Hazing Victims in Covington County Deserve Justice — Attorney 911 Fights for Alabama Families
If your child has been hazed at a university, fraternity, or sorority near Covington County, Alabama, you are not alone. What happened to Leonel Bermudez at the University of Houston can happen anywhere — including at institutions near Covington County. And we are fighting back.
At Attorney 911, we are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston after a student was hospitalized with severe rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure from extreme physical abuse during pledge activities. This isn’t just hazing — it’s torture. And it happens at universities across America, including near Covington County.
Covington County families: You deserve the same aggressive representation we’re bringing to this case. We will fight for you.
🚨 What Happened at University of Houston — And Why It Matters to Covington County
The Case That Shows Alabama Families What Hazing Really Looks Like
Plaintiff: Leonel Bermudez
Fraternity: Pi Kappa Phi (Beta Nu Chapter, University of Houston)
Injuries: Severe rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney failure, 3 nights/4 days hospitalized
Damages Sought: $10,000,000
What They Did to Him:
Leonel Bermudez, a transfer student not yet enrolled at UH, was subjected to weeks of systematic abuse during the Fall 2025 pledge process. The hazing included:
- Waterboarding with a garden hose — simulated drowning, a form of torture
- Forced to perform 500+ squats and 100+ pushups — until he collapsed and couldn’t stand
- Struck with wooden paddles — physical assault with weapons
- Forced to eat milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting — then forced to continue running
- Sleep deprivation — forced to drive fraternity members during early morning hours
- Another pledge lost consciousness during a forced workout — they kept going
- Humiliation and degradation — carried sexual objects, stripped in cold weather
On November 3, 2025, Bermudez was punished for missing an event. He was forced to perform extreme exercises until he could not stand without help. He crawled up the stairs when he got home. The next day, he couldn’t move. His mother rushed him to the hospital on November 6, where he was diagnosed with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, requiring three nights and four days of inpatient care.
This happened in Houston. But the same fraternities operate at universities near Covington County. The same “traditions” exist. The same negligence allows this abuse to continue. And we will fight for Covington County families just like we’re fighting for Leonel Bermudez.
⚠️ Hazing in Alabama — What Covington County Families Need to Know
This Isn’t “Tradition.” This Is Abuse.
Hazing is not harmless fun. It is not “building brotherhood.” It is not “paying your dues.” It is abuse. It is assault. It is sometimes torture. And it is illegal.
What Alabama Law Says About Hazing:
While Alabama has strong anti-hazing laws, many families don’t realize that hazing is a crime — and that consent is not a defense. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law says that doesn’t matter. The people who hazed them are still liable.
The Same Fraternities Are in Alabama:
Pi Kappa Phi, the fraternity that hospitalized Leonel Bermudez, has chapters at universities across the country — including near Covington County. Other national fraternities with documented hazing histories also operate in Alabama, including:
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) — Multiple hazing incidents nationwide
- Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) — $10 million settlement in Stone Foltz case
- Phi Delta Theta — $6.1 million jury verdict in Maxwell Gruver case
- Beta Theta Pi — $110 million settlement in Timothy Piazza case
If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority near Covington County, they face the same risks.
🏛️ Who Is Responsible? Everyone Who Let It Happen.
In Our UH Case, We Are Suing:
| Defendant | Why They’re Responsible |
|---|---|
| Pi Kappa Phi National | Failed to supervise chapters despite knowing about “a hazing crisis” |
| Beta Nu Chapter | Directly organized and conducted the hazing |
| University of Houston | Owned the fraternity house where hazing occurred; failed to protect students |
| UH Board of Regents | Institutional oversight failure |
| Chapter Officers | Leadership responsibility; directed hazing activities |
| Individual Members | Participated in or failed to stop the hazing |
| Former Members | Hazing occurred at their residence |
| Spouse of Former Member | Allowed hazing at their home |
Covington County families: The same types of defendants exist at Alabama institutions. We know how to hold them accountable.
💰 Why $10 Million? Because That’s What It Takes to Make Them Stop.
Hazing Costs Millions — We Have the Receipts
Hazing isn’t just morally wrong — it’s financially devastating for the institutions that allow it. And juries have shown they will make them pay:
| Case | Fraternity | University | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Foltz | Pi Kappa Alpha | Bowling Green State | $10.1 million settlement |
| Maxwell Gruver | Phi Delta Theta | Louisiana State | $6.1 million jury verdict |
| Timothy Piazza | Beta Theta Pi | Penn State | $110 million+ settlement |
| Andrew Coffey | Pi Kappa Phi | Florida State | Settlement (amount confidential) |
Our $10 million demand for Leonel Bermudez is directly in line with these precedents. And Covington County families can pursue the same level of compensation.
🔍 What Qualifies as a Hazing Case?
