, Chi Omega House Corporation)
• TEXAS RHO CHAPTER OF THE SIGMA PHI EPSILON FRATERNITY, EIN 741942292, 3217 S 3rd St, Waco, TX 76706-4115 (IRS B83 filing)
• BUILDING CORPORATION OF DELTA CHAPTER OF ALPHA DELTA PI, EIN 746047117, 2620 Rio Grande St, Austin, TX 78705-4017 (IRS B83 filing)
• PI KAPPA ALPHA FRATERNITY, EIN 746064445, 1855 Highway 69 N, Nederland, TX 77627-8843 (IRS B83 filing, Epsilon Kappa Chapter)
• SIGMA CHI FRATERNITY EPSILON XI CHAPTER, EIN 746084905, 4300 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX 77204-3067 (IRS B83 filing)

Why this directory matters for Lee County families: These are the legal entities behind the Greek letters. When hazing occurs, these organizations—with their EINs, mailing addresses, and legal structures—may hold insurance coverage and bear responsibility. We track them so families don’t start from zero when seeking accountability.

Metro-Level Greek Presence in Texas

Based on Cause IQ data analysis, Texas contains approximately 1,423 fraternity and sorority organizations across 25 metropolitan areas. For Lee County families, the most relevant metros include:

College Station–Bryan Metro (42 Greek organizations total)

• Sigma Chi Fraternity – Eta Upsilon Chapter (Texas A&M)
• Omega Psi Phi – Tau Tau Chapter (Texas A&M)
• Beta Theta Pi – Eta Chapter House Corporation
• Delta Sigma Theta – Brazos Valley Alumnae

Austin–Round Rock Metro (154 Greek organizations total)

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon – Texas Rho Corp. (UT Austin)
• Delta Tau Delta – Gamma Iota Chapter (UT Austin)
• Beta Xi House Corp. of Kappa Kappa Gamma (UT Austin)
• Building Corporation – Alpha Delta Pi (UT Austin)

Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land Metro (188 Greek organizations total)

• Texas District of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority – Houston Alumnae
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority – Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – Beta Sigma Chapter

Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metro (510 Greek organizations total—includes SMU, TCU, UT Arlington)

• Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity (Fort Worth)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation (Fort Worth)
• Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity – Gamma Psi Chapter (TCU)
• Sigma Nu Fraternity – Lambda Epsilon Chapter (TCU)

Waco Metro (27 Greek organizations total—Baylor University)

• Phi Gamma Delta – Tau Deuteron Chapter (Baylor)
• Kappa Kappa Gamma – Baylor House Board
• Delta Delta Delta – Baylor Chapter
• Baylor Panhellenic Alumnae Association

Cross-Validated Brands That Appear Across Texas
Our analysis of IRS and Cause IQ data reveals brands that appear in both datasets, showing how national organizations maintain multiple Texas presences:

• Beta Upsilon Chi – IRS EIN 742911848 in Fort Worth matches Cause IQ “Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity” in DFW metro
• Sigma Gamma Rho – Multiple IRS entities match Cause IQ listings in Houston, Beaumont, and other metros
• Pi Kappa Alpha – IRS entity in Nederland matches Cause IQ “Texas District of Pi Kappa Alpha” in Houston
• Kappa Alpha Psi – Multiple IRS entities across Texas match Cause IQ alumni chapter listings

Why this analysis matters: It shows that the same national brands operate through multiple legal entities across Texas—undergraduate chapters, alumni associations, housing corporations, educational foundations. When hazing occurs, all these connected entities may share liability.

University of Houston (UH): Current Crisis and Historical Context

Campus & Culture Snapshot

UH represents the reality many Lee County families face: a large, diverse urban campus where Greek life exists alongside commuter culture. With approximately 60 fraternity and sorority chapters across multiple councils (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, MGC, UGC), the potential for hazing exists across different types of organizations.

The Current Crisis: Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi

As detailed in media coverage from Click2Houston, ABC13, and Hoodline, this case exemplifies modern hazing’s severity:

Timeline of Abuse:

• September 16, 2025: Bermudez accepts bid to Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter
• September–October: Forced dress codes, hours-long “study/work” blocks, weekly interviews, overnight chauffeuring duties
• October 13: Another pledge hog-tied face-down on table with object in mouth for over an hour
• Multiple dates: “Pledge fanny pack” rule requiring 24/7 carrying of degrading items
• Multiple dates: Physical hazing at Yellowstone Boulevard Park including sprints, bear crawls, “save-your-brother” drills
• November 3: Bermudez forced through 100+ push-ups, 500 squats under expulsion threats
• November 6: Pi Kappa Phi national headquarters suspends chapter
• November 6-9: Bermudez hospitalized with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure

Medical Catastrophe:

• Diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown)
• Acute kidney failure requiring four-day hospitalization
• Critically high creatine kinase (CK) levels confirming muscle damage
• Ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage

Institutional Response:

• November 14, 2025: Chapter members vote to surrender charter; chapter closed
• UH statement: Conduct “deeply disturbing,” promises disciplinary measures up to expulsion
• Cooperation with law enforcement confirmed

Why This Matters for All Texas Families: This case shows that even when national headquarters “act decisively” by closing chapters, the damage is already done. The legal action seeks to hold accountable not just individual members but the university, national headquarters, housing corporation, and 13 named officers.

