A Marshall Family’s Guide to Hazing Lawsuits, Fraternity Accountability & Student Safety in Texas

If Your Child Was Hazed at a Texas University, You Are Not Alone

For parents in Marshall and across Harrison County, the nightmare often begins with a late-night phone call or a disturbing text message. Your son or daughter—who left for college with dreams of friendship and tradition—is now speaking in hushed tones about “mandatory events,” showing unexplained bruises, or worse, being rushed to a hospital hours away. The world of university Greek life, Corps programs, and campus organizations, which promised belonging, has revealed a darker side of coercion, humiliation, and physical danger.

Right now, in Texas, we are fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country, and it perfectly illustrates what Marshall families are up against. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who was hazed by the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter in Fall 2025. His ordeal—detailed in a $10 million lawsuit—included being forced to carry a degrading “pledge fanny pack,” enduring hours of brutal physical workouts, being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” and consuming massive amounts of food until vomiting. The result was catastrophic: rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure that required four days of hospitalization, with brown urine signaling life-threatening damage. The Pi Kappa Phi chapter was swiftly suspended and then voted to surrender its charter, but the physical and psychological harm to Leonel continues.

This is not an isolated incident in a faraway city. The same national fraternities and sororities that operate at the University of Houston have chapters and affiliates across Texas, including at universities where Marshall students enroll. The institutional patterns of secrecy, the insurance company playbooks, and the devastating outcomes are tragically consistent. If your child has been hurt in connection with a fraternity, sorority, Corps program, athletic team, or spirit group at any Texas campus, this guide is for you. We will explain what modern hazing really looks like, the full scope of Texas law and legal liability, and how our firm—using a proprietary Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built on thousands of public records—investigates these cases to hold every responsible party accountable.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR MARSHALL FAMILIES FACING A HAZING CRISIS

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.

In the first 48 hours, you must:

1. Get Medical Attention: Even if your child resists, insist on an ER visit. Tell doctors the injuries may be from hazing so it is documented.
2. Preserve Digital Evidence: Help your child screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, texts), social media posts, and DMs BEFORE they are deleted. Take clear photos of any injuries.
3. Write Everything Down: Record what your child tells you—names, dates, locations, specific acts—while memories are fresh.
4. Secure Physical Evidence: Do not wash clothing; save any items involved (bottles, paddles, receipts).
5. Contact an Attorney: Evidence disappears fast. Universities and fraternities move quickly to control the narrative. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

What NOT to do:

• Do NOT confront the fraternity, sorority, or organization directly.
• Do NOT let your child delete any messages or “clean up” their phone.
• Do NOT sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
• Do NOT post details on public social media.

The Greek Ecosystem Surrounding Marshall, Texas: A Network of Hundreds of Organizations

When a hazing incident occurs, parents often face a confusing web of entities: the local chapter, a national headquarters, a housing corporation, alumni groups, and the university itself. For families in Marshall and Harrison County, understanding this landscape is the first step toward accountability. Our firm maintains a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, a proprietary database compiled from IRS public filings, university records, and national directories. This allows us to map the complete organizational structure behind any Greek chapter in Texas.

Public Records Directory: Fraternities, Sororities & Greek Entities with Texas Ties

The following are just a sample of the over 1,400 Greek-related organizations we track across 25 Texas metros. These are public records, illustrating the complex network that exists behind the letters on campus.

Greek Organizations Recorded in IRS Filings (IRS B83 Data):

• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc | EIN: 133048786 | 3007 Earl Rudder Fwy S, College Station, TX 77845
• Gamma Phi Beta Sorority Inc | EIN: 161675890 | 115 Wild Wick Way, The Woodlands, TX 77382
• Sigma Phi Lambda Inc | EIN: 201237505 | 4251 FM 2181 Ste 230 PMB 480, Corinth, TX 76210
• Frank Heflin Foundation (Phi Delta Theta alumni) | EIN: 203507402 | 9000 W Country Club Rd, Canyon, TX 79015
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc | EIN: 462267515 | 10601 Big Horn Trl, Frisco, TX 75035
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc (Theta Delta Chapter) | EIN: 475370943 | 5019 Calhoon Rd, Houston, TX 77204
• Chi Omega Fraternity (House Corporation) | EIN: 740555581 | 2711 Rio Grande St, Austin, TX 78705
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc | EIN: 741380362 | PO Box 470061, Fort Worth, TX 76147
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (Epsilon Kappa Chapter) | EIN: 746064445 | 1855 Highway 69 N, Nederland, TX 77627
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter | EIN: 746084905 | 4300 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX 77204