If Your Child Experienced Any of These, They May Have a Case:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Physical Abuse | Beatings, paddling, branding, forced exercise to exhaustion |
| Forced Consumption | Alcohol (binge drinking), food (eating until vomiting), non-food substances |
| Sleep Deprivation | Forced late nights, early mornings, disrupted sleep |
| Psychological Torture | Humiliation, degradation, verbal abuse, threats, isolation |
| Sexual Abuse | Forced nudity, sexual acts, carrying sexual objects, sexual assault |
| Waterboarding/Drowning | Simulated drowning, water torture, held underwater |
| Exposure | Cold weather exposure, heat exposure, confined spaces |
| Servitude | Forced cleaning, driving, errands for members |
Medical Consequences of Hazing:
- Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) — as seen in our UH case
- Acute kidney failure — as seen in our UH case
- Alcohol poisoning — common in forced drinking hazing
- Traumatic brain injury — from beatings or falls
- Hypothermia/Hyperthermia — from exposure
- Cardiac arrest — from extreme physical exertion
- PTSD, anxiety, depression — long-term psychological damage
- Death — too many students have died from hazing
📋 What Should Covington County Families Do If Their Child Is Hazed?
Immediate Action Steps:
- Seek Medical Attention — Even if injuries seem minor, get checked. Rhabdomyolysis and other conditions may not show symptoms immediately.
- Preserve All Evidence — Save text messages, social media posts, photos, videos, witness information.
- Do NOT Talk to the Organization — Fraternities, sororities, and universities will try to control the narrative. Do not give statements without legal counsel.
- Do NOT Post on Social Media — Anything you post can be used against you.
- Contact an Attorney Immediately — Evidence disappears fast, and statutes of limitations apply. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free consultation.
⚖️ Your Legal Rights as a Covington County Hazing Victim
Alabama Law Protects You
Alabama Hazing Law (Code of Alabama § 16-1-23):
- Hazing is a Class C misdemeanor — punishable by up to 3 months in jail and $500 fine
- If hazing causes serious physical injury, it becomes a Class B misdemeanor — up to 6 months in jail and $3,000 fine
- If hazing causes death, it becomes a Class C felony — up to 10 years in prison
Civil Liability:
- You can sue for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and punitive damages
- Organizations can be held vicariously liable for the conduct of their members
- Universities can be held negligent for failing to protect students
Consent Is Not a Defense:
- Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law says that doesn’t matter
- The people who hazed them are still liable
🎯 Why Covington County Families Choose Attorney 911
We Are Fighting This Battle Right Now — And We’ll Fight for You
1. We’re Currently Litigating a $10 Million Hazing Case
- We know how to build these cases
- We know how to hold institutions accountable
- We know how to win
2. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys
- Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena both worked for insurance companies before switching sides
- We know how they think, how they strategize, and how they try to minimize claims
- We use that knowledge to maximize your recovery
3. Federal Court Authority
- We are admitted to practice in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
- We can pursue cases in federal court — critical for national fraternity defendants
4. Dual-State Bar Admission
- Licensed in Texas and New York
- Strategic advantage for cases against national fraternities headquartered out of state
5. We Speak Spanish
- Se habla español — We serve Spanish-speaking families in Covington County without language barriers
6. We Travel to Covington County
- We will come to Covington County for depositions, client meetings, and trials
- Distance is not a barrier to justice
7. Contingency Fee Representation
- $0 upfront — You pay nothing unless we win your case
- We take the risk so you can focus on healing
📞 Covington County Families: Call Now for Free Consultation
If your child has been hazed at a university, fraternity, or sorority near Covington County, Alabama, call us immediately.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
Email: ralph@atty911.com
Website: attorney911.com
We serve hazing victims nationwide, including Covington County. We will fight for you just like we’re fighting for Leonel Bermudez.
🏆 What We Fight For:
| Category | What We Pursue |
|---|---|
| Medical Expenses | Hospital bills, doctor visits, therapy, future treatment |
| Pain and Suffering | Physical pain from injuries and recovery |
| Emotional Distress | PTSD, anxiety, depression, fear of retribution |
| Lost Wages | Time missed from work or internships |
| Educational Impact | Disruption to academic plans, lost scholarships |
| Punitive Damages | To punish egregious conduct and prevent future hazing |
| Institutional Change | Policy reforms at universities and national organizations |
🔥 A Message to Fraternities Near Covington County
To Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, and every other fraternity operating near Covington County:
We are watching. We are coming for you. The same legal strategies that secured $10 million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapters.
If you haze students near Covington County, we will pursue every liable entity — the university, the national organization, the housing corporation, the alumni oversight board, and every individual member.
We already shut down the Beta Nu chapter of Pi Kappa Phi at UH. Your chapter could be next.
🎓 A Message to Alabama Universities
To the University of Alabama, Auburn University, Troy University, and every other institution near Covington County:
You have a duty to protect your students. When you own the fraternity houses where hazing occurs, when you collect rent from organizations that torture students, when you fail to implement real oversight — you share liability.
The University of Houston owned the Pi Kappa Phi house where Leonel Bermudez was waterboarded. They had a prior hazing hospitalization in 2017. They did nothing. Now they’re being sued for $10 million.
Covington County institutions: Learn from their mistake. Act now, or face the same accountability.
❤️ A Message to Covington County Hazing Victims
To the students who have been hazed, who are afraid to speak up, who feel alone:
You are not alone. You did not deserve this. What happened to you was not your fault.
We see you. We believe you. We will fight for you.
Call us. Let’s bring them to justice.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
Enough is enough.