Historical Context at UH

The Pi Kappa Phi case isn’t UH’s first hazing incident. Historical reports include:

• 2016 Pi Kappa Alpha case involving a lacerated spleen
• Multiple fraternity suspensions for “likely to produce mental or physical discomfort”
• Ongoing pattern of alcohol-related and physical hazing violations

How a UH Hazing Case Proceeds

For Lee County families with students at UH:

• Jurisdiction: Cases may involve UHPD, Houston Police Department, or Harris County Sheriff
• Civil venue: Harris County courts typically handle lawsuits
• Potential defendants: Individuals, local chapter, national organization, UH System, property owners
• Evidence sources: UH conduct records, Houston PD reports, national fraternity files

Texas A&M University: Corps Culture and Greek Life Intersection

Campus & Culture Snapshot

For many Lee County families, Texas A&M represents both opportunity and concern. The Corps of Cadets tradition intersects with robust Greek life, creating multiple potential hazing environments.

Documented Hazing Incidents

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Chemical Burns Case (2021)

• Pledges allegedly covered in substances including industrial-strength cleaner
• Severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries
• Pledges sued fraternity for $1 million
• Chapter suspended for two years
• Texas takeaway: Hazing methods evolve beyond alcohol to include chemical dangers

Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Case (2023)

• Cadet alleged degrading hazing including simulated sexual acts
• Bound between beds in “roasted pig” pose with apple in mouth
• Sought over $1 million in damages
• Texas A&M stated it handled matter under Corps regulations
• Texas takeaway: Military-style programs have their own hazing traditions and accountability challenges

Rhabdomyolysis Cases (2023, ongoing)

• Multiple reports of extreme physical hazing leading to muscle breakdown
• Similar physiological damage to UH Pi Kappa Phi case
• Ongoing litigation with specialized medical focus

The Corps-Greek Life Overlap

Many Texas A&M students participate in both Corps and Greek life, potentially facing hazing in multiple contexts. The university’s handling of these parallel systems creates complex liability questions.

How a Texas A&M Hazing Case Proceeds

For Lee County families with Aggie students:

• Jurisdiction: College Station PD, Brazos County Sheriff, University Police
• Unique factors: Corps regulations interact with standard student conduct codes
• Evidence challenges: Military-style tradition arguments vs. illegal hazing
• Medical resources: College Station medical facilities often see hazing injuries first

University of Texas at Austin: Transparency and Persistent Problems

Campus & Culture Snapshot

UT Austin’s public hazing violations page represents one of Texas’s most transparent systems—but the ongoing violations show transparency alone doesn’t prevent hazing.

Documented Violations from UT’s Public Log

Pi Kappa Alpha (2023)

• New members directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics
• Found to be hazing
• Sanction: Probation and required hazing-prevention education
• Pattern: Similar to UH Pi Kappa Phi forced consumption methods

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Assault Case (January 2024)

• Australian exchange student allegedly assaulted at fraternity party
• Injuries included dislocated leg, broken ligaments, fractured tibia, broken nose
• Student sued for over $1 million
• Chapter already under suspension for prior violations
• Pattern: SAE’s national history repeating at UT

Texas Wranglers and Spirit Organizations

• Multiple sanctions for forced workouts, alcohol-related hazing
• Demonstration that hazing extends beyond Greek letters

UT’s Relative Transparency

Compared to other Texas schools, UT provides more public information about hazing violations. This transparency actually strengthens civil cases by providing documented patterns that support negligence claims against the university and organizations.

How a UT Hazing Case Proceeds

For Lee County families with Longhorn students:

• Jurisdiction: UTPD, Austin PD, Travis County courts
• Evidence advantage: Public violation records provide pattern evidence
• Medical resources: Austin’s medical facilities document injuries
• Legal venue: Travis County’s experience with university cases

Southern Methodist University: Private University Challenges

Campus & Culture Snapshot

SMU’s private status and affluent reputation create different dynamics. Less public reporting doesn’t mean less hazing—it often means less transparency.