Major Metro Concentration (Cause IQ Data):
The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro leads Texas with over 510 Greek organizations. The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro has 188. The Austin-Round Rock metro has 154, and the San Antonio metro has 86. These hubs are where national organizations base their Texas operations, house corporations, and alumni networks—all of which can be sources of liability and insurance coverage in a hazing case.

Why This Directory Matters for Marshall Families:
If your child is hazed at a chapter in College Station or Austin, the entity that holds insurance and assets may be a housing corporation in Frisco or an alumni foundation in Houston. We use this public records data to identify every potentially liable organization from day one, preventing them from hiding behind complex corporate structures.

Where Marshall & Harrison County Families Send Their Students: Local Campuses and Statewide Hubs

Marshall is home to its own respected institutions of higher learning, and Harrison County families also proudly send their children to major universities across Texas. Hazing is a risk at campuses large and small, public and private.

Local Harrison County Campuses:

• East Texas Baptist University (Marshall): A Christian liberal arts university with campus organizations.
• Wiley University (Marshall): A historically black university with a rich tradition of student life and Greek organizations, including National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) chapters.

Regional & Major Texas Universities Common for Marshall Students:

• Texas A&M University (College Station): A flagship institution with a massive Greek system and the Corps of Cadets, both with documented hazing histories.
• University of Texas at Austin: Another flagship with a highly publicized hazing violation log and active Greek life.
• University of Houston: The site of our ongoing Leonel Bermudez lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi.
• Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches): A major regional university with active fraternity and sorority life.
• Texas Tech University (Lubbock), Baylor University (Waco), Southern Methodist University (Dallas): Other major destinations with significant Greek populations.

The reality for parents is that hazing does not discriminate by school size or reputation. The same dangerous dynamics of power, tradition, and secrecy can take root anywhere students seek belonging.

The Organizations Behind the Letters: Connecting National Patterns to Texas Campuses

The fraternity that hazes a student at UT Austin is often the same national organization whose chapter killed a pledge at Florida State or Ohio University. This pattern evidence is critical in civil litigation. It proves that the national headquarters was on notice—they knew or should have known their rituals and culture created a foreseeable risk of harm.

National Fraternities with Documented Hazing Histories & Texas Chapters:

1. Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ): Responsible for the death of Stone Foltz at Bowling Green State University (2021), forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. Settlements totaled $10 million. PIKE has chapters at UT Austin, Texas A&M, and universities nationwide.
2. Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ): Faced a $1 million lawsuit at Texas A&M where pledges suffered chemical burns from industrial cleaner. Faces a traumatic brain injury lawsuit at the University of Alabama. SAE has chapters at nearly every major Texas school.
3. Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ): The national fraternity we are currently suing in the Leonel Bermudez UH case. Its chapter at Florida State University was involved in the alcohol-poisoning death of Andrew Coffey in 2017.
4. Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ): Its LSU chapter was responsible for the death of Max Gruver during a “Bible study” drinking game, leading to Louisiana’s “Max Gruver Act.” Phi Delt has chapters across Texas.
5. Kappa Alpha Order (ΚΑ): Its SMU chapter was suspended for paddling and forced drinking. It has a history of similar incidents nationally.

When we take a case, we don’t just look at the single incident. We subpoena the national organization’s records to uncover their internal knowledge of prior hazing at other chapters, the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of their anti-hazing training, and their history of punishing chapters. This pattern is what allows us to argue for punitive damages and to hold the deep-pocketed national entity responsible, not just the local students.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability Explained for Marshall Residents

Texas has specific statutes that govern hazing, and they provide powerful tools for victims and their families. Understanding this framework is essential.

Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F – The Hazing Law:

• Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act (on or off campus) that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership in any organization.
• Criminal Penalties: Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes injury and a State Jail Felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death. Individuals who fail to report hazing can also be charged.
• Critical Provision – Consent is NOT a Defense: Texas law (§37.155) explicitly states that the victim’s consent to the hazing activity is not a defense to prosecution. This legally acknowledges the coercive power imbalance in these situations.
• Organizational Liability: The organization itself (fraternity, sorority, team) can be fined up to $10,000 per violation if it authorized or encouraged the hazing.

Civil Liability: Beyond Criminal Charges
A criminal case is brought by the state to punish wrongdoing. A civil lawsuit is brought by the victim or their family to recover compensation for damages and to force accountability. The two can proceed simultaneously. In a civil hazing case, we can sue multiple parties:

• The individual students who planned and carried out the hazing.
• The local chapter as an entity.
• The national fraternity/sorority headquarters for negligent supervision and failure to prevent foreseeable harm.
• The university for negligent oversight, if it knew or should have known about a dangerous culture and failed to act.
• Housing corporations and landlords of off-campus houses where hazing occurred.
• Third parties like alcohol providers.

Federal Law Overlay:

• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently and maintain public hazing data.
• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or gender-based hostility, it triggers the university’s Title IX obligations.
• Clery Act: Requires reporting of certain campus crimes, which can include hazing-related assaults.

For Marshall families, this means a hazing incident at a Texas public university like Texas A&M or UT is governed by Texas statute, but may also involve federal reporting requirements and potential federal claims.

Building a Hazing Case with Attorney911’s Data Engine & Litigation Experience

When you come to us with a hazing case, we deploy a systematic, evidence-driven approach honed from decades of complex litigation against powerful institutions, including our work on the BP Texas City explosion litigation.

1. Immediate Evidence Preservation & Investigation:
We act with urgency to secure evidence before it vanishes. This includes:

• Digital Forensics: Working with experts to recover deleted group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), texts, and social media posts that show planning, boasting, and cover-ups.
• Public Records Analysis: Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine to map all related entities—housing corporations, alumni chapters, national headquarters—to identify every source of potential liability and insurance.
• Witness Identification: Locating and interviewing other pledges, former members, roommates, and bystanders who can corroborate the events.

2. Establishing the Full Scope of Damages:
Hazing causes profound harm. We work with medical and economic experts to document:

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (ER, hospital, surgery, therapy), future medical care costs, lost wages, and loss of future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
• Non-Economic Damages: Physical pain, emotional distress, PTSD, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the ultimate tragedy, we seek compensation for funeral costs, loss of companionship, and the family’s profound grief.

3. Overcoming Institutional Defense Tactics:
We know the playbook because our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense attorney for large companies. We anticipate and counter their strategies:

• “It was voluntary/consensual”: We cite Texas law where consent is no defense and use evidence to show coercion.
• “The national didn’t know”: We use pattern evidence from other chapters to prove foreseeability.
• “Insurance doesn’t cover intentional acts”: We argue that the organization’s negligent supervision is covered, and pursue bad-faith claims if needed.
• University “sovereign immunity”: We pursue claims based on gross negligence, Title IX violations, or sue individual employees.

Our goal is not just a settlement; it is full accountability. We use the leverage of litigation to force institutional change—mandated anti-hazing reforms, chapter closures, and public transparency—to protect future students from Marshall and beyond.

Practical Steps for Marshall Parents & Students: What To Do Right Now

For Parents:

• Listen Without Judgment: If your child opens up, your first job is to listen and assure them of your support and their safety.
• Seek Medical Documentation: Insist on a medical evaluation. A doctor’s record is powerful evidence.
• Document Methodically: Keep a dated journal of everything your child shares. Photograph injuries over time.
• Report Strategically: You can report to campus police, the Dean of Students, and local police. Consult with an attorney first to understand the implications.
• Watch for Retaliation: Document any harassment or threats against your child after reporting.