Documented Incidents

Kappa Alpha Order (2017)

• New members reportedly paddled, forced to drink, deprived of sleep
• Chapter suspended until approximately 2021
• Pattern: KA’s national hazing history manifesting at SMU

Ongoing Greek Life Scrutiny

• Multiple anonymous reports via systems like Real Response
• Less public disciplinary information than public universities
• Challenge for families: Harder to research organizational histories

Private vs. Public University Differences

SMU’s private status affects hazing cases in several ways:

• Less FOIA/public records access
• Different disciplinary processes
• Potentially deeper-pocketed defendants
• Similar legal liability despite different transparency

How an SMU Hazing Case Proceeds

For Lee County families with Mustang students:

• Jurisdiction: University Park PD, Dallas County courts
• Evidence challenges: Fewer public records, more reliance on discovery
• Defendant resources: Potentially well-funded defense
• Medical documentation: Dallas medical facilities provide care records

Baylor University: Religious Identity and Accountability Challenges

Campus & Culture Snapshot

Baylor’s religious identity and recent history with athletic scandals create a complex environment for hazing accountability.

Documented Incidents

Baylor Baseball Hazing (2020)

• 14 players suspended following hazing investigation
• Staggered suspensions throughout early season
• Pattern: Athletic hazing intersecting with Baylor’s culture

Greek Life Ongoing Issues

• Multiple organizational sanctions for alcohol and hazing violations
• Intersection with Baylor’s “zero tolerance” policies
• Challenge: Religious branding versus actual conduct

Baylor’s Unique Context

Following the football sexual assault scandal, Baylor implemented reforms that theoretically should address hazing. The reality often differs, creating liability based on failure to implement stated reforms.

How a Baylor Hazing Case Proceeds

For Lee County families with Baylor students:

• Jurisdiction: Waco PD, McLennan County courts
• Unique factors: Religious institution protections versus negligence claims
• Evidence: Internal reform documents potentially discoverable
• Medical: Waco medical facilities document injuries

Fraternities & Sororities: National Histories That Affect Texas Liability

Why National Histories Matter for Lee County Cases

When your child is hazed at a Texas chapter of a national fraternity or sorority, that organization’s history in other states becomes critically important to your case. Here’s why:

Foreseeability Doctrine
If Pi Kappa Alpha chapters in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida have killed pledges through forced drinking games, the national organization knew or should have known that similar conduct at their Texas chapters could kill. This “foreseeability” strengthens negligence claims.

Pattern Evidence
Multiple similar incidents across different chapters show that hazing isn’t “rogue individuals” but organizational culture. This pattern evidence supports claims against national headquarters.

Prior Notice
National organizations that received complaints, incident reports, or media coverage about hazing at other chapters had “prior notice” of the risk. Their failure to prevent similar conduct at Texas chapters supports liability.

National Organizations With Documented Hazing Histories

Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike)

• Stone Foltz: Bowling Green State, 2021 — forced drinking death, $10M settlement
• David Bogenberger: Northern Illinois, 2012 — alcohol poisoning death, $14M settlement
• Multiple other chapters: Nationwide pattern of “Big/Little” drinking nights
• Texas presence: Chapters at UH, Texas A&M, UT, SMU, Baylor
• Legal implication for Texas families: National pattern establishes foreseeability

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE)

• Traumatic Brain Injury: University of Alabama, 2023 lawsuit
• Chemical Burns: Texas A&M, 2021 — $1M lawsuit
• Assault: UT Austin, 2024 — $1M+ lawsuit
• National response: Eliminated pledge program in 2014 due to pattern of deaths
• Texas presence: Multiple chapters across all major universities
• Legal implication: SAE’s national reform attempts didn’t prevent Texas incidents

Pi Kappa Phi

• Andrew Coffey: Florida State, 2017 — drinking death
• Leonel Bermudez: University of Houston, 2025 — rhabdomyolysis, kidney failure, our current case
• Pattern: Physical endurance hazing combined with humiliation
• Texas presence: Multiple chapters including UH Beta Nu (now closed)
• Legal implication: Same national organization, similar methods, different Texas victim

Phi Delta Theta

• Max Gruver: LSU, 2017 — “Bible study” drinking death
• Result: Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act (felony hazing)
• Texas presence: Chapters across major campuses
• Legal implication: National awareness of drinking game dangers

Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI)

• Danny Santulli: University of Missouri, 2021 — permanent brain damage
• Settlements: With 22 defendants
• Pattern: Extreme drinking during “pledge dad” events
• Texas presence: Multiple chapters
• Legal implication: Catastrophic injury cases establish high damage values

How National Histories Strengthen Texas Cases

When we represent Texas families, we investigate national organizations’ histories to establish:

1. Prior Notice: What the national HQ knew about similar conduct elsewhere
2. Inadequate Response: Whether their anti-hasing policies were effectively enforced
3. Foreseeability: That the harm was predictable based on other chapters
4. Pattern and Practice: That hazing is organizational culture, not individual misconduct

This national context often determines whether insurance coverage applies and whether punitive damages are available.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Damages, and Strategy

Critical Evidence Categories for