For Students:

• Your Safety Comes First: If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
• You Have the Right to Leave: You can de-pledge or quit an organization at any time. Send a clear text or email to an officer to create a record.
• Preserve Evidence Secretly: Screenshot everything. In Texas, you can legally record conversations you are a part of.
• Know Your Resources: The National Anti-Hazing Hotline (1-888-NOT-HAZE) allows for anonymous reporting. Your campus counseling center can provide confidential support.

Critical Mistakes to Avoid:

• DO NOT delete any texts, photos, or group chats.
• DO NOT confront the organization yourself.
• DO NOT sign any agreement from the university or an insurance adjuster without an attorney.
• DO NOT post about the incident on social media.
• DO NOT wait for the university to “handle it internally.” Evidence disappears and statutes of limitations run out.

Why Marshall Families Choose Attorney911 for Hazing Cases

We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC, operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™. While our offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve hazing victims and their families throughout Texas, including in Marshall and all of Harrison County. We bring a unique combination of insider knowledge, investigative power, and proven results to these emotionally devastating cases.

Our Texas Hazing Litigation Advantage:

• The Flagship Case: We are actively litigating the Leonel Bermudez vs. UH & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit right now. We are not theorists; we are in the fight, facing a major university and a national fraternity. We know the current tactics and challenges.
• The Data Engine: Our proprietary Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—built from over 1,400 public records—means we start your case with a map of the entire organizational landscape. We don’t miss liable entities.
• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), is a former insurance defense lawyer. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers try to deny, delay, and underpay claims. We use their playbook against them.
• Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Founding attorney Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff lawyers involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by billion-dollar corporations or wealthy universities. We have the resources and tenacity to see these cases through.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Insight: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal side of hazing investigations, which often runs parallel to civil cases. We can advise clients navigating both systems.
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña is fluent in Spanish (Se habla Español), ensuring we can serve all Texas families with comfort and clarity.
• Contingency Fee Basis: You pay nothing upfront. Our fee is a percentage of the recovery we secure for you. If we don’t win, you don’t pay attorney fees.

We believe that holding these organizations accountable does more than secure compensation for your family—it forces the systemic changes that will protect the next generation of students from Marshall, from Harrison County, and from across Texas.

Contact Attorney911 for a Confidential, Free Consultation

If your child has been hazed, injured, or humiliated in connection with a campus organization, you do not have to navigate this crisis alone. The institutions involved have teams of lawyers and public relations experts. You deserve a team that fights exclusively for you.

We invite you to contact us for a free, completely confidential case evaluation. During this consultation, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story.
• Explain your legal rights and options under Texas law.
• Discuss the investigation process and what we can do to preserve evidence.
• Answer your questions about timelines, costs, and what to expect.
• Provide honest, straightforward advice about your best path forward.

Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). You can also reach out directly:

• Ralph Manginello: ralph@atty911.com
• Mr. Lupe Peña: lupe@atty911.com
• Website: https://attorney911.com

For Marshall families, the road to justice and recovery begins with a single, protected conversation. Let us use our experience, our data, and our determination to help you find the answers and accountability you deserve.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

News Coverage of the Leonel Bermudez / UH Pi Kappa Phi Hazing Lawsuit:

1. Click2Houston (KPRC 2): “Urine was brown’: Pledge sues over severe hazing at University of Houston’s shut down Pi Kappa Phi fraternity”
   • URL: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/11/21/only-on-2-lawsuit-alleges-severe-hazing-at-university-of-houstons-pi-kappa-phi-chapter-fraternity/
2. ABC13 Eyewitness News (KTRK): “Waterboarding, forced eating, physical punishment: Lawsuit alleges abuse faced by injured pledge at UH’s Pi Kappa Phi fraternity”
   • URL: https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/

Attorney911 Educational YouTube Videos:
3. Evidence Preservation: “Can You Use Your Cellphone to Document a Legal Case?”
* URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
4. Statute of Limitations: “Is There a Statute of Limitations on My Case?”
* URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
5. Client Mistakes: “Client Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Injury Case”
* URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
6. Contingency Fees: “How Do Contingency Fees Work? Injury Lawyer Explains!”
* URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Attorney911 Main Website & Contact:
7. Main Site & Free Consultation: https://attorney911.com

Legal Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Each case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. If you need legal advice, please contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a confidential consultation.